VW Tiguan goes electrical: German model’s best-selling SUV goes upmarket and will get a 370-mile vary

The Volkswagen Tiguan, the German giant’s best-selling SUV, is going electric for 2027 – and it will feel distinctly posher.

The new ID. Tiguan has been unveiled this week and is promised to arrive early next year with a range of over 370 miles.

Saying it will be ‘one of the brand’s most important electric models for the years ahead’, VW has completely redesigned the Tiguan in order to convert it to electric power.

The new mid-size SUV will succeed the ID.4 and ID.5 models, which have been on the market since 2021. But a more premium look and feel means it is aiming for a new audience willing to splash a little extra on a plush family motor.

Car buyers wanting a combustion Tiguan don’t need to worry, though, as the electric version will be sold alongside petrol, diesel and hybrid Tiguans rather than replacing those versions.

Pricing is not yet known but it is expected that the ID. Tiguan will start from under £38,000.

Volkswagen has changed everything about the appearance of the Tiguan for this electric variant, giving the perception of an SUV from a class above.

It takes after VW’s new ‘Pure Positive’ design language, replacing its predecessors’ crossover design with a more powerful stance that focuses on precise lines and tightly sculpted surfaces.

The German carmaker says that the ‘additional stability and quality’ shown in the design makes the new Tiguan EV ‘look like a vehicle from the premium segment’.

Drivers will be happy to hear that Volkswagen is returning to classic pull-style door handles with the ID. Tiguan – which also answers safety concerns around the flush, pop-out door handles commonly used on new cars and EVs these days.

At the front, there’s a new full-width LED light strip with an illuminated VW badge, and at the rear, there’s also new lighting, again with an illuminated VW badge in the middle.

Inside, Volkswagen has prioritised what its customers have asked for, adding physical buttons, enhancements and advanced technologies.

The cockpit now features a 12-inch co-driver display for the first time in Europe. There’s a 10-inch driver display and a central 15-inch infotainment display. 

The driver is not distracted by the passenger’s infotainment screen and can focus on their own display – which features retro-style dials.

We are big fans of the photos showing these Golf IV-style iconic blue-and-red instrument dials, which you can select via the ‘view’ button on your steering wheel menu.

Overall, Volkswagen says it has created the interior to ‘create an atmosphere reminiscent of the next segment above’ with high-quality design, intuitive controls and a premium feel.

Features that help achieve this more luxe feel include electrically adjustable front seats with massage, memory and ventilation functions, a Harman Kardon sound system, and a panoramic sunroof. 

However, you do have to pay extra for these optional features.

The 534 litres of boot space is less than the outgoing ID.4’s 543 litres and far less than the Smart #5’s 630 litres. That said, it does boast a frunk (front trunk) big enough to store the charging cables.

Maximum range is 373 miles on a single charge, and there are three performance levels: a rear-wheel drive version with 180bhp and a 58kWh battery, a rear-wheel drive version with 282bhp and a 77kWh battery, and a 295bhp 4Motion all-wheel drive variant, also with a 77kWh pack.

In the UK, the ID. Tiguan will offer a choice of three trim levels: Trend, Style and R-Line.

Pre-sales begin in Germany and other European countries on October 13, where the Tiguan will be priced from €42,695 – just under £36,200.