New FRONT wheel drive 118TSI Tiguan...any feedback???

[Tigger]

Hi all,

Sorry if this has been covered before...I have been off the forum for a little while...

Has anyone driven or purchased the FRONT wheel drive 118TSI Tiguan as yet?

How does it compare / drive etc.....? Gutless? Handling???

I have not been able to find a dealer with one available for a drive as yet.

Cheers

[team_v]

To be honest the FWD suv market is a lot more competitive so i don't know how VW will fare there.

Also such a small engine in a big heavy car is a bit of a concern for me.

[RGE]

Wouldn't a 118TSI front drive only (without the weight of the extra 4motion gear) be somewhat similar to a 125TSI when it comes to straight line performance?

[donweather]

Wouldn't a 118TSI front drive only (without the weight of the extra 4motion gear) be somewhat similar to a 125TSI when it comes to straight line performance?

My sentiments exactly!!!

[aussietig]

Here ... this should help!

[JamesWatt]

For beginners various models are available like the six speed 118TSI that makes you easy to order tiguan for front wheels.

[team_v]

Wouldn't a 118TSI front drive only (without the weight of the extra 4motion gear) be somewhat similar to a 125TSI when it comes to straight line performance?

Performance wise yes, it probably would be.

However you have a 1.5 Tonne vehicle that is driven by a 1.4 engine with a tiny turbo.

[donweather]

Performance wise yes, it probably would be.

However you have a 1.5 Tonne vehicle that is driven by a 1.4 engine with a tiny turbo.

Please explain, as I don't understand your last sentence (or the point you're trying to make). Aussietig's table above shows it's pretty competitive even compared with the 132TSI.

[team_v]

Please explain, as I don't understand your last sentence (or the point you're trying to make). Aussietig's table above shows it's pretty competitive even compared with the 132TSI.

My concern would be the longevity of the engine.

I had a 1.4 in my corolla that was a little under 1 Tonne, i can't even imagine the strain that engine would be under to pull a car 50% heavier just by adding a small turbo.
Sure the 1.4TSI is newer and has a turbo but how much stress is that engine going to be under compared to the larger capacity 2.0TSI that is in the 132kw variant?

The same concerns are held over the 2.0 Bi turbo diesel engines in the VW range where the competition has gone with 3L NA/turbo engines to reduce the stresses to the engine.

[NZTiguan]

Doesn't the 1.4 also have a supercharger as well as the turbo ? Realise that's not necessarily a help longevity wise though.

Cheers

[Tig-uan]

125 or 132 Versus 118TSI : while "out of the box" performance is not far apart, 125 or 132 have the reserves to be after-market tuned to around 180kW. 118 will always be approx 118, as there is not much scope to tune it, even in Polo GTI it is not much more powerfull.

[team_v]

125 or 132 Versus 118TSI : while "out of the box" performance is not far apart, 125 or 132 have the reserves to be after-market tuned to around 180kW. 118 will always be approx 118, as there is not much scope to tune it, even in Polo GTI it is not much more powerfull.

The 1.4 TSI can be tuned up to around 150kw with just an ecu remap (Stage 1)
Again, putting a lot of stress on a small capacity engine.

[brad]

I know it's not quite the same but I have a porky Skoda Octavia (I think its 1450kg wet) and the 118kw/250Nm 1.8TSI which has been bluefinned to something better & in stock & tuned guises it's a very relaxed engine. Simply effortless unless you want to drive like a nob.

[Tigger]

Well I drove one on saturday, and I have to say, it felt a lot lighter initiially. Turn in was direct and effortless...but the engine sound is very insipid...weak....It felt like it was straining compared to the 2.0 ltr models, and didnt have that strong gutsy sound of the larger motor.
And although I couldnt really take it for a real hammering, I feel that it certianly was not as sure footed if throwing it around corners as the AWD models are.

[clip]

118 2wd Tig? - great for grannies