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I had me a ‘blondmoment‘ recently. “This is the 2.0L right?” to which I received an incredulous stare along the lines of ‘what planet are you from?’ from the amused VPCM comms manager…

In my defense, this new VW Tiguan felt so quick, I would have bet a months’ wages there was no way it could be powered by a puny 1.4-litre engine, who’s annual road-tax is a paltry RM70 a year. Here’s my in-car impression video, and please do ignore the part where I called it a two-litre…. duh:

The thing about the Tig (my pet name for it) though is that it only has 150Ps and 250Nm of torque from its 1,395cc turbocharged, direct injection, 4-cylinder engine; however, all 250 of that torques is available from as low as 1,500rpm.

Mated to a 6-speed DSG, to say that acceleration is quick would be a major understatement on my part, because this SUV is very, very fast off the line, and given enough road, it’ll top out well beyond 200kmh, and again, all this performance from a 1.4-litre 4-pot. I still can’t get my head around that to be honest, because my own car has exactly twice the capacity and is exactly twice as slow…

One thing though, unless you really, really need one, it’s best to not tick the box for the roof-rack option as seen on this test-unit, because early on I decided to rename it as the ‘roof-racket’ instead. Anything above 100kmh results in a terrific amount of wind-noise, and not to mention poorer fuel-efficiency due to drag. So yeah, the roof-racket is quite a drag… literally.

Now apart from that easily-solvable problem, the Tig is a remarkable mid-size SUV to drive. It’s a VW so you can be assured of excellent build quality and superb driving ergonomics, not to mention amazing levels of NVH suppression.

And there’s even more good news! Following the 0% GST which is to be implemented from 1st June 2018, the new Tiguan, available in two trim levels, is even cheaper now:

Tiguan Comfortline Was RM148,990 Now RM139,888
Highline Was RM168,990 Now RM158,888

All in all, it’s really hard to fault the VW Tiguan 1.4 TSi. It’s great on gas, it’s cheap to run (still can’t get over that RM70 annual road tax!) and offers the kind of ride and handling that puts it at par with much bigger and more expensive SUVs in the market. Size wise, it makes for the perfect daily-runner and those who prefer a small-ish run-about insofar as SUVs are concerned, really need to give this one a gander. It really will surprise you. – Chris Wee.

Before we go, here’s another video on the new Tiguan during its launch a while back, from our friend Bobby Ang at #EVO Aurizn:

VW Tiguan 1.4 TSi Photo Gallery (Spec sheet / Brochure can be downloaded after the gallery)

For the VW Tiguan 1.4 TSi Specs, click to download this: vw-modelspecsheet-tiguan1-4-wm

In line with the newly-revised GST rate of zero percent by the Malaysian Government, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) today announced the updated prices of its model range, effective 1st of June 2018.

The new prices will remain in effect, pending the reimplementation of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) by the Government. The table below lists the current recommended retail price (RRP) of Volkswagen models (with 6% GST) and the new RRP (with 0% GST) valid from the 1st of June 2018.

Model Variant Current Price with 6% GST New Price Without GST
Polo   RM 76,888 RM 72,488
Vento Comfortline RM 86,888 RM 81,888
Highline RM 93,888 RM 88,488
Jetta Highline RM 128,990 RM 121,488
Passat Comfortine RM 179,990 RM 169,488
Comfortline Plus RM 184,980 RM 174,478
Highline RM 198,990 RM 187,488
Tiguan Comfortline RM 148,990 RM 139,888
Highline RM 168,990 RM 158,888
Beetle Sport RM 147,888 RM 139,488
Golf Sportline RM 155,990 RM 146,888
R-Line RM 166,990 RM 157,488
GTI RM 239,990 RM 225,888
R RM 295,990 RM 278,888

Note: Prices listed are retail price and does not include insurance and registration.

With limited stocks available, customers should take this opportunity to place their bookings now as come 1 June, they will enjoy prices without GST as well as the current ongoing Raya promotions.

The Managing Director of VPCM, Erik Winter said that the Malaysian public is in a position to benefit from the current situation. “This period in time is a windfall for Malaysians, and so I would like to urge those considering our products to grab this opportunity as there is no better time to own a Volkswagen. Customer peace of mind is always a priority for us, and we want to be able to provide this during the transition period until the implementation of the SST. We want our customers to benefit from the revised prices, and enjoy our ongoing promotions,” he added.

