Overall Pros and Cons

[Mac135]

It doesn't help that not that many of the cons are really genuine shortcomings in the car.

Maybe a few things didn't make our collective wish lists (Carplay in the AID for example) or some on here have imagined that it is something that it was never intended to be - like a psuedo sports car. And somehow some people only now have worked out that the approach to driving a DSG car is a little different from a TC auto - did they not do a test drive.

Six months of dissecting what we thought the car might be before it arrives and now six months of dissection now they have arrived.

But we are having fun anyway right?

[vwnc]

It doesn't help that not that many of the cons are really genuine shortcomings in the car.

Maybe a few things didn't make our collective wish lists (Carplay in the AID for example) or some on here have imagined that it is something that it was never intended to be - like a psuedo sports car. And somehow some people only now have worked out that the approach to driving a DSG car is a little different from a TC auto - did they not do a test drive.

Six months of dissecting what we thought the car might be before it arrives and now six months of dissection.

But we are having fun anyway right?

This will be my first VW. Have noticed a lot of comments re driving the dsg differently. Can you point me to any solid articles to learn about the style? Hard to find.

Thanks mate

[Gladbach]

It doesn't help that not that many of the cons are really genuine shortcomings in the car.

Maybe a few things didn't make our collective wish lists (Carplay in the AID for example) or some on here have imagined that it is something that it was never intended to be - like a psuedo sports car. And somehow some people only now have worked out that the approach to driving a DSG car is a little different from a TC auto - did they not do a test drive.

Six months of dissecting what we thought the car might be before it arrives and now six months of dissection.

But we are having fun anyway right?

Exactly. The more you wait for and anticipate something, the more it gets built up to be more than what it is. Although, to be fair, some of the things like the engine noise and performance of the 162TSI is based on marketing from VW (well, overseas marketing anyway), having artificial deep sporty sounding exhaust note in an ad for example.

Still, if you look over the cons and compare them to other cars in the same category, the Tiguan still does very well in comparison. A lot of the list is comprised of feature we don't have in Australia that are offered overseas , but a lot of those aren't offered in competitors vehicles either. Same with the shortcomings of some of the features like AID, which is a first in this category.

[Gladbach]

Oh, and Yes, if I had ordered car back in September and picked it up a week later then I would have missed out on all of the conversation and debate over the car, and potentially not even realised that some of the features of the vehicle even existed! As much as it's agonising to wait, it's still such an exciting experience.

[latearrival]

What do you mean?
I thought there was lane assist if you get Dap.
Also traffic jam assist in the guise of acc should also work.

I read acc stops and goes from standstill.

I'm new to VW/Tiguans/this forum so I'd love to stand corrected, but here's what I understand:

- Lane Assist is passive - it just provides an alert if you start to leave your lane, it does not actually take control of the steering to keep you in the lane.

EDIT 1 - It seems I'm wrong about this (which I'm happy about). VW site says, "If you start to leave your lane without indicating the system takes corrective steering action".

- Traffic Jam Assist, as found in other VWs, will not just start/stop your car in the traffic jam but will keep the car in the lane as well.

EDIT 1 - If it can steer with Lane Assist, stop & start with ACC, I'm now not sure if the Tiguan will or won't take drive itself in a traffic jam.
EDIT 2 - ACC will stop/start the car in a traffic jam. But it won't keep itself in the lane at slow speeds. So no TJA on the Tig.


TL;DR: ACC on the freeway and on local roads will control the speed but not steer. (Passive) Lane Assist just alerts you.

[cvee]

I'm new to VW/Tiguans/this forum so I'd love to stand corrected, but here's what I understand:

- Lane Assist is passive - it just provides an alert if you start to leave your lane, it does not actually take control of the steering to keep you in the lane.

- Traffic Jam Assist, as found in other VWs, will not just start/stop your car in the traffic jam but will keep the car in the lane as well.

TL;DR: ACC on the freeway and on local roads will control the speed but never steer. Lane Assist just alerts you.

Ok, this is what I believe based on test drive, research and other people's comments.
There IS Active lane assist (or steering assist) to keep you in lane when going 70km or faster.

Under that speed it does not keep you in lane. So I guess traffic jam assist is only braking/accelerating but no steering/lane keep. So it's really just acc.


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[Mac135]

Exactly. The more you wait for and anticipate something, the more it gets built up to be more than what it is. Although, to be fair, some of the things like the engine noise and performance of the 162TSI is based on marketing from VW (well, overseas marketing anyway), having artificial deep sporty sounding exhaust note in an ad for example.

Still, if you look over the cons and compare them to other cars in the same category, the Tiguan still does very well in comparison. A lot of the list is comprised of feature we don't have in Australia that are offered overseas , but a lot of those aren't offered in competitors vehicles either. Same with the shortcomings of some of the features like AID, which is a first in this category.

We have had our car a month tomorrow - highline. Its great and so far as I can see does everything it says on the box. I only have one real criticism and that is the operation of all the nanny stuff included. Some things I've turned off, everything I've turned down (seriously the first time I reverse parked it behaved like the robot in Lost in Space - all at about 100dB and everything short of arms flailing). I want to get rid of stop/start too. But most cars are include this stuff so I live with it and minimise what I can.

Things offered overseas that aren't available here - you have to get over that. It is usually a case of Australia being a technology adopter rather than a creator and our often tech lags in a whole lot of situations - more than it should I would say. Small populations, economies of scale and comparatively slow adoption through legislation don't help in this regard either.

The only thing I would wish for on the car that wasn't available was the Dynaudio (or something similar)

Anticipation - we waited for the Tig from August to Jan 30 (near enough) and I'm currently waiting for an Audi S3 sedan ordered Jan 7th. The S3 is due to be built next week and arrive late May so all in all I'll have spent about 9 months of the past 12 waiting for cars - and therefore spending far too much time on either vwwatercooled or ozaudi.

[Mac135]

This will be my first VW. Have noticed a lot of comments re driving the dsg differently. Can you point me to any solid articles to learn about the style? Hard to find.

Thanks mate

Start with this.....
VWVortex.com - How to Play The DSG Game, and Win - DSG Driving Tips and Tricks

I have had 4 DSG/S tronic cars. The secret in my mind is to anticipate what is required next- especially when accelerating otherwise you can easily fall into the 'holes' or sometimes described as WTF moments. Don't ignore the paddles - they are your friends and a quick flick or two (generally much faster than get a car to kick down when mashing the pedal) will keep you in the sweet spot at all times. Even if it set in drive be ready and willing to jump on the paddles.

It is an automated manual not an automatic - so be ready to intervene when you need to just like you would do in manual.

[latearrival]

There IS Active lane assist (or steering assist) to keep you in lane when going 70km or faster. Under that speed it does not keep you in lane. So I guess traffic jam assist is only braking/accelerating but no steering/lane keep. So it's really just acc.

Thanks for clearing that up for me

[TungstenR]

@Gladbach; I read in the cons you mention that there is no active lane assist. I've actually tested the lane assist by taking my hands off the wheel, the car does actively steer to keep inside the lane/on the road, and after a little while I got the message to please take control of the wheel.

One more thing in the pros would be the HUD (in NZ), as it keeps my eyes focussed on distance, instead of focussing from close to far and vice versa. It also shows when Lane Assist can actually read the lanes (lines) or not, and if you're getting (too) close to the car in front of you, with or without ACC.