Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has unveiled the facelifted 2022 Tiguan Allspace in our local market. The familiar Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION makes a return with a new base model called the Tiguan Allspace Elegance which replaces the outgoing Highline model.
Here are five things that you need to know about Volkswagen’s new crossovers.
New sportier design
Both 2022 Tiguan Allspace models receive an exterior makeover that makes them look more youthful and sportier compared to the outgoing models. The LED headlights are now more compact with an eye-liner style LED daytime running light (DRL). Prominently, there is now an LED light strip running across the front grille, giving the illusion that both headlights are connected. Also on the grille is Volkswagen’s new company badge.
Moving down to the bumper, there are now C-shaped corners with a narrow section in the middle. Where both models differ is in the details. On the Tiguan Allspace Elegance model, the bumper is finished in gloss black with a silver piece that looks like a mouth. The Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION on the other hand is also finished in gloss black but gets C-shaped chrome accents as well as a more aggressive-looking body-coloured lower lip.
Along the side, both models get new rim designs. The Elegance model gets an elegant set of 18” Frankfurt rims finished in silver while the R-Line 4MOTION model gets sportier 19” Valencia rims finished in grey. There is no dual-tone colour scheme to be found here.
Around the back, the taillights get a makeover with Volkswagen’s fancy IQ Light LED system. The lights get three inverted L-shaped designs that look pretty sweet. There is no LED light strip like on the front, but there is a reflector strip across the rear bumper. Speaking about bumpers, the Elegance model gets a black plastic cladding with a chrome strip outlining the absent tailpipes. Meanwhile, to complete the sportier look of the R-Line 4MOTION, it gets a body-coloured bumper with fake quad tailpipes.
Finally, the Tiguan nameplate has been moved under the Volkswagen badge, so that it’s front and centre. Previously, it was truncated below the left taillight. Even with all these tweaks, both models are still easily recognisable as a Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.
Same guts underneath
For this facelift, only the face gets an overhaul while the powertrain is neatly carried over from the outgoing models. As such, the Tiguan Allspace Elegance gets a turbocharged, 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine producing 148hp and 250Nm of torque. It powers only the front wheels via six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.
Those with a heavy right foot will be more interested in the Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION and its turbocharged 2.0 litre, four-cylinder engine. Output is rated at 217hp and 350Nm of torque, with power being sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.
The R-Line 4MOTION also gets driving mode selection which works with the dynamic chassis control. Depending on whether you have Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport or Individual mode selected, the car will adapt the stiffness of the suspension accordingly. Furthermore, it also comes with an off-road mode to tackle snow and gravel.
Upgraded comfort and conveniences
Customers will appreciate that both Tiguan Allspace models now get a powered tailgate with a hands-free opening and closing function. It still opens to the same 230 litres with all seven seats up and 700 litres with the third-row seats folded. If you want more cargo space, folding the second-row seats will reveal 1,775 litres of space.
Inside, the familiar Vienna leather seats get some new features. As standard, both models get 12-way power-adjustable front seats. This feature is new to the base Tiguan Allspace Elegance as the previous model only had it for the driver seat. New for the facelift models is a memory function for the front seats with heating and ventilation.
Ambient lighting makes a return, now with illuminated side sill scuff plates. There are also the usual suspects of creature comforts like keyless entry with push-button start, Climatronic three-zone climate control, electronic parking brake with auto hold, leather-wrapped steering wheels, and an auto-dimming rear view mirror to name a few.
Exclusive to the Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION is a new 480W, 10-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system. By comparison, the Elegance model has to make do with an OEM 8-speaker set-up. So far so good.
However, depending on your family’s needs, the omission of the airliner-style folding rear tables could be seen as a downgrade. Instead, you get two small pockets to hold loose items or a smartphone.
A new way to interact with the Tiguan Allspace
Following the likes of the new Volkswagen Golf and Arteon, most of the physical buttons and knobs have been replaced with touch-sensitive surfaces. These include the climate and steering wheel controls.
Different people may have different opinions on this implementation. A minimalist might see the lack of buttons as a welcome addition while most of us here at the office find it finicky and troublesome to use.
You can watch our Volkswagen Arteon review to find out why we felt so.
In terms of infotainment, both models share the same 9.2” Discover Pro head unit that supports wireless connectivity for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The driver gets a separate 11.7” digital instrument cluster with customisable menus and information.
A slight bump in safety
I like to start this section by saying that both Tiguan Allspace models share almost all the safety equipment which is a good thing. That said, the safety features offered are quite standard and nothing to shout about. New for the facelifted models are the inclusion of passive lane-keeping assist with warning only and driver alert system with driver fatigue detection.
Besides that, there are also electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, multi-collision braking system and passive cruise control.
VPCM has reserved two features for the more expensive Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION. Firstly, it is the only model to get a hill-descent control that is activated in the off-road mode. Secondly, it gets a total of seven airbags (one driver knee airbag, two front, two front side, two curtain) while the Tiguan Allspace Elegance misses out on the driver knee airbag for a total of six airbags.
However, it’s disappointing that a premium car like the Tiguan Allspace has no active driver aids like even the basic autonomous emergency braking (AEB) or adaptive cruise control.
2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace Malaysian Pricing
With the upgrades that Volkswagen packed into the facelifted Tiguan Allspace, both models see a price increase compared to the outgoing models. The prices shown below are on-the-road prices without insurance and inclusive of sales tax exemption.
- 2022 Volkswagen Allspace Elegance – RM174,745.68
- 2022 Volkswagen Allspace R-Line 4MOTION – RM219,443.59
Also included are five years unlimited mileage warranty, a one-year battery warranty, three years free maintenance service package, and 5 years of roadside assistance.
For comparison, the 2020 Volkswagen Allspace Highline and Allspace R-Line 4MOTION are priced at RM165,000 and RM209,575 respectively. In my opinion, the increase in price is justifiable as it almost completes the premium attributes that were missing in the pre-facelift model. Premium features like a 10 speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, a hands-free powered tailgate and heated and ventilated front seats. Now, VPCM just needs to sort out the lack of active driver aids on not just the Tiguan Allspace, but its entire vehicle lineup in Malaysia.
If you like how the Tiguan Allspace looks, but need to know how it handles as well, you can check out our review of the 2020 Tiguan Allspace R-Line 4MOTION. Since both 2022 facelift and 2020 pre-facelift models share the same mechanical components under the hood, both versions will showcase similar performance characteristics.