VPCM is currently running its ‘Fuel Up Your Gaya’ promotion, where customers can enjoy low interest rates of 0.88% per annum and cash rebates of up to RM15,000 on selected Volkswagen models. Additionally, those who purchase a Volkswagen (till 30th June 2018) will also receive a petrol card worth RM1,188.

On top of that, every new Volkswagen comes with a 5-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty, 5-Year Roadside Assistance and 3 Years of Free Service. For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.

With the festive season coming up, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has an array of offerings and special deals to help make it a rewarding one with the Volkswagen ‘Fuel Up Your Gaya’ campaign.

Volkswagen will help you fuel up your style this coming festivities by throwing in a free Petrol Card worth RM1,188 for all models booked and registered from now till 30 June 2018. On top of that, enjoy great savings and low interest rates on selected Volkswagen models while stocks last. See chart below for details…

 

Model Savings from Low Interest Petrol Voucher Monthly loan from
Polo RM4,000   Yes RM802
Vento Comfortline RM10,000 From 0.88% Yes RM833
Jetta Highline RM8,000   Yes RM1,237
Beetle Sport RM5,000   Yes RM1,418
Passat Comfortline RM15,000 From 0.88% Yes RM1,726
Passat Highline RM4,000 Yes RM1,908
Tiguan Comfortline

Tiguan Highline (below)

RM2,000   Yes RM1,554
Tiguan WILD

+ Accessory package worth RM5,099

RM2,000   No. (just kidding, YES lah. – Ed.) RM1,554

Note: Terms and conditions apply. Monthly loan based on 9-year loan with 10% down payment

As of 1st January 2018, all Volkswagen cars come with a free 3-year maintenance programme, which means customers will not have to worry about service cost for the first three years or 45,000km of ownership (whichever comes first). The programme covers all maintenance costs, as per the standard maintenance schedule, with the exception of wear-and-tear parts such as brake discs, pads, windscreen wipers and bulbs.

To qualify for the campaign, vehicle bookings must be made within the promotion period and is subject to terms and conditions while stocks lasts. For more information, visit your nearest authorized Volkswagen dealership or visit www.volkswagen.com.my

A fleet of 50 Volkswagen Polo 1.6’s will adorn the SOCAR logo and serve the car-sharing programme in the Klang Valley. SOCAR which launched in Kuala Lumpur just three months ago is continuing to reshape the way Malaysians think about mobility by leading the ‘multiflex movement’.

Key to SOCAR’s success is fast expansion which provides increased availability and convenience for their members. Another important element is to complement varying lifestyles and bring joy to the drivers on the platform. “The beauty of the car-sharing model is that as a member, you have several types of cars at your fingertips serving your different needs from a leisurely cruise out of the city to a trunk heavy trip to Ikea,” says Chief Executive Officer of SOCAR Malaysia, Leon Foong.

Signing Volkswagen as one of their preferred partners is just the beginning. “The Volkswagen Polo was a natural choice for SOCAR’s fleet expansion,” adds Foong, “because it is the perfect city car, offering an assuredly safe, yet fun quality drive. It is also one of the world’s most widely produced car models.” He also says that the current demographic of SOCAR users in Malaysia are in their mid-30s, who want to try new car models or are households that need to use a second or third car from time to time.

“We are pleased to collaborate with SOCAR. Through this partnership, we are able to offer the members of the public easy access to Volkswagen cars and have them enjoy its German engineered capabilities. The Polo is perfect for city driving, though it may be small in stature it offers a dynamic drive without compromising on safety and comfort,” says Erik Winter, Managing Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM).

The first batch of 21 Volkswagen Polo cars have been delivered with the remaining 29 due by mid-May. The Polo 1.6 hatchback comes equipped with a 1.6-litre 105PS petrol injection 16-Valve Multi Point Injection (MPI) engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, the Polo 1.6 comes with a maximum torque of 153Nm available at a low 3800rpm with fuel consumption at 6.3L per 100km.

SOCAR app is available for download from the App Store and Google Play Store. The Volkswagen Polo for the month of May is priced starting from RM13.90 per hour which is inclusive of petrol and comprehensive insurance.

For more information, visit www.socar.my

I hate this goddam car. Ever since the first time I drove it in mid-2016 during its official media drive (below), I knew I’d end up eventually hating it, and sure enough, I did. But before I create any (more) confusion – because sarcasm really doesn’t translate well in text – let me be clear. I hate it because it’s so damn good.

