SAIC Volkswagen Tiguan X impressed me with its exterior design when it first debuted, especially with its fastback style body, which gives the rear end a fuller appearance. Recently, I was invited to participate in a test drive event for the 2020 Tiguan X, and I would like to share the test report of this car with you.
Test Drive Model: 2020 380TSI Flagship 4MOTION
Price: The official guide price for this model is 285,900 yuan. Currently, there is a terminal discount of about 20,000 yuan in the Beijing area, with a reference bare car price of 265,900 yuan. Additionally, with necessary expenditures of 25,461 yuan (including purchase tax, compulsory insurance, etc.) and commercial insurance of 8,302 yuan, if you choose to buy the car in full, the on-road price for this model is approximately 299,663 yuan.
Space: In terms of dimensions, the Tiguan X measures 4764×1859×1628mm in length, width, and height, respectively, with a wheelbase of 2791mm. The test drive model features leather seats, with seat stitching designed to avoid perforation areas, and the outer edges are adorned with carbon fiber elements, giving it a high-end look. The actual seating experience is also satisfactory, providing good body support, with the internal padding being relatively soft. Configuration-wise, this model is equipped with electric adjustment for the main and passenger seats and front seat heating, which is friendly for friends in the north. Regarding seating space, my height is 179cm, and with the front seats adjusted to the lowest position, there is about a fist's worth of headroom remaining. Keeping the front seats unchanged and moving to the back, there are four fingers of headroom and over two fists of legroom.
Power System: The test drive model is equipped with a 2.0T turbocharged engine, with a maximum power of 220Ps and a peak torque of 350N·m. The transmission system is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This 2.0T engine belongs to Volkswagen's third-generation EA888 series, meets the National VI emission standards, and has very convincing specs on paper.
Driving Experience: In terms of driving style, the Tiguan X has some sporty attributes, with a very responsive throttle in the first half, making start-up actions lighter. Additionally, this 2.0T engine provides abundant power output at low torque, coupled with relatively light throttle calibration, making daily driving very easy. Our test measured that the Tiguan X 380TSI version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.04 seconds. When launching with full throttle, you can experience a strong explosive feeling, and there are no significant signs of power decline as acceleration moves to the middle and later stages. The entire acceleration process is quite smooth. As for the performance of this 7DCT gearbox, I think it's just average. If the downshifting action could be more proactive, the driving quality of the Tiguan X would be significantly improved.
Chassis: The Tiguan X uses a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link independent suspension. The road feel from the chassis is very clear, and it can effectively mitigate most of the fine vibrations when driving on consecutive bumpy roads. There's no noticeable jumping feeling in the cabin when crossing speed bumps. The suspension still has room for improvement in terms of body support, as the body posture control isn't very good when cornering.
Noise: When driving at medium to low speeds, the cabin of the Tiguan X is remarkably quiet, with not much engine noise. However, as the speed increases, especially above 120 km/h, wind noise becomes prominent. According to actual test data, the noise level is 40.4 decibels at idle; 55.1 decibels at a speed of 60km/h; 59.3 decibels at 80km/h; and 65.1 decibels at 120km/h.
Maintenance: According to the Volkswagen Tiguan X maintenance manual, the new car enters the first maintenance stage when it reaches a mileage of 5000 km, and the subsequent maintenance interval is also 5000 km/time. When the mileage reaches 60,000 km, it is necessary to replace the oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, air conditioning filter, transmission oil, and spark plugs, with a reference cost of 3,596 yuan (including labor costs). The price of consumable parts is not particularly expensive; for example, the marked price of fully synthetic oil is 448 yuan/4L, and the marked price of transmission oil is 204 yuan/4L. Overall, Volkswagen Tiguan X has a maintenance cost at a normal level among its peers.