Popularity contest

Admirable non-negotiables, of course. And those same basic goals saw Volkswagen successfully transition from the original Beetle to the Golf in the 1970s without much of a hiccup to global sales. The Golf, especially in Europe, remained a perfectly true embodiment of the ‘People’s Car’. Just with the engine in the front and optional air conditioning inside the cabin.

But in the last 30 years, the idea of the ‘People’s Car’ has changed. Bigger, broader, taller, safer, and with more stuff onboard. The battleground for consumer hearts and minds – at a mass-market level – has moved well beyond ‘compact’ and ‘fun’. Fuss-free and frill-less will get you nowhere as a carmaker. And if you don’t have a family-sized SUV in your portfolio, then you clearly missed the memo when it was faxed through at the end of the ‘90s.

Because in terms of absolute popularity, you’re looking at Volkswagen’s ‘People’s Car’ right here on these pages. It’s the Tiguan, and it’s the manufacturer’s top-selling passenger model, not just here but everywhere.

Funny to think, in some ways. Upon debut in 2007, the Tiguan was quite a quirky thing. More diminutive than today’s iteration, it was no less tall and looked unlike anything else on offer within the wider Volkswagen Group universe (the equally characterful Škoda Yeti was still two years away).

More than a Golf wearing hiking boots, the Tiguan helped introduce car buyers to the notion of a crossover SUV – still car-like, but with things like rough-and-tumble 4MOTION all-wheel-drive and Downhill Descent Control in its feature set. For Volkswagen, it would prove to be yet another Greatest Hit.

Today, three generations on, the Tiguan has discarded the chunky hiking boots in favour of sleek trail runners. It trades very much on style as much as family-sized practicality. That it has grown dimensionally in the last 16 years is plain to see. But even in the intervening eight years since this new model’s predecessor arrived, the Tiguan looks sharper than ever. It feels more premium than before too, with an impressive array of comfort and convenience technology onboard across both grades.

There are two versions of the new Tiguan available to Kiwi buyers. The ‘Life’ edition Tiguan retails for $54,490 plus on-road costs, while the top-spec R-Line retails for $61,490 plus on-road costs.

As to be expected, the R-Line nets the owner a few exclusives, such as different bumpers, silver anodised roof rails, 19” R-Line alloy wheels, and a very impressive exterior light upgrade. This includes Volkswagen LED Plus headlights combined with LED daytime running lights and an illuminated light strip across the width of the grille. At the rear, the Tiguan R-Line also sports bright 3D LED taillights. Inside the cabin, an R-Line sports steering wheel sits in front of the driver, while front occupants can enjoy ‘Artvelours’ sports seats (with a massaging function for the driver).

This is not to say the Tiguan ‘Life’ misses out on all the finery, however. As a base feature set, what Volkswagen offers the audience remains admirable – and reflective of how much more demanding car buyers now are.

Highlights include keyless entry and start, ‘Climatronic’ triple-zone air conditioning, a leather-covered multifunction steering wheel with gearshift paddles, and an impressive infotainment system consisting of in-built satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming, accessed through a 12.9” touchscreen. There are also two wireless charging pads onboard, as well as extra USB-C charging ports in the rear, helping keep devices fully charged and everything harmonious on family road trips.

Both Tiguans also feature Volkswagen’s new Driving Experience Control system, where individual preferences for how the vehicle is set up can be managed. Drive modes, preferred audio volume, and pre-configured ‘atmospheres’ (colour combos designed to set cabin mood via the Tiguan’s impressive interior lighting system) can all be pre-set and assigned to each driver in the family.

Another commonality between the two grades is what’s powering them under the bonnet. Volkswagen’s trusty 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine provides the grunt. Power to the tune of 110kW and 250Nm of torque are accessible via the vehicle’s 7-speed DSG ‘box. Both third generation Tiguans are front-wheel drive, with the bigger Tiguan Allspace seven-seater being the sole version boasting a 4MOTION (all-wheel drive) badge these days.

The all-new five-seater Tiguan still brings its A-game when it comes to packing stuff in. Depending on whether the rear seats are in place or folded flat, you’ve got plenty of space to fill – between 652- and 1,650-litres. As much as all the detritus of family life will fit in during the working week, it’ll tow the toys at the weekend as well, with a useable 1,800kg braked tow rating for both ‘Life’ and R-Line versions.

Looking at such luxuries in what is, at the end of the day, a practical family vehicle, it certainly becomes clear that the notion of the ‘People’s Car’ has changed irreconcilably over the last half century or more. But it’s a vastly different world today to the one that saw the humble Beetle become the best-selling car on the planet.

The fact that Volkswagen successfully continues to meet the needs of the masses – albeit at a different price point and within a very different template to the little two door, four-seater of the past – shows the manufacturer hasn’t ignored its DNA. In fact, if anything, with the new Tiguan, Volkswagen is embracing it as proudly as ever.