Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2023 review: 132 TSI

Seven-seaters get people into a lather. Some don't see the point in a squashy third row, others are convinced they need a seven-seater “just in case”.

Just in case what exactly? Do you really want a car that big? Hire a Carnival when you need one, I would invariably say, and pocket the savings.

That was until smaller-format seven-seaters appeared.

There are only three of them, really, since the demise of the incredibly versatile Kia Rondo – the Mazda CX-8 (okay not that small), Mercedes GLB (admit it, you had no idea that car existed) and the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.

You can have a Tiguan in a variety of guises but, for some reason, the 132 TSI is the least popular. There must be a reason for it. Let’s find out.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on fuel?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is the Tiguan Allspace 132 TSI, and what do you get?

When viewed in isolation, the 132 TSI seems something of an awkward middle child. The 110 TSI Life is the bargain entry-level model, while everyone loves the powerful 162 TSI. Buyers of the 147 TDI are still out there, too.

The 132 TSI did launch in June at $48,590 but with the loss of a couple of key specification bits due to the ongoing (but easing) supply chain crisis, the price has dropped to $47,290. Both before on-road costs.

It would be cause for applause if one of the things that went wasn’t reverse cross-traffic alert as this is a piece of tech that would be mighty helpful on this car. But there’s a weird wrinkle there, which I’ll cover in the safety section. Suspense!

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Our test car also had the $5500 Luxury Package, adding:

Most of your money seems to go to the admittedly gigantic sunroof, but the rest of it isn’t particularly must-have stuff. I think the leather, while nice enough, renders the front seats less comfortable (but not uncomfortable) than the standard cloth seats.

As with the 110 TSI, the powered tailgate is a $600 option whereas the first batch of updated Tiguan Allspaces to land here had it as standard. But, again, this car is cheaper than that first batch as it lost the tailgate and reverse cross-traffic alert, something we covered in the launch story.

What we didn’t cover in the launch story was this particular car, as it wasn’t available to us to drive and is one of the slowest-selling Allspaces in the range.

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How do rivals compare on value?

The Allspace 132 TSI makes most sense when you look at the rest of the segment and see a few cars priced around it.

Let’s start with the bigger but not particularly roomier Mazda CX-8 Touring SP that arrives at $48,390 before on-road costs with a 2.5-litre petrol and front-wheel drive. Its third row is basically as accessible and usable as the Tiguan’s, which means they’re not really for everyday use.

The Mazda has a quite nice spec but compared to the VW is let down by fairly ordinary front seats. 

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Mazda's CX-8

Mitsubishi’s Outlander is really a 5+2 with its close-to-useless third row. The $39,740 LS is a long way behind on spec, so you’d be looking at either an Aspire AWD at $45,740 or an Exceed $50,990, which has a lovely interior and a lot of equipment. All before on-road costs.

For the Allspace 132 TSI to reach the Exceed’s spec level, you’d need to go with the Luxury Package, but neither the Exceed nor 132 TSI with the add-on is particularly good value unless you absolutely want a sunroof.

The Mazda drives pretty well and while the new Outlander comprehensively banishes the memory of the old car, there’s still a bit of work to do on the handling and the combination of naturally aspirated engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT) can get a bit breathless.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

The Tiguan Allspace doesn’t look like a seven-seater because its design somehow shrinks its 4.7m-plus length in your visual cortex.

It takes a careful eye to spot an Allspace over the standard car.

Half of the Allspace’s 22cm in extra length goes to the rear overhang, which looks shorter than it is owing to a longer wheelbase that balances things out.

Cargo space starts with a creditable 230 litres – say eight or nine bags of shopping – with the third row deployed. Drop that third row and you have a very decent 700 litres, an increase of almost 15 per cent over the regular Tiguan’s already huge boot. With both rear rows folded away, you have a 1775-litre capacity.

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Sitting in the third row is easier than getting in but as these things go, it’s not too difficult. The middle row slides forward and mostly out of the way and you just need a good heave to get in there. Smaller kids won’t need to expend so much energy of course.

Once there you have a pair of cup holders on one side and a storage slot on the other. The middle row can slide forward to make room for longer legs, but really, the third row of an Allspace is for occasional use.

The middle row is very pleasant indeed with its reclining, sliding 40:20:40 seating, centre rear armrest with two cup holders, 12-volt power outlet, USB-C port and its own climate zone. The outboard back seats are very comfortable, the middle less so with the high transmission tunnel and harder cushion.

