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What's the difference?
The Volkswagen Tiguan R Grid Edition can be a loud, wild beast tearing at the tarmac with 235kW (more than 300 horsepower!) and next minute a comfortable and quiet mid-sized family SUV.
But another one of its talents is being more than $6000 less to buy than the Tiguan R on which this special edition is based.
How is that possible? What's the catch? Could it be the one of the best buys on the market right now?
You'll know after reading this review.
I’ve said it before: I don’t get coupe SUVs.
What’s the point? The concept is to take an already debatably practical car shape, and then file down its roofline so that it’s… even less practical?
I can’t think of a more vain concept. Have we really fallen so far into SUV obsession that cars like this need to exist?
Audi says yes with the Q3, and I hate to admit it, but this particular coupe SUV has me questioning my thoughts on the topic. I can’t help but admit this is one of the best-looking small SUV’s I’ve ever seen.
But is it skin-deep? Does the Q3 formula still work with a cropped roofline? Is it still nice to drive and packed with tech? Read on to find out.
If there is a catch to the discounted price of the Tiguan R Grid Edition it's that you'll have to live without leather seats and a head-up display, which is fine in my books as long as the dynamics and engine are the same, which they are in this special SUV.
What isn't ideal is the Tiguan R Grid Edition not having blind-spot warning or rear cross-traffic alert, which are standard on the regular Tiguan R.
Volkswagen had to make a hard decision there, and to be fair, the lack of availability of semiconductors is the reason behind this, not cost reduction.
If you are able to accept this, you'll have a relatively affordable SUV that can do both beast mode and family mode with impressive skill.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
I hate how this car has challenged my long-held belief that coupe SUVs are silly. Even more so than other notable examples I’ve driven, like Mercedes’ GLC 53.
It’s so sleek and stylish, drives beautifully, and is so packed with immersive technology that I had to triple check the price. The Sportback takes everything good about the Q3 and makes it even better looking with barely a penalty to practicality. Bravo.
Some carmakers would go overboard in coming up with the styling of a 300+ horsepower mid-sized SUV, but not Volkswagen which is the master of understated, yet cool, design.
Any model wearing that R badge is special. On first glance the Tiguan R Grid Edition looks ready for a boardroom meeting but look closer and you'll see it's ready for battle.
Check out the Tiguan R Grid Edition's quad exhaust, its aggro R front bumper, the 21-inch 'Estoril' alloy wheels and the blacked-out grille.
The cabin is a premium looking place but like the insides of all Volkswagens it seems very business class, functional but not too fancy.
Thankfully the sports seats, while not Nappa leather as in the Tiguan R, stop it from all being a bit serious and grown up in here.
This is the best-looking coupe SUV I’ve seen. Do you agree?
You could argue the Porsche Macan is up there alongside it, and I’d agree, but it’s also at least $20K more expensive.
Volvo’s XC40 maybe comes close in terms of exterior appeal, but it isn’t a coupe.
You can see elements of Lamborghini Urus (an Audi subsidiary) in the air dams and roofline, and there’s a complexity to it which hints at the tech within.
In fact, I’d say this Audi is so swish I kind of understand now. This is what coupe SUVs are meant to be about. Redefining the ‘SUV look’, inside and out.
Why pretend SUVs are about off-roading anymore? They’re really about comfort and convenience in the confines of a city.
Of course, the ‘inside’ bit comes naturally to the Q3, which has a swish, simplistic, but wonderfully advanced cockpit.
The design is upright, but not imposing, spacious, but not barren. The slight driver focus of the vents, touchscreen, and controls is noted and appreciated.
Both screens are ultra-high resolution, sharp and crisp to look at, and it adds so much to the lustre of everything you use, fitting seamlessly with the sharp and detailed lines in the dash. The fully adjustable LED interior ambient lighting is wholly unnecessary but does make it a nice place to be at night, and changing the colours entertained my family members no end.
Virtual Cockpit is still unrivalled for its aesthetics and ease of use, too. The wheel is even notable for its neat proportions and comfortable shape.
What don’t I like? The tall plasticky shift-knob still looks like it belongs in a base-model VW Polo, and some padding around the centre tunnel for the knees would be appreciated.
The Tiguan R Grid Edition is a five-seater, mid-sized SUV, it's not a seven-seater like the Tiguan AllSpace and there isn't an R version of that larger Tiguan. There is an R-Line Allspace, however.
