# Is Premium worth the premium



## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

Greetings. I’ve been lurking here for months now trying to live vicariously through all of you MQB Tiguan owners. My mind is pretty well set, and I’m ready to trade in my incredibly off-road capable Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that never sees off-road for a Tiggy of my own. I am set on an R-Line, but am unsure if, as the thread title states, the Premium is worth the premium.

2019 SEL R-Lines have the digital dash, which I think is really great. They, however, lack the LED headlights, the Fender stereo, leather seats, and some nicer trim bits. 

Obviously, SEL Premium R-Lines have it all, but at what I’ve seen as a $4-4.5k bump on top of the SEL R-Line. 

So, that was a long winded way of getting to my question(s)...

How does the leather compare to the leatherette? 
How does the Fender system compare to the regular system?

I will grant you that I could formulate a minimally informed opinion by trolling the dealer, but I’m hoping that some of you who have been living with your Tigs for some time now would be able to provide the “expert advice” I’m looking for. 

Thanks and hope to join your ranks in the very near future. 

-BP


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## cogswheel (May 5, 2015)

Get the Premium!
By the time you exhaust the warranty you’ll get your money’s worth in accident avoidance alone!
The headlights are the bomb,
Lane keeping assist will change your life (and possibly save it),
And you’ll forever wish you had the better stereo!
The light leather makes mine, and seats are honestly more comfortable than any Audi I’ve owned. 
Besides, you’ll likely get enough discount that the difference will be more like 3k.
And the 20 in wheels will sell the car on their own
: )
Come on in, the water’s just fine!


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

Yes, it is.


I've written before that I don't understand the "R-line" thing. Most of what's included in the package is just adhesive backed stick-ons that you can get aftermarket for MUCH less money.
The two big differences I see are: The from bumper and the wheels. The wheels in R Line seem to be the standard upgrade offerings you get by upgrading any trim-level. The front bumper effect on the R line trim could be mostly simulated by careful painting of black or body color to different parts of the standard trim bumper. 

Given that I see no value in 90% of the R-line features I would put the money into Premium trim level then go to Amazon to get the chrome-y stuff you lost by opting out of R line. I love the tech that comes with the -P and would do it again in a heartbeat. I'm sure many people would argue that the features aren't worth it, but some of the tech that comes in the -P trim is crippled in software and can be upgraded with some simple VagCom tweaks such as full-time lane centering.

As for the Wrangler -> Tiguan, I will tell you that should you take the Tig off-road that you would be pleasantly surprised any it capabilities. I've pointed mine at some pretty sketchy terrain and it's traversed it and I've done it all with street tires. The biggest limiting factors are the entry and break-over angles, I don't find running ground clearance to be an issue if I control my track and speed, but I've cringed a few times as I went over a sharper hill-crest waiting for (and sometimes getting) belly scrape. The next limiting factor is the tires, street tires just do not perform well in sand and loose/sharp rock. With decent offload rubber (I'm looking at Cooper Discoverer AT3s as a drop-in replacement) you can get into and out of some significantly technical terrain in style and comfort. 
One of these days I'll record a offload adventure and post a link in the forum.


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## Smokeybeetleman (Aug 13, 2018)

helo stella said:


> Greetings. I’ve been lurking here for months now trying to live vicariously through all of you MQB Tiguan owners. My mind is pretty well set, and I’m ready to trade in my incredibly off-road capable Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that never sees off-road for a Tiggy of my own. I am set on an R-Line, but am unsure if, as the thread title states, the Premium is worth the premium.
> 
> 2019 SEL R-Lines have the digital dash, which I think is really great. They, however, lack the LED headlights, the Fender stereo, leather seats, and some nicer trim bits.
> 
> ...


Here's my 2 cents. I like the leatherette better then the real leather. Real leather makes my back sweat especially in hot weather. That's something to consider.
The fender system is better, but not that much better imo.
Besides the R Line bumper most of the other stuff can easily be added on yourself. 
The led lights are 100% better then the standard lights. 
I ended up going with just an sel (2018), but if I were getting the 2019's I'd still get the sel since it now has the digital dash.
If I had a choice (and could afford) between the r line and the r line premium I'd go with the premium just for the led lights alone. I had a Passat with led's and loved it.


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## LennyNero (Aug 25, 2018)

A few features that I think pushed me to the R-line vs the regular SEL-P.

1. The headliner is black vs grey. This was the biggest feature for me since I work in a somewhat dirty industry and inevitably stain light colored headliners and they look horrible over time. This, honestly was worth the entire upgrade price for me since I hate looking at the smudges/stains.

2. Body colored rocker panel moldings. I think that these make the car look more finished. I think the dark grey moldings only complement certain colors of the car.

Otherwise, I'd actually LOVE the standard bumper covers over the R-line ones, which, I fear will be damaged more easily due to the lower ground clearance, and if they are, I'll likely purchase the standard ones as a replacement.

Also, the 20" Suzuka wheels, while looking good will be a pain in the pocket come reshoe time. (Michelin Pilot sport 3+ is almost USD250/tire)

Overall, all option packages seem like a tradeoff with pros and cons and unlike some other brands where each individual option is selectable/deletable/changeable, you have to do a lot more balancing of personal desires in order to get a car that you are satisfied with. Would I do R-line again? Personally, yes. I think the tradeoffs are surmountable, and the vehicle look in R-line is modified enough to differentiate it from the standard models.


