SOFT-ROADERS are flavour of the month right now for some reason, and here comes Volkswagen with its first compact sports utility vehicle to get in on the act.
The Tiguan family, to be fair, offers more than gentle off-roading, with an Escape model that gets all the extra underside protection and angle tolerances needed for tough territory. Sampling that will have to wait for another day; here we are looking at the entry S model, which, along with the SE and Sport, is going to be seen principally on the security of Tarmac. However, it is not ill-equipped to a bit of dirty work.
There's the 4Motion permanent four-wheel drive for a start, cladding all-round and, in the test car, a turbo diesel engine with a never-say-die determination to battle on. You may not be taking your pride and joy through the forests but come across road floods or ice and snow and you know you will keep going.
Some SUVs are so big they are off-putting, but the Tiguan, though boldly styled, is quite a neat size - certainly you don't have to scale Eiger-like sides to get into it. But it has that seat height which appeals to many drivers and, with substantial windows, visibility is excellent. Perhaps because it is not over-tall, the car also seems to avoid the front-pillars obstruction so common in this breed.
Being reasonably near the ground also brings benefits in terms of ride and handling. There's scarcely a trace of roll and, indeed, the Tiguan delivers a very smooth, cultured ride - car-like is a much over-used claim but it is on the mark here. There's a four-link suspension at the rear, where Volkswagen has also come up with newly-developed dampers, and comfort scores highly without any penalty on grip and handling. An electronic stability programme is fitted across the range.
The progressive electro-mechanical steering system is nicely weighted in town or on the open road and gives good feedback, while the braking system, discs all round, is impressively secure.
The satisfying, peaceful nature of life aboard the Tiguan is slightly marred by the steady thrum which is a diesel giveaway, and it gets more obvious under any sort of acceleration (when you also get a little wind noise). Happily, there's virtually no vibration and, in performance and economic terms (48mpg on the open road), Volkswagen has done well as it pursues a new common-rail diesel road.
The 2.0-litre unit turns out a hefty 236lb/ft of pull, and right down at 1,750 revs at that, so there's good take-off capability at all times. Incidentally, the Tiguan has a towing capacity of up to 2,500kg, which is best in class.
The build quality is all you would expect from Volkswagen, and the same goes for the cabin. Soft-touch plastics are teamed with pleasant metal highlights and, even in this entry model, the upholstery is quality, too.
Indeed, the seats are first-class in ergonomic terms and there is height adjustment to go with reach and height choices for the steering wheel.
The lay-out of controls is neatly done, helped by the inclusion in the test car of a well-sited touch-screen, which is an option at S level but standard elsewhere. In fact, this was the super-dooper version at £2,000 which brought in satnav, rear-view camera and assorted multi-media, info and entertainment features.
The S is, nevertheless, well-equipped as standard, with offerings such as semi-automatic climate control, heat-insulating tinted glass, front side and curtain airbags, front and rear electric windows, electric door mirrors, electronic parking brake, multi-function computer, 16in alloys and roof rails.
The climate control has vents for passengers at the rear, which also offers a power point and little storage areas, so it is good for kids on long journeys. Leg and head room is adult-sized and the rear seats slide by up to 16cm, so you can choose between extra space for passengers or luggage. Fold down those rear seats (they also recline) and there's a lot of load space.
The Tiguan is a highly-impressive all-rounder and, if you are sold on sports utility vehicles, it povides all the quality associated with Volkswagen. VWs don't come cheap, of course (Tiguan prices range from £19,370 for a 1.4 petrol S to £23,750 for a 2.0 TDi Sport auto/tiptronic) but, as always, you get what you pay for.
FAST FACTS
Volkswagen Tiguan S 2.0 TDI 4Motion 5dr
Price: £20,470
Mechanical: 140ps, 1,968cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 115mph
0-62mph: 10.5 secs
Combined mpg: 39.2
Insurance group: 9
CO2 emissions: 182g/km
BiK rating: 23%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust