Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Special Feature: Relentless and refined

The mood is always sombre when you look at the perfectly proportioned rear of a car donning a VW badge departing from evo India’s garage. Even more so if it’s the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line. The two days I spent with it convinced me that this was the perfect daily in my dream garage. Now that I have your attention, I am obliged to shine some light on these tall claims. Let’s decipher why the Tiguan R-Line is a master of all trades. Returning from the epic Sand to Sea adventure, the team couldn’t stop gushing about the R-Line’s versatility. Be it performance, comfort or practicality, the Tiguan R-Line was a joy to be in and here’s why.

The Tiguan R-Line belts out an impressive 201bhp and 320Nm of torque from a 2-litre TSI engine. This engine is mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission that sends power to all four wheels via the 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system. This ensures rapid acceleration on demand when the need arises to make quick overtakes but also stress-free cruising at triple-digit speeds. The low-end grunt ensures the Tiguan R-Line zips in and out of traffic even if it’s packed to the brim with family, friends while the peaky performance means that it will thrill the enthusiast when revved out. A luxury cruiser moonlighting as a backroad bomber in my opinion.

The interiors of the Tiguan R-Line can be described as understated elegance that meets sporty intent. The front seats in the Tiguan R-Line, inclined towards being sporty with good bolstering, do a fantastic job of keeping the driver plonked in his seat regardless of the G-force at play. The massage function with varying intensity and adjustable duration kept me and my co-passenger plenty comfortable during the long hours we spent on the road. And regardless of the weather playing hide and seek, the 3-zone climatronic AC kept the temperature in check. The ambient lighting elevates the surroundings with little pixel-like designs varying in a spectrum of over 30 colours. Fancy gazing at the night sky to look at your favourite constellation? That can be achieved in comfort from within the Tiguan R-Line, courtesy of its giant panoramic sunroof. It can be controlled with a touch-enabled slider for ease of use.

Like most other cars in this segment, the Tiguan R-Line has drive modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport and a smattering of off-road modes that give it loads of usability. But the Tiguan takes it a level up with DCC Pro (Dynamic Chassis Control Pro). With over 15 levels of adjustability, this allows the driver to make granular adjustments to all the aspects of the Tiguan R-Line’s dynamics. You can select predefined Comfort or Sport suspension setups but also have the freedom to choose a setup that works for you and the road conditions you’re on. What adds to the magic of the DCC Pro is that it equips the car with two valves per damper – allowing you better control. It minimises body roll in the corners and maximises comfort over rough surfaces. So be it grocery runs or longer road trips, you can set up the Tiguan R-Line exactly how you want it to drive. Chasing great driving roads usually also means dealing with long, boring highway runs. This is where the Tiguan R-Line’s Level 2 ADAS with over 21 features really shines. Features such as the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist lets you relax behind the ’wheel. Auto Emergency Braking, Front Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Monitoring, and TPMS ensure a safe and sound drive from the very beginning until the end. With nine airbags as standard, safety is always a top priority.

The Tiguan R-Line also happens to be a looker. It has excellent proportions and the R-Line kit adds so much sporty aggression. At the front, the illuminated light bands connecting the VW logo to the headlamps on each end, give it a stunning futuristic appeal while announcing to the onlooker that it is a Tiguan R-Line. The rear wrap-around taillights complete the look, while the 19-inch Coventry alloys ensure the Tiguan R-Line looks spectacular from every angle. A generous garnish of R-Line badges is a reminder that this is something extremely special.

The Tiguan R-Line with its delicate blend of various attributes manages to punch way above its weight. It's practical, fun and useable. Launched at ₹49 lakh, the Tiguan R-Line has been brought in as a German made fully imported unit and despite this, is priced extremely competitively on par with rivals in the market. Reminiscing about the moments spent with the Tiguan R-Line makes me want to reunite with this beauty. Because in our books, this one truly is the perfect daily.