Order books open for VW's big little SUV

Want a Volkswagen SUV that's bigger than the Tiguan but not as big as the Touareg? Well count your lucky stars because VW has just launched the perfect car on sale for you.

The new Tiguan Allspace is bigger than the standard Tiguan, but being a Tiguan, it is still smaller than the Touareg. More to the point, the Tiguan Allspace is 4,701mm long (the normal Tiguan is 4,486 mm) and has a wheelbase of 2,787mm (Tiguan: 2,681mm). So that's that one cleared up then.

There's an additional row of seats too, meaning that it can take seven passengers, but if you choose to leave just five seats in place you'll get an impressive 700 litres of luggage space in the boot, 85 litres more than the ‘regular’ Tiguan. If that''s not enough, the middle row of seats can also fold flat, increasing load space to a van-like 1,775 litres.

(We've already driven the Tiguan Allspace – check out the link below.)

There are three trim levels, all nicely equipped, starting with the SE Navigation model, moving up to the luxurious SEL, and rounding out with the sporty R-Line trim. Each option comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, parking sensors and three-zone climate control, Volkswagen’s Discover Navigation infotainment system with an 8-inch colour touchscreen, satellite navigation, DAB radio and a CD player, as well as Bluetooth smartphone connectivity as standard. There's also Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist, Front Assist and City emergency braking.

SEL spec adds Volkswagen’s 12.3-inch Active Info Display, a TFT screen mounted in the instrument binnacle which shows the driver a range of information about the car. SEL trim also adds 19-inch alloy wheels, front sports seats with 14-way adjustment, hands-free boot opening and a panoramic sunroof. R-Line brings in more sporty styling cues such as 20-inch ‘Suzuka’ alloy wheels, sports suspension (lowered by approximately 15mm), a body-coloured rear spoiler and black interior rooflining.

Engines are broadly similar to those offered in the normal Tiguan – of which 40,000 have already been sold in the UK. There is of course a price premium for all this luxurious extra space – prices for the new SUV start at £29,370 and order books are now open.