Still, the Tiguan R Grid Edition is spacious with excellent headroom and even at 191cm tall I could sit comfortably in the second row behind my driving position.
This sounds really nerdy, but I love the way Volkswagen does door pockets - they're gigantic and I tend to throw my wallet, house keys and the mobile clutter from the rest of my life in there.
There are four cupholders on board, too (two up front and two in the second row).
The cargo capacity of the boot is big for the class at 616 litres. There are two levels to the boot floor, along with cargo hooks.
You'd expect a $64K SUV to have a power tailgate but the Grid Edition doesn't have one and this is down to the global semiconductor shortage.
The manual tailgate is fine, just remember to close it yourself - embarrassingly, on the launch I pressed the 'blank' panel where the button should be only to almost drive off with it open.
Also missing is wireless phone charging, but there are three USB ports (two up front and one in the rear).
Dark tinted side windows in the rear and climate control with directional air vents in the second row are big ticks on my own checklist for a good family car - the kids will be protected from the Aussie sun and travelling in a comfortable temperature. Never had these luxuries in my day...
We like the practicality in the regular Q3, but is the Sportback too compromised? Let’s take a look
The front two passengers are treated to a spacious and airy cabin, with loads of glass and space for your elbows. You can adjust the height of the centre box to suit your driving position, and there are no complaints when it comes to leg- or headroom.
Tech spills out of the dash and into your hands. USB-A, USB-C and wireless connectivity are available to you. In fact, wireless Apple CarPlay is as revolutionary as keyless entry.
You set it up once and that’s it. Just turn the car on, leave the phone in your pocket and the media system does the rest. The cost is a slight input lag, but the payoff of just being able to throw your phone in the charging bay or simply leave it in your pocket and forget about it is well worth it.
Storage areas are abundant for front passengers with big cupholders with a large centre slot for a phone or wallet perhaps, the large wireless charging bay and a small but useful centre console box.
There are also small bottle holders in the doors and a decently-sized glove box.
A small annoyance comes from the high-resolution screen. Some items become too fine to accurately jab at without taking your eyes off the road, particularly in Apple CarPlay mode. Thankfully all essentials, like the climate and volume controls have physical dials.
Visibility out the front and sides for the driver is fantastic, although there’s no denying the smaller rear aperture in the Sportback’s design makes seeing out the rear a bit more difficult.
Rear passengers are treated to a customizable area. The rear seats are on rails, and I found my legroom to be more than adequate in the standard, furthest-back position. I could have moved the seat about 20 per cent further forward without running into issues.
Height is a different story. I’m 182cm (6.0ft) tall and fit okay with maybe a couple of centimetres space above my head. My slightly taller brother (around 185cm) had his head pretty much up against the roof. The standard Q3 had no such issues, but it’s worth considering if you plan to regularly transport taller family or friends.
The back of the rear seats are clad in plastic which looks nasty but will be good for those with kids, and rear passengers can make use of two USB-C ports, a 12V outlet and dual adjustable air vents on the back of the centre stack.
Boot space comes in at 530 litres (VDA) with all seats in their default positions which proved more than enough for our largest CarsGuide suitcase, some duffel bags, and camera equipment.
It can be adjusted up to 1400L with all the seats stowed. Apparently, this is no less than the regular Q3, which would make sense as the space is meant to be measured to the parcel shelf, before the more aggressive roofline starts to cut its shape.
The Tiguan R Grid Edition lists for $63,990 - that's $6500 less than the regular Tiguan R. Volkswagen also says just 300 or so will be made available.
You're saving money because there are some big dollar items in the Tiguan R that didn't make it into the Grid Edition.
So, the Nappa leather upholstery from the Tiguan R is replaced with fabric sports seats in the Grid Edition, it also misses out on a head-up display and 'Matrix' LED headlights.
The good news is all the engineering stays the same and there are still plenty of great features.
Coming standard are 'Performance' LED headlights and LED running lights, three-zone climate control, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, a 9.2-inch media display with sat nav, there's also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The only option available on the Tiguan R Grid Edition is the panoramic sunroof.
When it comes to rivals there's the Cupra Formentor VZe for $62,990, Skoda Kodiaq RS for $69,290, and check out Mazda's new CX-60 Evolve which costs $59,800.
Our test car is the 35 TFSI (which means it has the least powerful Q3 engine) in Launch Edition trim. In Sportback form, I think it looks a million bucks, but was surprised and taken aback by how affordable it is by premium car standards.
