Diesel or petrol

[Hughjarse]

Well I done worked the shortlist of the Ford Kuga and Mazda CX5; but I have decided on the Tiguan.

I want AWD, top of the range. I think.

I have a small poptop to tow and I want to drive up into the snow from time to time as I live just north of Kosciusko NP. So I want power, AWD and luxury.

My initial desire was for the diesel as it will tow better, however I'll be towing about 3 times a years so it may be better to stick with the petrol, as I probably won't do the mileage to justify the diesel.

I also want leather interior.

So I am after your opinions as to options available to me.

Do I get e lesser version and option leather/R line?

Or do I go for the top R line version?

Petrol or diesel?

Wodoyareckon?

[tigger73]

Hugh

The problem with adding leather and the R-line kit to one of the lower models is that you push the price up to 155 R-line $ and you miss out on some of the options. So you're probably better off just getting the 155.

However having said that if you like the torque of the diesel for towing you can't go past the 130TDI. This is a really nice car to drive and pulls really well from low revs (compared to having to rev the petrol engines to get the performance). Also I wouldn't discount the sports cloth seats which are now standard in the 132TSI and 130TDI as they are one of the most comfortable seats I've sat in. Really comfortable and zero sliding around when cornering. Test them out if you haven't already and you may change you mind.

At the end of the day I don't think you can really go that wrong with either option as they are both great cars. If I had my time again I'd seriously consider the diesel just for the low end torque and how effortless it makes it to drive.

[towbar]

On the question of diesel vs petrol and based on my experience of mostly diesel powered vehicles over the years, I reckon unless you are using the towing capability more than 30-35% of the KM driven then petrol is the better option. Reason, diesel's like to be worked hard, city driving and with no load is not good, diesel particle filters start to get loaded up and burn out cycles become more frequent, of course older engines did not have such cleaning devices fitted. Replacement DPF is expensive if its required.
Petrol is usually cheaper than diesel by varying amounts, so the Ltr/100km advantage of diesel is not there anymore unless you are doing many km or have a farm.
Good luck with whatever purchase, the Tiguan is a very nice vehicle to drive.

[arcadelt]

I vote for the diesel (and manual)...because it matches my circumstances. We live 100km from our Capital and do the trip at least once a week, and we live on 25 acres. I think I'd have the same if I lived in the city, but can imagine that petrol auto would be much easier to live with.

[MGV]

I vote for the diesel (and manual)...

Is the diesel manual variant even a thing here in Australia? I thought manual was only available with the 1.4 litre petrol...

[nat225]

i had a 130tdi Tiguan loaner for 1/2 a day a few weeks ago and loved the torque from down low. plus driving around gold coast, the diesel useage was only 8L/100km.

in my 147tsi Tiguan, driving around like that would use 12.5L/100km.

that said, the TDI may not be good if driven mostly for short distances as someone else has mentioned the 'DPF' thingy may not last as long as it should do, for short distance type of driving.

[jets]

Is the diesel manual variant even a thing here in Australia? I thought manual was only available with the 1.4 litre petrol...

Not any more. Was available 2-3 years ago. I decided to buy a second hand diesel manual before they got too old around 18 months ago.

[arcadelt]

Is the diesel manual variant even a thing here in Australia? I thought manual was only available with the 1.4 litre petrol...

2010 model. Unfortunately VW Australia don't import manual TDI anymore. 😢

[Hughjarse]

Thanks for your input, diesel it is.

BTW bloody bland colours VW uses, where is the red?

[arcadelt]

They used to have red. Seems VW Australia are very much paring back choice...

[ian]

I have the latest Diesel 130KW I like the feeling that I can fill up in Sydney and drive to Brisbane with out being robbed at the service stations in between .

[YellowLemon]

The Diesel is awesome Test drive both and see? I used my 130TDI as a daily/city car and no probs with the DPF. On the weekends if I went on the highway at 100kmh it would do the DPF burn for 10 mins and that's that.....

The problems with the EGR valve and throttle body gumming up from the exhaust gas being fed into the engine... well I had that... $1500 parts+labour replacement later, good as new. Not sure if this is Diesel specific? Certainly a common problem on the diesels though. If you are mechanically minded you can just clean the EGR and TB - I think there's an instruction on this forum somewhere.