Don't be a vegetable / Volkswagen test drives

On the opposite side of the scale, there is always a whole army of boring, "proper" cars — silver, dull, but so predictable. They, in turn, also feed their owners with their energy. And if we judge by the fact that such car owners are still the majority, then the emotions they get are not terrible at all.
I have always considered myself to be in the first category. I love cars! And how can you love a dull gray Japanese C-class sedan? That's why my choice invariably fell on bright upstarts.

Emotions, emotions... You can get tired of them too. After another gray working day in the capital, when in the evening the streets are deadlocked in traffic jams and there is no talk of any racing, you begin to understand that a silver "soap bar" with an automatic is the best cure for stress. You get behind the wheel, move the automatic transmission selector to D, turn into a vegetable, and crawl home, pouring kilometers of empty radio chatter into your head. A silver Tiguan would be perfect for this purpose. But the trouble is — it doesn't have an "automatic"!

So fully "vegging out" won't work. Besides, you constantly want to check: can a car with a 1.4-liter engine (even if fully armed) really drag its body through space so briskly? Honestly, the offensive definition of "1.4 liters" is just a stereotype. People are not yet used to the fact that such an engine (even with a turbo and supercharger) has the right to live under the hood of the not-small, to put it mildly, Skoda Superb or VW Tiguan! But if you look at its characteristics, it turns out that in terms of torque and power it surpasses the usual two-liter naturally aspirated engines, which under the hoods of these cars look as appropriate as Lenin in the Mausoleum.

Actually, since we're talking about vegetables, what does the Tiguan have to do with it? It has to do with the fact that many will vote for it with their rubles, and these will clearly not be people from the first paragraph.
In every VW car test, almost all journalists, like a spell, repeat approximately the same set of phrases: "ideal," "excellent build quality," "precise ergonomics," "correct handling," "poisonous lighting," "the seats are good," "takes corners like on rails," and for crossovers — "car-like handling," "excellent brakes." Well, and then down the list: DSG, FSI, GTI, and all that.

All this can be safely attributed to the Tiguan as well — it is no less a Volkswagen than other modern representatives of the brand. Therefore, inside the cabin, a powerful flashback begins that cannot be stopped. You sit as if simultaneously in a Golf and a reduced Touareg.
At first, inside the Tiguan it becomes unbearably boring. And even the harsh "raver" instrument lighting and six funny round ventilation vents cannot add fun to the interior. It seems as if it was made by soulless robots: first clearly designed, then filigree assembled.

However, quite quickly the boredom is replaced by a pleasant feeling that came from nowhere. Later I figured myself out — it wasn't hard, because the feeling constantly grew, drowning out everything else.
It is satisfaction. It is an all-consuming feeling of correctness: of the car (and it is, undoubtedly, very correct), of the choice (in case of purchase), of oneself (for the choice). And so on. When there is nothing to find fault with, all that remains is to savor it. So imagine: I literally savored this simple 1.4-liter Tiguan.

But this car must still differ from its relatives in some way? It differs. In ride smoothness. And it seems to me that the wheels have a significant role in this. On the Track & Field version, they have a smaller mounting diameter, a larger profile, and a more off-road tread. At the same time, such footwear almost does not harm handling. Well, except that due to the drift of the tall and fairly soft tires, the steering wheel is a bit empty in the near-zero zone, and the feedback suffers a little. Otherwise, as mentioned above, this crossover really drives almost like a passenger car. Which one? For example, a VW Golf.

Track & Field is not only versatile wheels, but also a front bumper cut off at the bottom. It significantly increases the approach angle. And this version also has a promising Off Road button at the beginning of the central tunnel — press it, and the throttle response becomes duller, and the car, independently braking the wheels, can descend a hill. Or a ramp — to the delight of a timid owner. What, did you want differential locks? More? Cool down and rely on the electronics. It will itself give the order to the Haldex in the rear-wheel drive. By the way, the clutch engages quickly, but with such frankly car-like suspension travel, the Tiguan should not count on more than conquering curbs. Even if it were three times "dirt road and field."

Forward, into the urban jungle! The seating position is high — great. Visibility, thanks to the strict design, is excellent. Over curbs — hop-skip. Goo-oo-od! Over manholes and tram tracks with the compliant tires — slap-slap.
Whatever anyone says, I had enough of the 1.4-liter engine both in the city and on the highway. The supercharger just blows at low revs, and the engine confidently (but without fanaticism) gains revs, and when the turbo kicks in — there is a noticeable acceleration, speed is gained easily. As for the operation of all other, if you will, components and assemblies, it was mentioned in the seventh paragraph. Succinctly, concisely — these are practically folk sayings about Volkswagen.

After the Tiguan test, I did not stop loving fast, beautiful, extraordinary cars. But I discovered the secret of understanding such silver and correct vehicles. I understood how to coexist with them. Well, and thank you to the Tiguan for not letting me become a full-fledged vegetable in the process. And you don't be one either.