Wearing an MSRP of $56,450, this Q3 isn’t bad value, especially when lined up against similar spec competitors like Volvo’s XC40 (Design - $56,990). BMW’s ageing X1 sDrive 20i is significantly cheaper up-front ($48,500) but will require a fair few option packs to be on-par with this Audi. And even then there are some tech items which the Q3 will have over it.
We don’t know how much Mercedes-Benz’ GLB will cost yet, although it’s a different small SUV beast with a chunky backside and seven seats.
Standard spec includes 19-inch alloy wheels, an impressive 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen, Android Auto and digital radio with wireless Apple CarPlay (!), wireless charging, 10-speaker audio system, Wi-Fi hotspot, built-in nav (with online traffic and other services), 10.25-inch ‘virtual cockpit’ digital dash, dual-zone climate control, leather seating, heated and powered front seats with heated steering wheel, auto dimming rear view mirror, keyless entry with push-start, LED headlights, as well as surround parking sensors and cameras.
The options list is surpisingly short and affordable at this end of the market, consisting of a Bang & Olufsen surround speaker system ($900), full paint finish bumpers ($450), park assist ($300), ‘Matrix’ LED headlights ($1300 – why? The standard ones are fine), panoramic opening sunroof ($2080), and electronic dampers ($1700). You’ll note all are luxuries and won’t make or break a sale for anyone.
It’s also worth noting the Q3’s relatively high standard spec complements its almost segment-bending dimensions, which will have some considering whether they really need something slightly larger again like an X3, GLC, or Audi’s own Q5.
In that nose is 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine making 235kW and 400Nm, and it's driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
A superb engine, a great transmission with lighting quick changes and brilliant traction from the all-wheel drive system.
And exactly the same as found in a regular Tiguan R. Volkswagen hasn't taken anything out here.
That makes the Tiguan R Grid Edition a 235kW family SUV with a 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds. That is quick.
How much fuel does it use? Less than you probably think.
Powering 35 TFSI variants is a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 110kW/250Nm. It’s mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and powers the front wheels only.
An all-wheel drive version with a 2.0-litre engine is available further up the range.
You'll need to feed your Tiguan R Grid Edition premium unleaded petrol and Volkswagen says that over a combination of open and urban roads you'll use 8.8L/100km.
That's not overly high considering this SUV isn't small, but how much fuel you use will really depend on how you drive it and no there isn't a hybrid or electric version.
A 58-litre tank means the official consumption figure translates to a driving range of around 660km.
The 35 TFSI has a claimed/combined fuel consumption figure of 7.3L/100km, against which I scored 8.4L/100km on my weekly test.
That number's very good for something this size, probably helped along by the 35 TFSI's relatively light 1545kg kerb weight.
Oddly, and unlike most VW Group vehicles with similar drivetrains, the Q3 35 TFSI does not have a stop/start system.
The 35 TFSI requires 95 RON premium unleaded petrol and has a 60-litre fuel tank.
If it's possible to drive in every condition over the space of eight hours then you can do it in Victoria. From grid-locked Melbourne CBD traffic in the hot morning sun to an awesome mountain run with the temperature dropping and mist rolling in.
So, in the space of that day the Tiguan R Grid Edition showed what it could do in pretty much every situation you'll be in.
Traffic is traffic, no matter what car you're sitting in but the Tiguan R Grid Edition is a comfortable place to be with those supportive sports seats, good visibility and light steering.
So, a normal Tiguan in everyday driving, right down to the comfortable and composed ride, even if this Grid Edition rolls on impossibly thin 255/35 R21 Hankook Ventus Evo S1 tyres.
But as we left the suburbs behind and pushed into the countryside towards Lake Mountain in Victoria's Alpine region, the 235kW turbo-petrol engine cleared its throat and made itself known.
Overtaking proved to be quick and simple on the highway, and hills were squashed easily by the grunt of that engine.
There's a little blue 'R' button on the steering wheel which puts the Tiguan R Grid Edition into 'Race' mode - more like Beast mode. The dampers firm up for flatter handling and the exhaust note changes to a deep rumble.
The Tiguan R Grid Edition isn't just powerful, it turns into corners beautifully, the transmission downshifting like a pro, the grip from the tyres impressive and the traction from all-wheel drive reassuring.
That same day I drove the T-Roc R Grid Edition as well, the little brother of the Tiguan R Grid Edition. I found the mini-monster T-Roc to be more fun and agile, but it is smaller and lighter with only a fraction less grunt.
