An R-Line version sits at the top of the ID. Tiguan range, in effect replacing the old GTX - which VW says won’t be renewed. Like the GTX, R-Line adds a series of exterior tweaks, including sportier bumpers front and rear, plenty of ‘R’ badging and 21-inch wheels (up from the 19 and 20-inch designs available on other trims). 

Interior and technology updates

Volkswagen says the interior reverts to ‘True Volkswagen philosophy’ and the ‘core values’ of the brand. What this essentially means is that certain ergonomic foibles that have plagued VWs in recent years, are being fixed. 

Jump inside and the first thing to notice is the new steering wheel. It’s taken from the ID. Polo and comes with a set of satisfying-to-use physical controls - a vast improvement over the ID.4’s piano black buttons. 

On the dash, there’s a new 15-inch touchscreen that we’ve seen on other larger VW models such as the Passat and combustion-engined Tiguan, although the ID. Tiguan gets the latest infotainment and some interesting new features. One of these is the retro menu, again, shared with the ID. Polo. With this mode activated, the main screen can transition to mimic six different Volkswagen models, from various generations of Golf to the Tiguan and even the Race Touareg and Beetle. This is complemented by twin dials appearing on the driver’s display mimicking a Mk4 Golf’s (although the rev counter here reflects power output). 

There’s also a third screen available to the passenger. In ‘privacy mode’ and with some clever pixel technology, the passenger can view and operate the touchscreen without it being visible to the driver. It’s the same 12-inch display found in the latest Audi Q4 e-tron and set up with apps including Spotify, the Vivaldi browser and gaming features available.