VW's long-overdue entry into the 'softroader' SUV segment is not something to turn heads. Like a shrunken Touareg with sharper lines in places, the Tiguan is handsome-ish in that typically conservative and restrained VW way. But the beauty of this vehicle lies beneath the skin and the driving experience it delivers is up there with the best.

It also introduces one of VW's most revolutionary engines in a long time. You've surely heard about the 1.4 TSI engine that combines direct injection and twin-charging. Despite having such a small capacity, its turbo-charger winds it up to a capability of 110kW of power and 240Nm of torque, while a supercharger works at low revs to get it off the mark free of that dreaded turbo-lag. It works just as well in practice as it does in theory – despite having a tonne-and-a-half to pull, it gets off the line with absolutely no hesitation and continues to pull strongly throughout the rev range.

At reef altitude, we got it from 0-100km/h in under ten seconds, but even more surprising were the tractability results, particularly the 7.1 seconds it took to get from 80 – 120km/h. None of its far bigger-engined rivals that we tested in the past could get below the 10-second mark from 0-100, while most of them did the 80-120 in around 12 seconds.

A downsized engine such as this should deliver far better fuel economy too, and even though its claimed combined consumption figures are only slightly better than its rivals, during our test period, I managed to keep it well below the 10 l/100km mark around town, driving economy-style but still keeping up with traffic. With that low-down boost provided by the blower, it's easy to drive at low revs too.

This brilliant engine is mated to a top-notch chassis too, with similar underpinnings to the Golf, including that multi-link rear axle, and a 4Motion permanent all-wheel drive system. While our version was more road-orientated, you can opt for the Track & Field version, which has a larger approach angle, more protective gear and electronic off-road aids.

Dynamically the Tiguan is among the best in this class. It provides a smooth ride and road holding is precise and very stable considering the centre of gravity.

The interior offers that solidity and tactile quality that you expect from modern VW's and the design is far more radical the conservative norm, though won't be to everyone's taste. It's got enough space for the family and enough storage compartments for the filthiest horder, while the spec level covers the basics. You still pay extra for leather, parking aid, sat-nav and the likes.

That's fine, considering that you're essentially getting a high-tech all-wheel drive SUV for a very competitive price tag of R274 800. It undercuts the nearest RAV4 by almost R20K.