Tiguan approach angle - Track & Field

[DieselTig]

I recently put my order for a tiguan diesel with offroad package but I had long arguments with sales people why VW could not just bolt on the bumper that provides 28 degree approach angle with skid plates for gear box and engine. They have this as an alternative in all other countries including NZ and I am at a loss why they cant have this here in AU.

How can these people (VW) make decisions on what Australians can and cant drive. How do they know how much off road work we do.

I got rid of my hilux and before that a cruiser to go into something more comfy but still want to have a bit of fun offroad.

I then decided to send a letter to VW HQ expressing my concerns and how they can help their valued clients.

I will keep you posted of the outcome, hopefully I can get VW's attention.

[team_v]

The tiguan is a designated soft-roader.
If you wanted to tackle anything more serious than soft-roading, you should buy a serious off-roader or a soft-roader with better off-roading capabilities (X-Trail, Prado etc etc).
VWA probably want the toureg to be the designated off-road VW and hence wil not bring the off-road front end for the tig here.

Good luck with the quest though.
If all else fails, you could order it from overseas.

[NZTiguan]

Personally I wouldn't agree that the X-Trail is a better off-roader than a Tiguan, I've seen several videos now proving the reverse BUT that was with Track and Field Tiguans utilising the off-road package. A lot of tests have just had the standard Tig without the off-road package and in that trim it certainly isn't as good as an X-Trail. That aside I personally wouldn't own a Tig without A: the full track and field package and B: a diesel engine and auto box. Unfortunately it's not as simple as a bumper change or lots of people would be doing it. My only real suggestion is that you attempt to buy through a New Zealand dealer with delivery into Ausi. It seems VERY strange to me that an Ausi dealer wouldn't be able to arrange a special purchase that way themselves but maybe there are some govt rules and regulations that preclude that.

[team_v]

I only gave the x-trail as an example as most of the reviews have stated it as an off-road capable car.
In the end, you are better off getting a real off-roader if you want to do something more serious than soft-roading.

Delta 4x4 have done some work on a tig so you could have a look at their products.

You could look at the NZ dealer option however i don't know if it is possible to do or how expensive it will be.

[NZTiguan]

I completely agree that if you want to do "serious" off-road work the Tig is NOT the machine for it in ANY form (Track and Field or otherwise) but the Tig is certainly remarkably capable in the "farm track" or mud and snow type conditions. If you want serious off-road there's very few (if any) vehicles that are "really" capable AND are still OK for normal highway use and I'd be wanting a separate (preferably old and battered and very basic) type machine for that sort of work.

Cheers

[DieselTig]

Guys, I have been doing serious offroading for the last 20 years with toyotas(Hilux and landcruiser and for a short time a Landrover Defender), but they are not fun to drive around the city roads.
So I had my fun and now migrated to softroaders. I also own and use x-trail and have to say it is very capable offroad, taking it places where other softroaders would think twice but with absence of good ground clearance and low range transfer case it limits climbing and descending etc.
Having the better approach angle on the Tiguan can expand on the possibilities.

So, I didnt buy the Tiguan for its offroad abilities but for comfort, refinement, some offroad flexibility and to some extent the fuel economy of diesel, having a better approach angle would have been a bonus.

I guess I need to adopt my driving habits as I did with the X-Trail.

[NZTiguan]

I think you're right on the button DieselTig. Must say I was surprised when I saw Ausi wasn't having the track and field model, would have thought it would be at least as popular there as it is here in NZ.

Cheers

[DieselTig]

I think you're right on the button DieselTig. Must say I was surprised when I saw Ausi wasn't having the track and field model, would have thought it would be at least as popular there as it is here in NZ.

Cheers

Who knows what market politics are played in Germany. I guess when they own a stack of companies including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda and Scania, they can make the decisions and not us.
Despite all that I cant wait for delivery and hand over in October because I had a few test drives of the diesel and it is fantastic.

Check out some of the videos on youtube in Greece, some spectacular descent with the Tiguan. Short but steep hill, I would only get my old hilux to do that.

[gerhard]

Who knows what market politics are played in Germany. I guess when they own a stack of companies including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda and Scania, they can make the decisions and not us.
Despite all that I cant wait for delivery and hand over in October because I had a few test drives of the diesel and it is fantastic.

Check out some of the videos on youtube in Greece, some spectacular descent with the Tiguan. Short but steep hill, I would only get my old hilux to do that.

The "market policies" are played here in AU by VW Aust, not in Germany. It is them who decides that we don't need the Track Tig, the Scirocco, and who knows what else we don't get.

Complaining to the decision makers is futile, as in any autocracy.

I was hoping with the departure of the last MD that things might improve, but no evidence yet that the new incumbent is any different.

