Browse over 9,000 car reviews
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.
If you look at Hyundai Australia’s current line-up there are some key pieces missing. Perhaps the most obvious is the lack of a Tucson Hybrid to compete against the popular Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, as well as the likes of the newer Kia Sportage Hybrid, and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.
Fortunately for Hyundai there is a solution that will fill the missing piece - the Tucson Hybrid. It’s been available in overseas markets for several years but only with the steering wheel on the left-hand side… until now. Hyundai Australia has finally confirmed that it will be adding the hybrid powertrain to its local line-up in 2024.
But we wanted to get a headstart to find out if this new model has what it takes to challenge the RAV4 and others. So CarsGuide.com.au headed to Los Angeles, California for an exclusive drive of the Tucson Hybrid to give you an idea of what to expect when it does arrive down under.
Obviously at this early stage we don’t have concrete details of what exactly we’ll be getting in Australian showrooms, but the US model is reportedly a very similar example of what we’ll get. But with that in mind, our scores for each category and the model overall should be taken as a preliminary judgement - not a definitive verdict.
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.
As Toyota has found with the RAV4, these types of ‘self-charging hybrids’ are popular with customers because they offer more performance, lower fuel economy and require no change in behaviour - no plugging in or managing battery range.
There’s a very good reason for Hyundai to add the Tucson Hybrid to the local line-up, because it will expand the appeal of what is already a popular SUV. Many buyers have turned off diesel in the wake of the Volkswagen emission scandal, so hybrids such as these have greater appeal.
Especially if Hyundai can keep the price difference between the hybrid and diesel to a similar level to what we’ve already seen with the Santa Fe. In these current times of high petrol prices and cost-of-living pressures, anything that can make driving better financially we welcome.
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.
What’s interesting about the design is that there isn’t anything unique about it, at least not overtly different from the rest of the Tucson range. As electrification becomes the norm rather than the exception, car makers have realised car buyers don’t need or want their electrified cars to be styled dramatically differently.
As Toyota's decision to drop the Prius in Australia and instead relying on the Corolla to cater to buyers looking for a hybrid model demonstrates, buyers have evolved with their tastes.
Instead both outside and in, the Tucson Hybrid is a regular-looking SUV that will appeal to anyone looking for a fuel-efficient model.
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...
Despite the addition of the hybrid powertrain elements the Tucson remains a practical family car. While it’s not the biggest SUV in its segment it offers adequate room for a family of four or five.
The front seats are comfortable and there’s good small item storage, as you’ll find in the existing Tucson range, with cup holders, a wireless smartphone charging pad, lidded console box and deep door pockets. The rear bench is good too, with enough room for my 180cm frame to fit in relative comfort, as well as cup holders in the fold-down armrest and a bottle holder in the door.
Crucially, the boot capacity is the same in both the petrol and hybrid Tucson in US specification, which means it should translate to the same 539-litres offered here. The boot floor is flat, which will make loading and unloading easier, but it’s worth noting that the US-spec model we drove had no space for a spare tyre and instead relied on a puncture repair kit.
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.
While Hyundai may have confirmed the impending arrival of the Tucson Hybrid, the details are still under wraps. That’s likely because the hybrid will coincide with an as yet unseen mid-life refresh of the Tucson that was first revealed back in 2020.
Because of that there’s no public confirmation of pricing and specification for this new addition, but we can extrapolate what to expect based on the rest of the Hyundai line-up. Based on the recently added Kona and Santa Fe Hybrids, it’s a safe bet there’s likely to be two variants of the Tucson Hybrid. Expect an entry-level model - likely just called Tucson Hybrid - and a more luxurious variant - probably carrying the Tucson Hybrid Premium name, or possibly the Highlander badge.
Precisely what specification they will include and how much they will cost remains to be seen, but again we can probably take an educated guess based on what we’ve seen with the Kona and Santa Fe. The Kona Hybrid carries a $4000 price premium over its petrol-powered equivalent, while the Santa Fe Hybrid costs $3000 more.
So if the 2024 Tucson prices stay flat (which is possible but not guaranteed) expect the Tucson Hybrid to start around $46,900 and the Tucson Hybrid Premium/Highlander at $53,900.
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.
This is the heart of the matter, with the Tucson Hybrid combining a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with a small electric motor. The petrol engine makes the same power as the ‘SmartStream G1.6’ in the current Tucson, 132kW/265Nm. But the addition of the 44kW electric motor takes the total powertrain output to 168kW/349Nm.
The powertrain is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission as standard as well as Hyundai’s HTRAC all-wheel drive system.
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.
Hyundai USA rates the Tucson Hybrid fuel economy at between 6.1L/100km and 6.3L/100km depending on the variant. It must be noted that US fuel economy figures do alter to Australian numbers, but as a guide those figures are competitive without being class-leading.
The X-Trail e-Power returns the same 6.1L/100km, but the RAV4 Hybrid uses just 4.8L/100km so there’s room for Hyundai to close the gap.
But at 6.1L/100km the hybrid would be the most fuel-efficient member of the Tucson range in Australia, with the diesel managing 6.3L/100km and the 1.6 turbo petrol using 7.2L/100km. So there’s reason to think adding this hybrid option would expand the appeal of the Tucson.
The US-spec models have a 51-litre fuel tank which means a theoretical driving range of up to 835km on a single 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 extra power and torque makes for a notable improvement in performance over what’s currently offered in Australia. The Tucson Hybrid feels quite punchy off the mark whenever you engage both the engine and motor. While it’s not exactly a ‘N Performance’ model, it does feel sprightly for a mid-size SUV.
Plus there’s the added bonus that the electric motor can do all of the work some of the time.
So if you do a lot of urban driving and can be careful with your right foot you may be able to get close to, or even beat, the claimed fuel economy.
It’s difficult to make a definitive comment on the handling, because the version we drove had the US suspension tune, which felt softer than what we’ve experienced here to deal with America’s very average road conditions. Even so, our test drive did demonstrate that the addition of the hybrid system, and the added weight it brings, doesn’t have a negative impact on the way the Tucson drives. It still feels like a well-balanced and responsive SUV and we’d certainly expect that to be the case of Australian-bound models.
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.
Again, this is an area where we don’t know any specific details, but it’s almost certain that the Tucson Hybrid will follow the same safety features as the rest of the range.
There’s all the usual acronyms you expect these days, such as AEB (autonomous emergency braking), ESC (electronic stability control), BSM (blind spot monitoring) and RCTA (rear cross-traffic alert).
The biggest difference between the current range and the hybrid is likely to be the loss of the full-size spare wheel. Given the unique Australian conditions, if Hyundai can find a way to fit even a spacesaver spare it would be more appealing and safer than the puncture repair kit.
The addition of an all-new engine variant typically requires a new crash testing program under the ANCAP safety ratings, but the rest of the Tucson range is five stars and there's no reason to think the hybrid would be dramatically worse.
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.
It’s safe to assume that Hyundai Australia will offer its standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty for the Tucson Hybrid.
Servicing costs are unclear but it’s probable that the more complex hybrid powertrain would mean a higher price. But Hyundai Australia will likely offer a servicing plan, so you’ll know up front what you’re in for.