Although the Tiguan is the best-selling Volkswagen in the world – 911,000 units were produced in 2020 alone – it is one of the latest models from the entire German group to receive the plug-in hybrid powertrain that has already been available on many other Audi cars for some time. , Seat, Skoda and even Volkswagen. Moreover, the industrial logic of those who produce ten million vehicles a year and manage twelve brands are sometimes inscrutable or at least difficult to interpret from the outside. In any case, with the restyling of the third generation, the German C-SUV is also available in a PHEV version. This is the system “on tap” based on the 1.4 TSI which debuted in 2014 on the first Golf GTE and which in recent years has been evolved and declined in two versions. On the Tiguan eHYbrid there is the more powerful one, with 245 HP, which result from the combination of the 150 HP of the 4-cylinder turbo petrol unit and the 115 of the electric unit, which is integrated within the 6-speed double clutch gearbox.
The maximum torque of 400 Nm is managed only by the front wheels, while the autonomy in 100% electric mode reaches 50 km, thanks to the 13 kWh lithium-ion battery that can be recharged in alternating current with a maximum power of 3 , 6 kW.
It means that a normal domestic socket (charging cables are standard) is enough to fill up with electricity every evening and use the Tiguan in the daily commute – European motorists travel an average of 38 km a day – without ever activating the thermal engine. High-speed roads are also not a problem, as the full electric mode can be maintained up to 130 km / h. The driver can decide how to use the two engines, favoring the zero-emission drive or the hybrid one, in the latter case also deciding the charge level of the accumulators to be preserved. And in case of “itch” on the right foot there is also the “GTE” button next to the gearbox.
Just press it to sharpen the hybrid system with the aim of giving the maximum, allowing you to sprint from 0 to 100 km / h in 7.5 seconds and reach 205 km / h. But this is certainly not the nature of the Tiguan eHYbrid, which instead invites smooth and relaxed driving. The comfort is of a high level: external noises are almost completely isolated, the rolling of the tires almost absent and the vibrations barely perceptible, as well as some aerodynamic rustling at the height of the mirrors. In addition, this Tiguan has an advanced software that supports the predictive hybrid strategy: by exploiting the information from the GPS, the car suggests to the driver when to lift his foot from the gas and recover energy, while by inserting the adaptive cruise control, it also relieves him of this task. . This increases efficiency, although consumption – as on all plug-ins – is drastically influenced by the state of charge of the battery.
If this is full, in hybrid mode you can also travel 50 km with a liter, but when its level drops the situation changes completely and consumption can vary between 10 and 20 km with a liter depending on the route and the style of driving. guide. For the rest, the eHybrid maintains the characteristics of the other Tiguan, with an excellent space on board and a trunk of 615 liters; the presence of the battery did not affect its volume, unlike the petrol tank which lost 13 liters. Not a big sacrifice considering the extra autonomy offered by the plug-in hybrid system and all in all low consumption. There are three configurations available: the access one (Life) starts at 41,400 euros and already has a rather complete equipment, with digital instrumentation, the 8 “infotainment system, automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control and all the main systems driving assistance.
Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid, the card
What is that: the plug-in hybrid version of the restyling of the third generation of the Tiguan, the best-selling Volkswagen in the world
Dimensions: length 4.51 meters, width 1.84 m, height 1.68 m, pitch 2.68 m
Trunk: 615 liters
Motor: 1.4-cylinder turbo petrol + electric motor. Total power 245 HP, torque 400 Nm
Exchange: automatic 6-speed double clutch
Traction: front
Benefits: space on board, comfort, finishes, efficiency
Defects: slightly aged style, high mass
Production: Wolfsburg, Germany
Prices: The prices of the PHEV version of the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid start from 41,400 euros, while the price list starts from 31,750 euros
