VOLKSWAGEN has beefed up its latest Tiguan Allspace model and it looks fabulous with a more muscular, athletic design, additional boot space plus seven-seat versatility.
Apart from extending the car's wheelbase, the Tiguan Allspace has been given quite a makeover and now features lengthened rear doors, a raised bonnet, a redesigned roof and adapted rear pillars.
These styling cues are complemented by body-coloured bumpers, door handles and side mirrors, 18-inch alloys, tinted windows, roof rails, plenty of chrome trim and sweeping headlight clusters.
The new car went on sale in January and we sampled the model that VW believes will account for most sales - the SE Nav 2.0 TDI 150ps with 4MOTION all-wheel-drive.
It was priced at £34,905 (£39,010 with options) and can reach 62mph from a standing start in 9.9 seconds, maxes out at 123mph and, according to official figures, can deliver combined fuel economy of 47.9mpg with carbon emissions of 153g/km.
The modern sporty design has been carried through to the interior of the car where a wealth of on-board techno treats can be explored.
Creature comforts include a Discover Navigation system with eight-inch colour touchscreen, a three-year subscription to Car-Net which provides online access to a range of useful information such as traffic, weather, parking availability and fuel pricing.
There is also 3Zone air conditioning, full smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, Bluetooth telephone and audio connection, plus heated seats which were part of an optional winter pack that added £280 to the cost.
The interior of the Tiguan Allspace lives up to its ‘space' title and has grown considerably thanks to the extended length of the car - it has increased by 215mm. This means passengers benefit from additional legroom and there are two extra seats folded flat to the boot floor that can be utilised as and when needed. These two rear seats are not suitable for adults but are ideal for carrying younger passengers.
The powered boot space has also grown and can accommodate an impressive 1,775 litres of luggage with rows two and three folded down.
The tonneau cover tucks neatly away in a compartment beneath the boot floor when not needed and is simple to fit when required. I did find that the boot floor was a little uneven when the rear seats were folded flat and smaller items could get lodged in some of the grooves.
Elsewhere there are ample storage options including a good-sized glovebox where the CD player and SD card slots are found, deep door pockets, cup holders, a central bin and two overhead compartments with drop-down covers.
When it comes to performance, the Tiguan Allspace is a delight to drive. The acceleration through the seven-speed automatic gearbox is smooth with ample power on tap from the 2.0-litre diesel engine.
There are steering wheel-mounted paddles if you fancy taking control of the gear shifts and there are different driving modes - Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual - which adjust the car's handling and responses accordingly.
The driver is treated to excellent all-round visibility thanks to the elevated seating position and comfort levels are high for all occupants - even on lengthy journeys.
In busy town centres, the Tiguan Allspace was easy to manoeuvre and the car featured the VW Trailer Assist including Park Assist and rear-view camera (£810 option) which makes light work of any parking issues.
Out on the faster roads the vehicle was agile and responsive. The road-holding was confident with the added assurance of VW's 4MOTION Active Control system with four driving modes called On Road, Off Road, Off-Road Individual and Snow.
The cabin is well insulated against any road surface and engine noise although a little wind sound can be heard from the mirrors at higher motorway speeds.
As one would expect, the Tiguan Allspace boasts a comprehensive raft of safety features, including lane assist, adaptive cruise control, front assist radar-controlled distance monitoring system, city emergency braking and predictive pedestrian protection, driver alert, an active bonnet, numerous airbags and a whole lot more besides.