The R-Line appearance package returns to the 2018 Tiguan to give the compact crossover a sporting flavor.
If you’re in the market for a new crossover, you have a vast array of models from which to choose. Perhaps, after all your research, you’ve landed on the new Volkswagen Tiguan. Great! You’ve seen our review (or, if you haven’t, check it out below!). You also know that it handles itself well on Gold Mine Hill, at least up to the chin-ripping third stage. But, even with all that, maybe the Tiguan’s appearance just don’t excite you enough to pull the trigger. Today, Volkswagen may have the answer for you – the Tiguan R-Line package.
Volkswagen of America just announced that the R-line appearance package will return to the new Tiguan. If you want to jazz up your SEL or SEL Premium with a more dynamic appearance, you can spend up to $1,795 on this package. On the higher SEL Premium trim, it’s a less expensive $1,495 option. For that money, you get some exterior and interior tweaks that Volkswagen says will enhance your new SUV’s sportiness.
Exterior Changes with the Tiguan R-Line Package
What everyone else will see when you opt for this package are new wheels, bumpers, and some other body changes. On the SEL trim, the R-Line package will net you some 19-inch “Trenton” aluminum wheels. The SEL Premium trim goes one bigger, with 20-inch “Braselton” alloys. Your Tiguan R-Line will also be festooned adorned with unique front and rear bumpers, a diffusor finished in gloss black paint, body-color wheel arch extensions and new side skirts. The appearance package adds a host of R-Line badges so everyone knows your Tiguan has a more sporting appearance than the standard car.
Inside the Tiguan R-Line: Badges Abound
Moving inside the Tiguan R-Line, you get even more badges to distinguish your car from the ordinary Tiguan. When you start your Tiguan up, you’ll be welcomed with the R-Line logo on your infotainment system start screen. Badges also grace the steering wheel and stainless steel door sills. Volkswagen also offers up a black headliner and stainless steel pedal covers. If you’re buying the SEL trim, your extra $300 ($1,795 for the package) goes toward front and rear Park Distance Control (ParkPilot). The SEL Premium trim already includes ParkPilot, so you’ll only have to pay $1,495 for the R-Line package.
No Performance Changes with the Tiguan R-Line Package
The $1,495 to $1,795 Tiguan R-Line package is strictly cosmetic. As with the normal Tiguan, you’ll still get a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. Mated to that engine is the only transmission choice we get in the U.S. – an eight-speed automatic. Tiguan models are available in front-wheel drive or with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system as an option. If you’re interested in the R-Line package, you should be able to get it in the first quarter of 2018. The Tiguan R-Line will be on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which kicks off to the general public on Friday, December 1.