[Sanman]

The "market policies" are played here in AU by VW Aust, not in Germany. It is them who decides that we don't need the Track Tig

True - VWA would say greater model variety will cannabalise existing Tiguan/Tourag sales rather than creating new prospects

[clip]

They won't because they bloody well know what aussies are like. They'll be taking it up to the Cape via the Telegraph road, trying to cross the Simpson or traversing every square cm of Fraser Isl. I have owned real 4x4 for last 20 years and have lived in some of these remote areas or had easy access to them, and I can't count the number of times I've had to pull soft roaders out of situations. Beach work is a classic example. Subaru's are the worst offenders (because their owners seem to think that they are invincible and push them way beyond any sense), but Rav4's, CRV's, those dreaded Korean things, and my guess is if they release the track version, we're going to come across Tiguans in the same situation. As I think I said recently, AWD vehicles were designed and developed for European and NA winter conditions, not for thrashing around in some of the extreme aussie remote areas in, or tackling our big soft sand islands and beaches.

NZ, you're right on the money with their use for farm track or mud and snow type conditions - that is exactly what they are fantastic for. But not for 4x4 driving, and us aussies will always push the limits to the max - or till it breaks (and I've seen plenty of them break).

[gerhard]

They won't because they bloody well know what aussies are like. They'll be taking it up to the Cape via the Telegraph road, trying to cross the Simpson or traversing every square cm of Fraser Isl. I have owned real 4x4 for last 20 years and have lived in some of these remote areas or had easy access to them, and I can't count the number of times I've had to pull soft roaders out of situations. Beach work is a classic example. Subaru's are the worst offenders (because their owners seem to think that they are invincible and push them way beyond any sense), but Rav4's, CRV's, those dreaded Korean things, and my guess is if they release the track version, we're going to come across Tiguans in the same situation. As I think I said recently, AWD vehicles were designed and developed for European and NA winter conditions, not for thrashing around in some of the extreme aussie remote areas in, or tackling our big soft sand islands and beaches.

NZ, you're right on the money with their use for farm track or mud and snow type conditions - that is exactly what they are fantastic for. But not for 4x4 driving, and us aussies will always push the limits to the max - or till it breaks (and I've seen plenty of them break).

Maybe so, but I've been to Cape York via the OTL towing a camper trailer. The only people we saw getting into trouble were LC100s, LC80s, and Troopies. My Jackaroo and my travelling companions in a 60 Series and GU Patrol (no snorkel on this one either) had no issues other than getting bogged once or twice in river sand. Many people told us we would never make it with trailers, but we did as did a lot of other people. We went up in JulyAugust 06, just after the cyclone which devastated Qld and put the Archer river roadhouse and Moreton Telegraph station under water. A lot of the damage had been repaired, but the OTL was as it was.

So it's not the cars at fault, it's the drivers who are unaware of the limitations of even a V8 LC100.

A standard Tiguan would make it to the Tip (not through the OTL though) if driven to its capabilities, the track & field one would be easier. Having said that, though, I would never take a "soft roader" (Tig, X-trail, CRV, Captiva, RAV4, Scenic, Subaru, Territory, etc) on that trip.

Only a "proper" 4WD with low range and a snorkel. Low range and snorkel are not mandatory, but I found low range perfect for hauling the trailer through the crossings and up the banks. Everywhere else is pretty flat going.


But VW are not bringing it because people might go outback? I don't believe that is part of their thinking at all.

[DieselTig]

Guys, I totally agree with all of you. When I was driving my real 4x4 I used to get up to some tricky stuff and the temptation with my x-trail is always there but I know its limitations. So, I guess a lot of people will have the temptation to give the Tiguan a run for its money.

[team_v]

That might be the reason that VWA haven't provided a proper off-road package for the tig.
It could be in the hope that people recognise the Tig is a soft-roader and if they want a luxurious off-roader they will go the Toureg.

Can you imagine how much the sales of the Toureg would drop if you can do the same thing in a Tig for 1/3 of the price?


This might change however with the planned introduction of the X1 and the Q3 mini SUV's in the next 2 years as tougher, more agile competitors.

[High-Fidelity]

They won't because they bloody well know what aussies are like.

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I think it's pure economics. Each different variant that they bring in costs extra. Extra to comply, extra to supply spares for, extra to train mechanics, etc... In Australia, the Tiguan is most definitely a value proposition, and the included value is rather high. The hidden costs of extra model variants would bump the price of all variants up, and VWA obviously had a target in mind when bring the Tiguan here.

They've picked the models that their market research has told them will sell the best. IMO the demographic split of the members here is not indicative of the split of people actually buying the Tiguan. I think it will be used more as a shopping trolley than anything else. Track and Field nose isn't going to help that.

Even though we don't get the Track and Field nose, I think we get a better deal than the NZ'ers, with a bunch of extra combinations available.

Let's not kid ourselves here either. The Touareg and the Tiguan are for servicing completely different markets. They're not two models that would be cross shopped very often.

Ben.