Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI Highline 2019 review: snapshot

The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan range has two permanent models on the books, and the 162TSI Highline is the top of those two.

Running a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with 162kW/350Nm, it has a power and torque advantage over the more affordable 132TSI. It uses a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and has '4Motion' all-wheel drive as standard.

It is priced at $49,490 plus on-road costs, and over the entry-grade car it improves the standard gadgets list.

Highlights include 19-inch alloy wheels, LED tail-lights, leather seats, heated front seats with electric adjustment and memory settings, heated outboard rear seats, a bigger touchscreen (9.2-inch vs 8.0-inch) with sat nav as well as Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, ambient interior lighting, the convenience of auto high-beam lighting with anti-dazzle function (Dynamic Light Assist), adaptive cruise control and adaptive chassis control.

Explore the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Range

Volkswagen Tiguan 132TSI Comfortline 2019 review: snapshot Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI Highline 2019 review: snapshot Volkswagen Tiguan Wolfsburg 2019 review: snapshot

Carryovers from the 132TSI include LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, a power tailgate, keyless entry and push-button start, three-zone climate control air conditioning, cruise control, auto headlights and auto wipers, electric folding side mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cloth seat trim and a tyre-pressure-monitoring system.

Safety equipment includes a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, auto emergency braking (AEB), manoeuvre braking (where the car can brake if the rear sensors detect an obstacle), self parking (parallel and perpendicular bay park assist), driver fatigue detection, lane departure warning and lane-keeping assistance (the car will steer you into your lane if it needs to), and multi-collision brake (a system that applies the brakes if you have an accident, lessening the chance of further damage). There’s also lane-changing assistant, a system called 'Emergency Assist' that can stop the car if the driver is unresponsive, and rear cross-traffic alert.

If that standard gear list is not enough, you could go for the limited-run Tiguan Wolfsburg Edition, which is even better equipped and great to look at, but limited to just 500 units.