The third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan has been seen before, but this is the first time we’ve seen the compact crossover carry its own body. We get the impression of a larger vehicle compared to the current standard model, so we might see an Allspace version with a longer wheelbase. It’s unclear whether the next-generation vehicle will retain the two size options or a peek from Wolfsburg will combine them into one model.
In typical VW fashion, the clever camouflage wants to trick the untrained eye into believing it’s nothing more than a Tiguan on sale today. However, look past the fake stickers on the lights and you’ll see the character lines are no longer broken lines at the door handle level. This crossover now has folds on the fenders and doors that don’t meet in the middle. In addition, the doorknob seems to be sitting a little lower than before.
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While the quad tips provided for the R-Line model are just bait, look under the bumper and you’ll see the exhaust mufflers. In March 2021, VW announced there would be a next-generation Tiguan with a combustion engine, and logic tells us that it will be the last before switching to electric power. Looking at the front, the prototype has very wide air intakes and some sneaky disguises on the top grille with white stripes to mimic the horizontal bars of the current model.
The easiest way to identify this Tiguan as a next-gen model is to peek inside the cabin where the infotainment touchscreen is now sticking out of the dashboard. On existing models, the display is neatly integrated into the center console in keeping with VW’s previous interior design language. A piece of black cloth seems to hide the small digital instrument cluster la ID.4. Large screens pinned to the dashboard usually mean a simplified layout with fewer physical buttons, in a move traditionalists tend to criticize (with good reason).
As a refresher, the major German brand will not end sales of ICE-powered cars in Europe until 2033-2035, according to Klaus Zellmer, a member of Volkswagen’s sales board, quoted by Reuters. That means there’s still plenty of time to sell the Tiguan with both petrol and diesel engines. There should also be plug-in hybrids into the mix to lower average fleet emissions, especially as Euro 7 is due in a few years.
Expect the next-gen VW Tiguan to go on sale at some point in 2024, with the US-spec model already confirmed to get more power but without getting the R badge.
