Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid review: Medium SUV contender is finally electrified

After a long delay compared with Europe, Volkswagen Australia has finally pushed the electrification switch, and in a big way. From having no electrified products or EVs in its range just a few years ago, it now offers multiple EVs and they’re proving reasonably popular so far.

Hybrids were previously limited to just the high-performance Touareg R, but now the brand introduces the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid. 

‘eHybrid’ is Volkswagen’s term for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and it’s available on multiple models in Europe including the Golf, Tiguan and Tayron. The Tiguan and its larger Tayron sibling are the first local recipients below the Touareg R of the eHybrid badge, and it could expand further in the line-up if the market exists for it.

The take away from this is that Volkswagen finally has a hybridised entrant into the hugely popular medium SUV segment in Australia. Should you consider it over other hybrid medium SUVs, such as the ever-popular Toyota RAV4? 

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How much does the Tiguan eHybrid cost to buy? 

Volkswagen Australia is offering two eHybrid variants in the Tiguan range: the 150TSI Elegance that’s priced at $64,590 plus on-road costs and the 200TSI R-Line, which is yours for $74,550 plus on-road costs.

Until June 30, 2026, the former is priced from $63,990 driveaway and the latter from $73,990 driveaway. 

Volkswagen Tiguan pricing (plus on-road costs): 

Both Tiguan eHybrid variants command a surprisingly reasonable $3000 premium compared with equivalent petrol models, though there are compromises thanks to the plug-in hybrid drivetrain: they don’t feature a spare wheel, there’s no all-wheel drive and their boots are smaller.

There’s a full list of standard features at the bottom of the page, but both Tiguan eHybrid variants are very well equipped. As such, options are limited to just $800-$1100 paint colour, a $2100 panoramic sunroof and on the 200TSI R-Line, a $1500 Black Style Package with – as the name suggests – gloss black exterior detailing. 

Competition to the Tiguan eHybrid is surprisingly wide, with the main option being the Toyota RAV4, which starts at $59,515 plus on-road costs in plug-in hybrid form. The Tiguan is more expensive than the RAV4, though taking Volkswagen’s EOFY pricing into consideration, it actually ends up being cheaper. It’s also better equipped than the RAV4, as the cheapest plug-in hybrid RAV4 is actually the mid-spec XSE. The RAV4 PHEVs also aren’t due until the third quarter of 2026.

How far can the Tiguan eHybrid drive on electric power?

Considered against its competition, quite far. Both Tiguan eHybrid variants use a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine making either 110kW/250Nm (150TSI) or 130kW/250Nm (200TSI) outputs. That’s then mated to an 85kW/330Nm electric motor sandwiched in the six-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending combined 150kW/350Nm (150TSI) or 200kW/400Nm (200TSI) outputs solely to the front wheels. 

A 19.7kWh (net capacity) lithium-ion battery is located underneath the boot floor and provides an impressive 115-117km of range, and that’s on the stricter WLTP cycle too. Unlike rivals like the CX-60, the Tiguan eHybrid can be DC fast charged and up to 40kW, with a claimed 10-80 per cent charge time of 26 minutes. AC charging is also available for a claimed 2.5-hour 0-100 per cent charge at 11kW, or 12 hours plugged into a wall socket. 

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As for fuel consumption, the Tiguan eHybrid 150TSI is rated at 1.6L/100km and the 200TSI at 1.7L/100km, though like with all plug-in hybrids, both those figures were achieved with a full battery. We weren’t able to perform a proper EV range test on the launch due to time constraints, but when driving on the highway from Byron Bay to Coolangatta, the Tiguan eHybrid consumed an impressive 3.9L/100km with no battery juice left upon leaving. 

While the eHybrid models are slower against the clock compared with their petrol equivalents (8.2 seconds versus 7.1 seconds for the 150TSI, and 7.1 seconds versus 5.9 seconds for the 200TSI) thanks to their extra weight, they still feely quite peppy off the line. The 1.5-litre petrol engine also sounds quite like the ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre petrol engine with its mid-range snarl, and is overall quite refined. We spent the launch event in the 150TSI variant and found that it offers more than enough punch for most buyers, but the 200TSI is there if they want more grunt. 

How comfortable is the Tiguan eHybrid? 

“The region has had a month’s worth of rain in the past two days” is not a phrase that you want to hear when attending a car launch, but that’s what greeted us at the local Tiguan eHybrid event. Held at Byron Bay on the north coast of New South Wales, Volkswagen chose well for its event as it showed off the Tiguan eHybrid’s dynamics quite well. The roads are – shall we say – less than smooth on a good day, and the heavy rainfall had reduced that smoothness even further with plenty of potholes and bumps on offer, but the Tiguan eHybrid took it all in its stride. 

Only the harshest of bumps gave the harsh bang we’re used to from products based on the Tiguan’s ‘MQB’ platform, and in everyday driving the eHybrid does feel a touch firmer than petrol models thanks to stiffer suspension having to accommodate for the the extra 139kg of the plug-in hybrid (1873kg versus 1734kg of the regular 150TSI models). But the suspension is also configurable thanks to its adaptive dampers, so you can dial in more softness or firmness if needed, and it’s still entirely comfortable. 

Driving the new Tiguan eHybrid was a bit of a palate cleanser, with its lovely feelsome steering that many modern cars do not feature and a solid planted feeling. It’s a great steer on a higher-speed flowing country road such as those used for the launch, while tighter stuff doesn’t unsettle it either. Only does the eHybrid’s reasonable amount of torque steer provides something to watch out for. 

