From Towcar Awards 2008

List price: £21,770 (when tested)
Kerbweight: 1666kg
85% Match: 1416kg
Max towing weight: 2200kg
Towball limit: 100kg

VOLKSWAGEN HAS taken a long time to build a compact 4×4, but the wait has been worth it. The Tiguan’s cabin is spacious and comfortable, it drives with the agility of a hatchback and has an upmarket image to guarantee strong resale values.

It cuts the mustard as a towcar, too. The suspension strikes a fine balance between comfort and control, keeping the caravan in check through the lane-change test without making the ride too stiff. The outfit recovered quickly from steering movements at higher speeds, too.

Ease

The hill-start test was tackled with ease. The electronic brake held car and caravan still before four-wheel drive and the strong diesel engine pulled the outfit up the slope without drama.

The diesel engine is one of the best things about the Tiguan. It’s the first VW to have the common rail engine, which is much quieter than the old 2.0-litre diesel. Emissions of 182g/km are low, and will keep road-tax bills down.

A strong practicality rating completes an impressive score.

We say

Towing: 4/5
Solo: 4/5
Practicality: 4/5
Buying & owning: 4/5

Verdict: 4/5. The best compact 4×4 in this year’s test. Extremely capable.

Braking 30-0mph: 10.79m