Still there are not many mid-sized family SUVs that could outperform the Tiguan R Grid Edition at this price.
The Q3 offers a slick, modern, and comfortable drive, but not one without its flaws.
The ride is superb. A great balance of sportiness and damping, the Q3 keeps it stable in the corners, but comfortable over bumps. This was helped along by comfort-spec Hankook tyres on our car, and the 19-inch wheels proved to be a sensible size.
The only thing which seemed to transmit unpleasantness into the cabin was the dampers going out of frequency on rutted roads. I couldn’t help but note the similarity of the Q3’s ride characteristics to those of the new VW T-Roc, a size under.
Inside is quiet and refined, and all of the Q3’s features are ergonomic and easy to use to the point where you take it for granted. But with the Sportback’s cropped rear window, seeing out the rear isn’t as easy as it is in the regular Q3.
The engine has sufficient power when the boost, and subsequently peak torque, sets in, the trouble is this can all happen very suddenly.
There’s a delay when stomping on the go-pedal, which is replaced a full second thereafter with a surge of torque. It takes a bit of getting used to working in a moment of restraint while you wait for power to arrive.
Get impatient, and the Q3 will simply spin its wheels off the line. It’s not a problem isolated to this car, but one I also found in other VW Group vehicles with similar drivetrains. The Tiguan comes to mind.
A neat trick is setting the Q3 into the sportier ‘Dynamic’ mode and then switching the transmission from ‘S’ to the regular Drive. This gives you the best of a more responsive powertrain without having the transmission hang around in gears for too long.
The six-speed can still be caught out fairly easily as it tries to be ‘smart’ about its changes to a fault. I wonder how well its computer would go about learning your driving patterns long-term.
All up, the Q3 offers a nice balance of SUV comfort and hatch-like sportiness thanks to its light frame. The turbo engine has its small issues, but there are no red flags here for urban commuters.
The Tiguan R Grid Edition was tested by ANCAP in 2016 and received the maximum five-star rating.
Do you remember what you were doing in 2016? I do, I was writing about how amazingly safe the Tiguan was with its newly received five-star ANCAP rating. But that's a while ago now and safety tech benchmarks have come a long way.
To be fair, most new models are independently assessed when they're new and go through the process again when a major change or new generation is launched.
And this Tiguan model is getting towards the end of its cycle and will be replaced soon by an entirely fresh version.
What's important to know is that while the Tiguan R Grid Edition has a good crash rating and great safety tech like AEB, lane keeping assistance and manoeuvre braking (for parking), it misses out on blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
These are two safety aids that help enormously and it's a shame they aren't included here on a family SUV.
It's for these reasons the Tiguan R Grid Edition hasn't scored tremendously well in this safety section. But make no mistake - this is a very safe SUV.
For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchor mounts across the rear row.
You are well sorted for airbags, too. Curtain airbags extend from the front to the back, Plus for the driver and the co-pilot there are front and side airbags, plus a driver's knee airbag.
The Q3 has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating (awarded in 2018) which covers all variants.
The advanced safety systems standard on the Launch Edition include auto emergency braking (up to 250km/h, detects pedestrians and cyclists up to 85km/h), lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control (with stop and go function), and driver attention alert.
Several of these items, like the adaptive cruise are not standard on the base car and require an optional ‘Comfort Package’. Tick that box if the Launch Edition is sold out by the time you’re reading this.
Expected safety inclusions are six airbags, electronic stability and brake controls, and hill assist systems..
The Tiguan Grid Edition is covered by Volkswagen's five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
A five-year servicing plan costs $3200 (annual average $640) and you'll need to get the car serviced every 12 months or 15,000km.
Expensive servicing and no standard capped prices lowers the score here.
Audi’s standard warranty offer of three years and unlimited kilometres is annoyingly short, but not unexpected from a premium brand.
The pressure is on though, with Mercedes-Benz and newcomer, Genesis, now offering five years of warranty coverage, as well as Japanese stalwart Lexus offering four years.
Audi was even considering making a promotional five-year unlimited kilometre warranty permanent at the time of writing, so hopefully that has come to pass by the time you’re reading this review. Time will tell.
Where Audi makes ground back though is its very competitive service pricing. We’d strongly recommend bundling in an Audi ‘Genuine Care’ service plan at the time of purchase which will make your servicing much cheaper.
Three years of servicing for the Q3 under this scheme is $1610, while five years is $2630 it’s worth it. All Q3s require servicing once every 12 months or 15,000km.