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Welcome to the (urban) jungle

The Mellowpark, located in Berlin, is Europe’s largest skate/BMX facility, and Volkswagen dumped tonnes of dirt on it to turn it into a miniature off-road course to show off the Tiguan’s capabilities.

The Mellowpark, located in Berlin, is Europe’s largest skate/BMX facility, and Volkswagen dumped tonnes of dirt on it to turn it into a miniature off-road course to show off the Tiguan’s capabilities.

Berlin’s unpredictable weather meant the dirt course was soaked during our drive, but the Tiguan did most of the hard work. The model we drove had all-wheel drive (VW’s 4MOTION system) and selectable off-road modes. Like the on-road selective modes, Off-Road mode changes the vehicle’s behaviour. For instance, it holds onto a lower gear longer for more torque, softening the suspension and modifying the traction control and ESP behaviour.

The car clambered up a steep, wet and gravelly slope with more ease than expected, and coming down was even easier, thanks to the hill-descent control system. The 3D camera system, first debuted on the Passat, allows an all-round view of the car from different angles. It came in handy when negotiating blind, uphill turns during which the path remained out of sight, or placing the car precisely during a log crossing.

It was a short and un-extreme course, as far as real off-roading goes, but it’s still more dirt than a typical owner in Singapore will ever see. Yet, the usefulness of the 3D view cameras and the ability to handle bumps will translate well in the urban environment — at least we know a Tiguan owner needn’t fear speed humps or convoluted parking manoeuvres.

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