When I hear Volkswagen, I automatically associate it with quality. Why not? It’s a German brand after all.

So I was very excited to get behind the wheels of Volkswagen Tiguan this week.

Volkswagen Tiguan, sold and serviced in Fiji by Palas Autohaus, is available in two models.

You can either get it in a 1.4 Litre twin turbo petrol engine which is pretty much basic. The alternative is to get a 2 Litre turbo diesel engine which is packed with quite a lot of features.

And the most amazing feature is the automatic park assist where the vehicle does parallel parking by itself with the push of a button. We will get to that part in a while.

Features

Both the models have reverse sensors, reverse camera and optical sensors. You can also choose different setting with reverse camera to give different views.

The two litre diesel engine model however as sensors all around. This is in fact what enables the park assist feature to exist.

The vehicle comes with multi-function steering wheel and multifunction display. It also has Bluetooth feature, aux, USB, CD player as well as SD card slot.

There is also a button for autohold to prevent the vehicle from moving back or downhill.

One of the interesting featuring is the Blue Motion System. Once you activate this system, the engine turns off when you bring the vehicle to a complete stop applying brakes (especially at red light or while waiting on someone).

As soon as you lift your leg from the brakes, the engine will start again. The best thing is, the whole system will remain activated and it will be just the engine which will turn on/off.

The vehicle also comes with voice command option. So if you are too lazy to change the channel, just command and it will be done.

Perhaps one of the other interesting features is the function which allows you to open and close the window with your key remote.

When you hold the unlock button, the window goes down. When you hold the lock button, the window goes up.

So you don’t have to really go outside your house to your vehicle if you want to put the window down. Just relax on your sofa and press the button.

Safety features

Then comes perhaps one of the most important features a lot of people are always cautious about. This is the safety features of the vehicle.

The Volkswagen Tiguan has 10 airbags. These are made up of curtain airbags, front pillar airbags, rear airbags and front seat airbags.

Apart from this, the vehicle has outstanding active and passive safety features, rock-solid build quality, a sophisticated engine with drive train technology make the Tiguan the stand-out choice in the SUV market.

With anti-lock braking (ABS), anti-slip regulation (ASR), electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) and extended electronic differential lock (EDL), the Tiguan’s range of braking and traction control technologies ensure a safer drive.

Interior

The steering wheel boasts a sporty look and even is smaller than standard size. It is three-spoke leather covered and allows a very comfortable drive.

It comes with fabric seats. The cabin has been cleverly designed and goes hand-in-hand with the vehicle concept overall.

The sliding rear seats with a 40/60 split fold offer versatility for passengers and payload luggage.

For ultimate carrying capacity, both rear seats can be folded flat to reveal a cargo space just right for carrying bulky luggage.

Verdict

Overall, the Volkawagen Tiguan does offer value for money and is indeed a worthy investment.

It comes equipped with what standard SUVs would offer and much more.  It is believed to be the only vehicle in Fiji with the park assist feature.

Palas Autohaus gives 3 years/100,000km warranty on the vehicle and the warranty covers the whole vehicle, not just drive train.

Also, servicing will be done every 10,000km or 12 months whichever comes first – so more cost savings for you.