√Volkswagen Tiguan five-seat AWD orders may not resume until new model

A pause on orders for all-wheel-drive versions of the standard-wheelbase Volkswagen Tiguan may be the beginning of the end for the current-generation model locally.

Order books for most all-wheel-drive (AWD) versions of the five-seat Volkswagen Tiguan may not open again until the next model arrives in Australian showrooms in 2024, pending any delays.

As previously reported, Volkswagen has paused new orders for all-wheel-drive variants of the standard-wheelbase, five-seat Tiguan – 132TSI, 147TDI, 162TSI and R – due to parts shortages, alongside orders for the Golf R hot hatch and wagon.

Among the delays is a lack of the specific ‘4Motion’ AWD system used by the Tiguan 132TSI, 147TDI and 162TSI – as well as shortages on other components for the Tiguan R and Golf R (which use a different all-wheel-drive system to regular Tiguans).

Customers in Australia have been advised the backlog of orders for all-wheel-drive (AWD) Volkswagen cars is not due to be cleared for another 14 to 16 months – or between April and June 2024.

MORE: Volkswagen Golf R, Tiguan R, most five-seat Tiguan orders paused

Production of the current Volkswagen Tiguan five-seater is expected to end early next year – meaning there is a chance orders for AWD versions may not resume before the current model reaches the end of the production line.

A new Volkswagen Tiguan is due to be unveiled in Europe this year, ahead of first Australian showroom arrivals expected by the end of next year.

“Unfortunately, with reduced production capacity, component supply constraints and logistics delays, fulfilling orders for the Australian market has been very challenging,” Volkswagen Australia said in a customer email posted on social media.

“As a result, we are currently unable to supply you with a reliable update on the arrival of your 4Motion equipped [vehicle] until it [goes] into production for build.”

“The current estimation for completing all vehicles equipped with 4Motion is April to June 2024,” the notice reads.

Buyers can continue to order the five-seat Tiguan 110TSI Life entry-level model, as it is front-wheel drive.

The long-wheelbase Tiguan Allspace is also currently unaffected by the order pause – in part because it is built in Mexico, rather than Germany as per the affected cars, and has better parts-supply lines.

The current-generation Tiguan Allspace was unveiled about 15 months after the five-seat model, so the seven-seater is not due for replacement overseas until next year, or Australia until 2025 or 2026.

Spy photographers are yet to capture a prototype of the new Tiguan Allspace testing in Europe, and it’s unclear what form it would take, as the standard Tiguan is tipped to undergo a growth spurt for its new generation.

The current Volkswagen Tiguan five-seater has become one of the smallest cars in the mid-size SUV class – and has a smaller footprint than some vehicles in the class below (so-called ‘small SUVs’).

While order books for all-wheel-drive, five-seat Volkswagen Tiguans may not re-open until the next-generation model arrives, orders for the Golf R hot hatch and wagon are expected to resume once backorders are cleared.

However, this may not occur until the facelifted Golf range launches, which is due in early 2024, pending any delays – as previously reported by Drive.

The post Volkswagen Tiguan five-seat AWD orders may not resume until new model appeared first on Drive.