Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2022: Australian release date set for May for updated seven-seat SUV

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The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace seven-seat SUV will be released in Australia in May 2022 wearing facelifted styling – following closely behind the high-performance, five-seat Tiguan R.

The new Tiguan Allspace was revealed to the world in June 2021 and its Australian arrival was always expected to follow in the first half of 2022.

As with the pre-facelift Allspace that launched in Australia in 2018, the updated Allspace variant has three rows of seating and rides on a stretched 2790mm wheelbase – 109mm up from the five-seat version.

The extra metal shifts the Allspace into large SUV territory, measuring 4723mm long (up 22mm due to the redesigned bumpers). That makes the three-row Tiguan Allspace a rival to other smaller seven-seaters like the Skoda Kodiaq, Hyundai Santa Fe, Peugeot 5008, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mazda CX-8 and Kia Sorento. 

Staying inline with what Australian consumers demand, the updated Tiguan Allspace promises to be a more premium SUV with greater luxury inside, more safety features and redesigned exterior.

Speaking to motoring media late last year, Volkswagen Australia product marketing manager Michelle Rowney promised that 2022 is “going to be a big year for products at VW, and we think you’ll notice our lineups are changing. 

“A number of entry variants are no longer available, because we listen to our customers, and entry-level is not why they’ve come to Volkswagen… we are giving [our customers] added value with more standard equipment and fewer options,” she said.

How well specified is the Tiguan Allspace?

Final specification is yet to be confirmed, but Ms Rowney’s comments suggest that the lineup will likely to start with the new Life grade and the base model Allspace 110TSI Comfortline ($40,990 before on-road costs) will be dropped from the range.

The mid-spec Allspace Elegance effectively replaces the current Highline (from $53,190 before on-road costs depending on engine) and scores niceties like 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim and premium cloth upholstery. 

At the top of the tree is the R-Line which gets more muscular bumpers and sideskirts, 20-inch alloy wheels, R badges in the grille, and unique upholstery for its sports seats.

The Allspace can be specified with a nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, and ‘ergoActive’ seats with four-way electric lumbar adjustment and massage function as options in its German home market.

How safe is the new Tiguan Allspace?

Though the updated Tiguan Allspace has not yet been tested by ANCAP, the pre-facelift car’s 2016 five-star rating should carry over.

However, there is an updated suite of driving aids to improve safety including front and rear AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic alert, side assist and blind-spot monitoring. 

Volkswagen has also lifted the Allspace’s adaptive driving assistance tech from the updated Tiguan, so it will be equipped with highway travel assist that puts the adaptive cruise control to work with lane-centring assist at any speed from 0-210km/h. 

What engines are fitted to the Tiguan Allspace?

The Allspace engine lineup will be the same as the new Tiguan, starting with the ‘110TSI’ 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine.

Above that is a ‘132TSI’ 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, and also a more potent 162kW/400Nm tune of the same basic engine in the ‘162TSI’ model. 

There is also a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder offered in the flagship ‘147TDI’ which produces 147kW of power and 400Nm of torque. 

Unlike the Golf 110TSI (which uses an eight-speed torque converter automatic) all Tiguan Allspace variants will employ dual-clutch transmissions, the higher output motors use wet-clutch seven-speed units while the base 110TSI dry clutch item gets six ratios. 

How much will the Tiguan Allspace cost?

The updated five-seat Tiguan launched in February 2021 with a minor price bump of $200 for the entry-level 110TSI Comfortline to the new 110TSI Life grade. 

Given the changes between the regular Tiguan and Allspace overseas are very similar, expect a similar small increase for the three-row car when it launches in May.

However, there is a possibility that when the Allspace launches in Australia the base Life variant may not end up here with Volkswagen’s new upmarket intentions. 

Pricing and specification will be confirmed closer to the Tiguan Allspace’s slated May release date in Australia.