There are so many fantastic places to see and visit up here in Yorkshire that it’s a wonder why anyone would want, or need, to travel anywhere else. One such place that is a particular favourite here at MotorMartin Towers, is the RSPB Sanctuary at Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington, North Yorkshire. The drive from the Towers, here in Bradford, up to Bempton is one that covers a wide and varied collection of roads ranging from typical town work, A and B roads and fast flowing dual carriageway. The perfect journey upon which to test an all rounder such as the handsome Volkswagen Tiguan, supplied by the excellent Swansway Group of dealerships who can be contacted on 01270 419061, and sat on the drive in front of me.
During part 1 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan SE NAV 2.0 TDI: Good Day Sunshine, MotorMartin discussed the looks of the Tiguan and how that quality set it apart from some others in the same segment but here today, it’s the technology and driving that I want to focus on.
With plenty of space for four, its no problem at all for the average family to make themselves comfortable in the quality surroundings of the Tiguan. It’s almost not worth highlighting that the seat and steering wheel are infinitely adjustable and that the seats themselves are comfortable and pleasant places to be as, to be honest, it would be far more of a surprise if they weren’t. Space in the back is fantastic for children and adults alike who also don’t miss out when it comes to their own controllable technology. With heated seats and zoned temperature controls for the rear passengers they can make sure that their environment is as comfortable as it can be. That said, the most impressive feature for one of the MotorMartin children? The small tray that swivels up from the rear of the front seats and that it also includes a cup holder. Good grief.
What I want to discover with this Tiguan SE NAV is whether the technology within this revamped SUV is there to help and aid the driver or if it’s unnecessary and too complicated?
Before setting off I ditched the usual MotorMartin CoPilot GPS Sat Nav and made the conscious decision to rely solely on the inbuilt Discover Navigation System, after all, Volkswagen have probably made sure it’ll work, haven’t they? MotorMartin though, needn’t have worried. VW say that, The Intuitive 8.0 inch colour touch-screen displays and state-of-the-art technology ensure radio and navigation systems, are not only easy to operate, but provide all the journey information you need and recognise many external multimedia devices you may wish to connect. What I found great about the system was its ease of use, type in the destination address and by witchcraft, or clever thinking, the Discover System predicts where you want to go and offers you three choices of route. Its up to you then which you choose.
On the SE NAV that MotorMartin was driving, the Sat Nav information was displayed in a simplified form on an extremely clear, multifunctional TFT screen that sat in between the speedometer and rev counter directly in the line of sight for the driver. A screen which could show a variety of important driver information and could be simply scrolled through and selected using the solid feeling toggle on the left of the steering wheel. Superb Volkswagen, simple to scroll through whilst driving and becomes invaluable the longer you spend in the Tiguan.
Dual Zone Climate control set at 20C, first gear selected and off to the seaside we go. The first thing you notice with the Tiguan is how smooth the power delivery is from the 2.0 TDI 150PS 2WD BlueMotion Tech engine married to the 6 speed manual gearbox of this particular model. With 150PS and 236 lbs.ft of torque this is a motor that doesn’t need to be stirred through the gearbox to make good progress, indeed the technique MotorMartin used was to use the slick gear change to move on up into sixth gear a s soon as possible and then to use the considerable low down power to maintain speed, driving the Tiguan in this manner also allows you to maximise your efficiency, made even easier by switching the TFT display to instant or average fuel consumption. Now I love this type of game, maintaining speed by careful use of the throttle, reading the road as far ahead as possible, keeping braking to a minimum and above all else, keeping momentum. Indeed once returned to Bradford after our day out the trip meter was registering a very satisfying 58mpg. A quite superb result.
Once out of Bradford and onto the A64 it was time to settle down and appreciate another of the Tiguan’s party pieces, setting the cruise control at 70mph I was interested to see what the lane assist feels like when underway. Turned on through the initial set up of the car or when needed using the steering wheel toggles it’s a safety system that warns you if the car starts drifting out of lane. Using a camera embedded into the rear view mirror, the system monitors the road markings and adds additional resistance to the steering and gently brings the car back in line when necessary. Use of the indicators automatically cancels the system and allows the changing of lanes without intervention, a fantastic safety specially when on a long motorway journey or suchlike. The system works so intuitively as to make it just another feature that works without the driver needing to think about it. Excellent work Volkswagen.
Upon leaving the A64, thank goodness, it’s time to follow the superb A166 as it winds its way through the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside towards the historic village of Stamford Bridge, scene of a bloody battle between Harold Godwinson of the Anglo Saxons and the Viking, Harald Hardrada, where around 5000 Anglo Saxons and 6000 Vikings met a horrific end. Continuing along the A166 for a few more miles you turn let after Fridaythorpe, heading towards Sledmere and beyond and this is where the Tiguan gets to show you what it can really do.
With its taught chassis and excellent suspension the Tiguan provides a ride quality just the right side of sporting but without sacrificing ride quality, this allows the Volkswagen to remain stable through the bends rather than give way to the slightly floating feeling that some vehicles in this segment give way to when pressing on. The driver always feels in control with excellent feedback being felt through the steering, suspension and brakes. This isn’t a sports car, far from it, but the willing engine, slick gearbox and the supple and responsive chassis mean that fun can still be had from what is at heart, a fantastic family car. With the standard raised seating position afforded by the SUV architecture your line of sight through undulating country roads is quite superb allowing you to plan ahead whilst still making excellent progress as the road and conditions allow.
After some Puffin watching on the idyllic cliffs at Bempton it was time to return to Bradford, but not before a quick pit stop at MotorMartin’s favourite town of Scarborough a little further up the coast, a quite wonderful, quintessentially English, seaside town and I love it. Parked up and looking out on Scarborough’s impressive South Bay gave me time to reflect upon my time with the 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan SE NAV 2.0 TDI and draw my conclusions.
Volkswagen have created a superb family SUV in the Tiguan, they’ve taken everything that was good about the previous edition and improved upon those areas that needed tweaking and in doing so have ended up with a great looking, well proportioned, practical family car. It’s got lots of space for the family, plenty of cabin storage and an excellent boot space whilst providing the driver with everything he or she needs to travel in comfort and safety, whilst still giving off that indefinable feeling of quality. With this impressive SE NAV edition starting at just £25,985, you’re getting an awful lot of car and technology for your money and in MotorMartin’s eyes, that’s going to take some beating. For a great deal on the 2016 Tiguan your first stop should be the excellent Swansway Group who can be contacted on 01270 419061 and offer first class customer service throughout all the steps in the car buying journey and who MotorMartin most certainly recommends.
I’ll leave the last words however to Volkswagen themselves as they sum up their all new Tiguan by saying that, The stylish Tiguan SE looks great inside and out and with the very latest navigation and connectivity technology you are always in control. And you can’t say fairer than that. Don’t forget to checkout MotorMartin’s YouTube channel for further insights into the Volkswagen Tiguan and more.
Where will you go?