Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid range, MPG, CO2 & charging

With a stronger focus on efficiency compared to the more performance-orientated Golf GTE, the Tiguan eHybrid will appeal to company-car drivers thanks to its respectable electric driving range, fuel economy and CO2 emissions figures. However, it's far from the most efficient hybrid family SUV you can buy right now.

Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid range, MPG & CO2 emissions

VW claims the Tiguan eHybrid will do around 30 miles on a charge, although in colder weather our test car indicated a range of 25 miles on a full battery. That compares to the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In and Kia Sportage PHEV, which can both cover around 40 miles, while the Toyota RAV4 PHEV has a 46-mile electric-only range.

CO2 emissions stand at between 38-43g/km and the Tiguan eHybrid can return a claimed maximum of 157-177mpg fuel economy, but both those figures depend on which trim level you go for. While that's impressive compared to a diesel or petrol-powered model, it lags behind the likes of the Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson, Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland plug-ins. Plus, if you can't top up the battery regularly and have to drive beyond the maximum electric range, you’ll see the Tiguan return closer to 35mpg.

Charge time

Compared to some other plug-in hybrids, the Tiguan has a somewhat limited charging speed of 3.6kW – most home wallboxes can reach 7.4kW. That means it takes close to four hours to fully recharge the eHybrid’s 13kWh pack, while the same task in the Hyundai Tucson Plug-In takes just an hour and three-quarters thanks to its 7.2kW on-board charger. However, most are likely to top up their cars overnight, so this difference probably won't matter. If you’re stuck without access to a wallbox or public charging-point, a household three-pin plug will do the same job in around five hours.