Volkswagen Tiguan R now on sale in SA
October 18, 2022
The Volkswagen brand is deeply entrenched in South African culture, and there’s a reason why it's constantly in a tug of war with Toyota for the title of the best-selling automotive brand in the country.
Slap a GTI or an R badge onto a VW and everyone loses their minds. Of course, VW is aware of this and as a result, the local branch has gone and introduced the Tiguan R to our market. It joins the firm’s family of T SUVs which includes the T-Cross, Tiago, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace, and Touareg.
Well, for starters, the Tiguan R gains a new set of bumpers in ‘R’ design and matt chrome mirror covers. 20-inch alloy wheels have been deployed to each corner and a gloss black rear diffuser is nestled between the left and right back wheels. For a sportier stance, the VW Tiguan R has been lowered by 10mm. There is an additional performance driving mode available dubbed the R profile, which is activated by a blue 'R' button on the steering wheel.
Speaking of the interior, the seats are covered in Nappa leather with the ‘R’ logo embossed in them, while the Digital Cockpit now comes with a lap timer. Other interior features on offer are the Discover Pro system with SAT NAV, voice control, and keyless entry.
VW Tiguan R engine specs
In this application, the 2.0-litre engine puts out 235 kW and 400Nm via a 7-speed DSG gearbox sending power to all four wheels. The sum of all of these figures is a 0 - 100km/h time of just 5.1 seconds. With VW’s 4MOTION system, the new Tiguan R is not only quick in a straight line but promises to deliver enhanced handling and agility.
As you may have expected, there is an extensive list of optional extras for this VW, and it includes a trailer hitch, IQ.Light LED Matrix Headlights, an Akrapovic Exhaust, and 21-inch Estoril alloy wheels.
What’s it going to cost you before the extras? Well, cars aren’t getting any cheaper and the new Tiguan R illustrates this point, coming in at a Bar (R999 900) before you start ticking off any boxes for optional equipment. That was the hard news. On a lighter note, the new VW Golf R has been confirmed and will be hitting Mzansi in 2023.
Words: Gugu Masuku
