"Una senora gorda!. Numero ocho!" "Serpentea vivo! Cincuenta Cinco!" Bingo doesn't sound quite the same in Spanish, although every night there's a full house at the Tigua Sala da Bingo, in the Ysleta Mission, an enclave of Tiguan Indians near El Paso in Texas.
Although subsisting on a mere 26 acres of land, the last remaining Tiguans have turned their small patch of Texas into a haven for high-stake bingo players, and the game proliferates among comic-book cactii and flat-roofed haciendas.
It is no surprise, therefore, that Volkswagen should have named its junior 4x4 after these enterprising natives. Although occupying less space than any other premium off-roader, the Tiguan promises to be a big earner. Despite a footprint smaller than that of a Golf Estate, the 2.0-litre TDI Tiguan SE, as tested, would nonetheless cost you more than a giant, 3.0-litre Toyota Land Cruiser.
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low-down peak torque enables fine control in off-road conditions |
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OK, so the test car was loaded with extras: but without scraping the bottom of the parts bin, it was stickered at £28,335, and you could spend more, if you wished. That's a lot of money for a car that has few off-road credentials other than Haldex four-wheel drive, otherwise known as 4Motion.
Volkswagen expects that the 2.0 TDI SE will be its most popular model, but to get such things as satellite navigation, leather seats and a panoramic sunroof, you would have to pay a great deal more than the basic OTR price of £21,800. In addition to the features I have just mentioned, the test car came bundled with rear side airbags, upgraded climate control, front fog-lights, a retractable tow bar and pearl-effect paint. The fog lights alone added £185 to the bottom line. The touch-screen DVD satellite navigation includes a six-CD autochanger and a rear-view camera (whether you want one, or not) and therefore ups the price by a hefty £2,175. To put that in perspective, not so long ago VeeDub was giving away a Tom Tom with all new Polos.
Billed as a '...completely new development', the 2.0 TDI engine has a peak torque of 320 Nm, produced between 1750 and 2500 rpm. This low-down peak enables fine control in off-road conditions, provides ample flexibility in slow-moving traffic, and equates to relaxed cruising when coupled to the standard six-speed 'box.
Using a light throttle and measured driving, Tiguan drivers could expect to achieve close on 50 mpg on a clear motorway run. The 'official' extra-urban figure is 47.9 mpg, but this allows for a certain amount of braking and acceleration. In steady state conditions, a skilled driver should be able to stretch that by a mile or two. The ability to see ahead helps, and the Tiguan (if you want to be clever, pronounce it ti-wan), rewards its well-heeled drivers with an appropriate 'command and control' driving position, enhanced by seat-height adjustment, which is powered on models with leather upholstery.
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