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Some of the best front seats in the business carry driver and passenger, although I have to repeat my claim that I thought the standard cloth versions were more comfortable than this test model's optional leather. Nothing wrong with the leather per se, I just thought they felt a bit firmer which upset the fine balance of fabric-upholstered seats.

Here you get an under-armrest bin, two cup holders that retract to clear the space for non-cup things, huge bottle holders in the doors matching the two in the rear (and carpeted for silent chattel carriage), wireless charging and two USB-C ports.

It’s a great-looking interior and feels teach heavy even with the smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen of the 132 TSI because it has a digital dashboard as well.

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What is it like to drive?

The 132 TSI is the least-expensive Allspace with both all-wheel drive (VW calls it 4Motion) and the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

It’s also the first in the range with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the 110 making do with six gears.

Peak outputs of 132kW and 320Nm take more than a second off the 0-100km/h time of an Allspace 110, with more traction from the presence of all-wheel drive enabling you to appreciate the extra 22kW and 70Nm at play.

The seven-speed auto doesn’t feel as convincing in the 132 as the six-speed unit of the 110, which is a bit of a shame because it doesn’t feel as smooth and assured as it might otherwise.

Upsides are plentiful, of course.

Planting the foot means a less dramatic break into traffic and the extra torque means overtaking requires a little less planning. Hills are not as daunting either and, as you load up, you feel less penalised.

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The engine itself is absurdly quiet and composed, spinning cheerfully to the redline with just a distant whirr. The transmission is at its best once you’re up and running and is more than happy to accommodate your whims when in Sport mode.

It’s less happy in stop-start traffic. Well, that’s probably not quite fair. It’s mostly happy in stop-start traffic but will occasionally be baffled by your right foot’s indecision and you can trip up the idle-stop system. That in turn confuses the transmission and things can get a bit lurchy while you’re waiting for the engine and turbo to spin back up.

You’ll find yourself rolling backwards more often than is ideal, too. The 110 TSI’s six-speed dual-clutch seems better at this sort of thing than the seven. It probably doesn’t help that the 2.0-litre engine has a bit more turbo lag than the 1.4.

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But, as I say, the extra power is more than compensation. And the fact it is quiet and well-mannered at speed is another bonus.

The steering in the all-wheel drive car is weightier than the 110, while the suspension feels slightly tauter. That does upset the ride on rare occasions compared to the 110TSI (with which I am clearly hopelessly in love) but again, you do get a more secure feel when you’re exploiting the extra power.

As with most of the Tiguan range, the ride is largely impeccable but the suspension can sometimes be a little too vocal over some bumps.

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How is it on fuel?

The combined-cycle claim of 8.9L/100km seems relatively accurate as my week with the car – mostly suburban running – delivered a trip computer reading of 10.4L/100km.

Assuming a modest improvement with some steadier running, you should get about 600km from a tank.

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How safe is it?

The Tiguan’s 2016 five-star ANCAP rating also applies to the Allspace range.

Without a centre front airbag, it’s unlikely that rating would be renewed if retested now, so VW will be aiming for the next iteration due in 2024 to get the coveted full marks.

Just to remind you, reverse cross-traffic alert and side assist are unavailable for the time being, which is annoying because RCTA is a good thing to have, especially in a car like this. Weirdly, however, reverse auto emergency braking is still present because VW tells me that they use two different systems, so the most important part remains.

The airbag count includes a driver’s knee airbag and the curtain airbags reach the third row.

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Warranty and running costs

Volkswagen offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is about right for the market – with a couple of seven-year offerings from companies such as VW's sister brand Skoda.

VW will offer you a pre-paid care plan for your servicing, which comes around every 12 months or 15,000km.

A five-year plan will cost $2950 and save you a whopping $1023 over a pay-as-you-go arrangement for the same duration. Three years of maintenance costs $1650, saving a more modest $222.

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VERDICT

The 132 is an entirely pleasant and swift seven-seater for people who don’t need a third row all that often.

The Tiguan Allspace 132 TSI is probably the least-loved because, well, I don’t really know why. I guess it’s there to catch Mazda CX-8 and Mitsubishi Outlander cross-shoppers but they either don’t choose it (for whatever reason) or see a 162kW version and say, I’m having that.

Or if they’re me, saving some cash and going for the 110 TSI.

Anyway, the 132 is an entirely pleasant and swift seven-seater for people who don’t need a third row all that often. It’s not obscenely priced, has all the good things you can get in a Tiguan and if you pre-pay your servicing, that isn’t outrageously expensive either.

I went in thinking I’d know why it was the one people avoided (relatively speaking), but now I’m not at all sure.

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Specifications

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