As for refinement, the latest generation Tiguan is reasonably quiet at speed and the lack of engine noise at times in the eHybrid makes it even quieter. We also applaud Volkswagen’s subtle and effective active safety systems, which are far more trustworthy of their driver than some rivals. Even the over-speed noise is calm and collected in a typically German way, and unlike some rivals, can be permanently defeated. 

How practical is the Tiguan eHybrid? 

Plug-in hybrids often add some form of compromise, and the Tiguan eHybrid is no different. Thanks to the battery’s location, the boot isn’t as large as petrol Tiguan models – 490 litres with the rear seats up and 1438 litres with them folded, which is 162 litres smaller. However, with the adjustable boot floor in the petrol models at its higher level, there’s no immediate visual difference compared to the eHybrid, it’s just that the eHybrid lacks the extra under-floor storage.

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Elsewhere, there’s no compromise in the Tiguan eHybrid and it’s still a very practical medium SUV. Rear seat room is excellent and it offers one of the most spacious rear cabins in the segment – two six-footers will be more than comfortable thanks to the excellent leg and head room. There are also two USB-C charging ports, a separate climate control zone, a central armrest, big door bins and segmented pockets on the back of the front seats to store life’s trinkets.

Move to the front cabin and there’s plenty of typical Volkswagen-like traits, including excellent build quality, and plenty of soft touch materials and storage spots. The overall quality is higher than the previous Tiguan thanks to the cabin materials, plus it’s also far more high-tech. Comfort is not neglected, the Tiguan eHybrid Elegance featuring 12-way electric front seat adjustment with massaging functionality, as well as heating and even ventilation. 

A 15.0-inch touchscreen is standard on the Tiguan eHybrid models, which uses bright colouring, sharp graphics and a quick processor. It doesn’t feature the live services of European models like live traffic, but pairing Apple CarPlay is a breeze and the 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system is a quality item with excellent clarity and plenty of bass. 

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Some buyers might not like that the climate controls are all located on the screen, though there is the multi-purpose physical control dial located on the centre console. It’s a volume knob, though once pressed, it cycles through features like drive mode selection. Volkswagen has also moved away from touch-capacitive steering wheel buttons, which has made it easier to interact with the steering wheel. 

As for practicality, there are capacious flock-lined door bins, a big central box, moveable cup holders, two wireless phone chargers and a flap to cover phones while they’re charging for extra storage and to keep eyes on the road. 

How much does the Tiguan eHybrid cost to service? 

It’s not inexpensive, with the first five years/75,000km of servicing costing $3570 or $714 annually, while the fourth-year/60,000km service costs a huge $1533 alone. Buyers can lessen that slightly by choosing a pre-paid service plan before their first service at $3391 for the first five years ($679 per year), but it’s still not what you’d call cheap. By comparison, a plug-in hybrid Mazda CX-60 costs $2818 over the same period, or $563 annually.

The Tiguan eHybrid is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty with a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty for the hybrid battery, which is what we’d call the minimum in today’s market. Twelve months of roadside assistance is included too, which is extended a further 12 months with each dealer service. 

Should I buy a Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid?

If you’re a Volkswagen fan or just looking for a new plug-in hybrid medium SUV, the Tiguan eHybrid presents a strong effort. The third-generation Tiguan is an impressive medium SUV, and adding a hybrid system has expanded its talents further with its long electric range, healthy performance and potential for very low running costs. It can be charged quickly for a plug-in hybrid, and although it feels heavier than its petrol siblings from behind the wheel, it’s still great to drive.

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Having said that, it’s also a bit compromised compared with petrol Tiguan models as the location of the battery means that its boot is smaller, there’s no spare tyre and there’s also no all-wheel drive availability. It’s also quite expensive to service at over $700 annually but compensating for that is its price – just $3000 more than a petrol Tiguan is low for a plug-in hybrid – and quite well equipped. Overall, those looking for a hybrid medium SUV have yet another strong option to consider in the Tiguan eHybrid.

Tiguan eHybrid Elegance standard features: 

• 19-inch alloy wheels with a tyre repair kit
• Adaptive dampers
• Eco, normal, sport and individual driving modes
• Rain- and light-activated automatic LED exterior lighting
• Rain-sensing automatic wipers
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors with memory, passenger side dropping and puddle lamps
• Roof rails
• Rear privacy glass
• Keyless entry with push button start
• Electric tailgate with kick-to-open functionality
• Leather upholstery
• 12-way electric front seats with memory, heating, ventilation and massaging
• Heated leather steering wheel
• Tri-zone automatic climate control with rear air vents
• 10.25-inch digital driver’s display
• 15-inch touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation 
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Bluetooth calling and audio streaming
• 2x wireless phone chargers
• Head-up display
• 700W 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
• Multi-colour cabin ambient lighting
• GoConnect connected services app with live technical status, vehicle location, recent trips, errors and warning lamps and direct dealership communication
• Type two-to-wall socket charging cable
• Type two-to-AC charger charging cable
• 9x airbags
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control 
• Lane keeping assistance with adaptive lane guidance
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention monitoring
• Traffic sign recognition
• Matrix adaptive high beam
• Front and rear parking sensors
• 360-degree camera
• Anti-theft alarm
• Semi-automatic parking
• Tyre pressure monitoring

Tiguan eHybrid R-Line adds to Elegance: 

• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Sportier exterior styling
• ‘Progressive’ steering
• Suede dashboard and door trim inserts

Tiguan eHybrid specifications