The VW Vento 1.2 TSi is like the baby sedan of the Volkswagen family, and boy is it ever belligerent. Part of my ire comes from the fact that the annual road-tax for this car is a paltry RM55, whereas I’m paying five times more than that yearly, for a car that’s nowhere even close to being this awesome. Seriously, a car paying only RM55 a year for road-tax has no damn business being this good.

And that’s just one of my smaller capacity cars that I’m comparing the Vento to, I’ve not even touched on the 2,800cc monster I also own, for which I’m paying (grabs calculator) 25 times more annual road-tax. And again, it’s nowhere near as good. Let that sink in a bit, and maybe you’ll start to feel my angst.

So you see, why I hate the Vento is because it made me seriously question my lifestyle choice of personal transport. Having always been (or for as long as I can remember, which is not very long) an old-school and classic car kinda guy, I began to consider the possibility of selling all the cars I own and settling once and for all, for a ‘new’ car, like this Vento. Now this wasn’t an easy feat to accomplish on the Vento’s part by any means, but it definitely gave it a go…

The official media drive encompassed a series of switchbacks as well as flat-out bursts on the highway. On the B-roads, the Vento performed very well, darting from corner to curve with uncanny dexterity, while on the highway when we weren’t puttering around and enjoying the elevated levels of comfort and low NVH, it managed to keep-up with much higher capacity sedans. Case in point a popular 2.4 family sedan, not known to be a slouch.

The Vento was able to tail this sedan at speeds exceeding 190kmh (actual photo above) and beyond, and all the while still feel composed and un-stressed. Even my co-driver who was at the wheel at the time (unabashed blame-shift right there), a guy not easily impressed, was impressed. As was I.

105Ps and 175Nm may not seem like a lot, and something tells me these figures are modest. it comes from a 4-cyl, direct-injection, turbocharged engine that’s only a 1,197cc (hence the ridiculously low annual road-tax).

To put that into perspective, my Kawasaki Voyager XII motorcycle has a bigger engine, but yet again, nowhere near as powerful. Oh yeah, while on that matter, that bikes’ annual road-tax also costs five times more than the Ventos’. For the full specifications and price list (the Vento’s, not my bike), click this link.

Well, if you’re tired of reading about it, have a look at this recent in-car video when I got my hands on the little Vento again, while I go off and sulk for a while…

So this time around, for this revisit of sorts, I had the Vento for a whole week, and after all was said and done, this was my final say on the car…

So yeah, the VW Vento, it’s made me question everything I’ve ever held dear to my heart, insofar as my personal thoughts and feelings on the automotive realm are concerned, and for that reason, and that reason alone, and maybe also because it costs less than a hundred grand, I still hate it. Just kidding. – Chris Wee.

VW Vento 1.2 TSi Photo Gallery (photos during official media drive in 2016 by Aaron Lee)

For the full spec sheet, click this: vw-modelspecsheet-vento1-2-wm

Ready to go Wild? Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has  introduced a new package for the Tiguan Comfortline, called the ‘WILD’ package. Included in the ‘WILD’ package are aluminium sports pedals, chrome trunk garnish, chrome load lip protector, chrome exhaust trim, scuff plates with Tiguan logo – and the kit is completed with VW Tint window film. The ‘WILD’ package retails at RM5,099.

Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM (above) said that the introduction of the ‘WILD’ package provides Tiguan customers with an option of having their Tiguan stand apart from the others. “We are constantly looking for new ways to enhance our products and offer stylish options for our customers. Having these enhancements on the Tiguan will definitely complement the SUV’s sleek design and defined contours,” he said.

A strong favourite amongst SUV fans in Malaysia, the Tiguan combines a 1.4L turbocharged direct injection TSI engine with a 6-speed automatic wet-clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG) to give an impressive output of 150PS and a torque of 250Nm between 1,500 to 3,500rpm. The Tiguan Comfortline is priced at RM 148,990 excluding the ‘WILD’ package.

Together with all current Volkswagen models (effective 1st January 2018), the Tiguan comes with a free 3-year maintenance programme (or 45,000km, whichever comes first) along with 5-year manufacturer’s warranty and 5-year roadside assistance.

To find out more about the Tiguan ‘WILD’ package, please visit your nearest authorized Volkswagen dealer or visit www.volkswagen.com.my/tiguan/comfortline-wild

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