Volkswagen has pushed the new Tiguan further upmarket. That means it looks expensive compared with the Skoda Kodiaq, for example. However, on this showing it’s a better tow car than the Skoda.

R-Line spec Tiguans like our test car come with sports suspension. It makes for a rather firm ride, with or without a caravan in tow. But it’s not harsh, and the benefit is felt when towing at speed and in emergency manoeuvres. Only when the wind really picked up did our drivers feel some movement when travelling at 60-70mph.

The Tiguan performed well in the lane-change test, keeping the caravan well under control without the tell-tale flickering light on the dash to show that the stability control system had intervened.

Performance is strong, too. The VW pulled from 30-60mph in 11.9 seconds. Yes, there are quicker cars in this weight category, but that’s the kind of pace which makes it easy to keep up with the ebb and flow of traffic.

It’s hard to find serious fault with the VW’s hill-start test. The electronic parking brake kept car and caravan still until it was time to pull away, and the torquey engine, DSG auto and four-wheel-drive system did the rest.

It’s a practical tow car as well as a stable one. So long as five seats are enough you’ll find the cabin is roomy.

And our practicality testers found space for a full load of holiday luggage. They also noted the reversing camera, a definite plus when hitching up.

Our biggest complaint is the price – even allowing for the healthy discounts, What Car?‘s researchers have uncovered, the Tiguan looks expensive.