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

Smokeybeetleman said:


> Here's my 2 cents. I like the leatherette better then the real leather. Real leather makes my back sweat especially in hot weather. That's something to consider.


Amen. I ***much*** prefer leatherette to real leather. It doesn't stretch, crease, crack, flake, sag, or show wear like leather seating. My buyback TDI Sportwagen had 110k miles and all the seating still looked brand new (all 5 seats were frequently occupied). I can't say that about any vehicle with leather I've ever owned. I would opt for leatherette every time in every vehicle if given the choice.



Smokeybeetleman said:


> The fender system is better, but not that much better imo.


The thing that pushes me to the Fender is the inclusion of a subwoofer. I added the Helix Soundbox to my '17 Jetta SE and it made a world of difference to the audio. I've read here on the Vortex that programming for the Helix is not supported (yet?) for the Tiguan despite the fact the Tiguan is listed as a model that works with the Helix. And even if it did, you're looking at $600 for the sub and another $200+ for installation (unless you car to tear apart your own interior to get the cable from the glovebox all the way to the spare tire well).



Smokeybeetleman said:


> The led lights are 100% better then the standard lights.


I don't doubt this, but I worry about 1) how long they last, and 2) what's the replacement cost? I don't imagine bulbs are covered by warranty, and even if they are, will you be looking at a large lighting replacement bill after you've exceeded your 72k miles?


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

helo stella said:


> My mind is pretty well set, and I’m ready to trade in my incredibly off-road capable Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that never sees off-road for a Tiggy of my own.


I for one couldn't imagine driving a Wrangler for daily on-road use, and if I really wanted to get into the off-road scene, I'd buy an old Wrangler that wouldn't mind getting scraped up.

I have a buddy who bought a loaded Wrangler and sold it 3 months later. Couldn't stand the noise, the ride, the handling, the seating comfort...


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## Smokeybeetleman (Aug 13, 2018)

RedHotFuzz said:


> I don't doubt this, but I worry about 1) how long they last, and 2) what's the replacement cost? I don't imagine bulbs are covered by warranty, and even if they are, will you be looking at a large lighting replacement bill after you've exceeded your 72k miles?


LED's should last a long time, but of course nothing is guaranteed. They are expensive to replace. I know on the Passat I was told over a grand because you have to replace the entire piece. Not sure how it is on the Tigs. The dealerships do (yours should too) offer maintenance plans which cover the lights if they should fail. There's several tiers you can get to cover mileage up to a certain point. I talked mine down on the best plan and got a great deal on it. It was right around $500 total and covered the lights, brakes once a year if needed, tire rotations, windshield wipers, battery, etc..
Imo with the light costs and the cost to replace brakes alone the price was worth it. I have the same plan on my Tiguan.


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## Athlon64BIT (Oct 3, 2018)

I was in the same boat as yourself, I had a 2012 Wrangler that I never took off road. 
I traded it in a few months back for my R-line. I am in Canada its called a Highline here.
I love everything about it but 1 thing. I am 6'4 the jeep had room to spare.
In the Tig, it does not have all the leg room , you cramp up on long drives.
Here is a Pic of mine, I love the Grey on the Grey Rims.










Athlon


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## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

cogswheel said:


> Get the Premium!
> By the time you exhaust the warranty you’ll get your money’s worth in accident avoidance alone!
> The headlights are the bomb,
> Lane keeping assist will change your life (and possibly save it),
> ...


I appreciate your confidence. And the safety features are definitely a part of why I am looking to swap, and really, it's the whole package in the Premium with the R-Line that sells it for me. Everything EXCEPT the wheels. They aren't bad, but TBH, I loke the ones on the SEL R-Line much better. They seem more understated, and performance minded than flashy like the SEL-P R-Line. Just my humble opinion. I'm glad that you are loving your Tiguan, though!

-BP


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## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

RedHotFuzz said:


> Amen. I ***much*** prefer leatherette to real leather. It doesn't stretch, crease, crack, flake, sag, or show wear like leather seating. My buyback TDI Sportwagen had 110k miles and all the seating still looked brand new (all 5 seats were frequently occupied). I can't say that about any vehicle with leather I've ever owned. I would opt for leatherette every time in every vehicle if given the choice.
> 
> The thing that pushes me to the Fender is the inclusion of a subwoofer. I added the Helix Soundbox to my '17 Jetta SE and it made a world of difference to the audio. I've read here on the Vortex that programming for the Helix is not supported (yet?) for the Tiguan despite the fact the Tiguan is listed as a model that works with the Helix. And even if it did, you're looking at $600 for the sub and another $200+ for installation (unless you car to tear apart your own interior to get the cable from the glovebox all the way to the spare tire well).
> 
> I don't doubt this, but I worry about 1) how long they last, and 2) what's the replacement cost? I don't imagine bulbs are covered by warranty, and even if they are, will you be looking at a large lighting replacement bill after you've exceeded your 72k miles?


That's good to know about the durability of the leatherette. But aren't there treatments that you can use to prevent the creasing and cracking? My dad still has his 2008 BMW 335xi (original owner) and the leather looks perfect after more than 200k miles. I dunno if there is a difference in the quality of leather, but he is by no means a car-pamperer, so I doubt there has been much upkeep performed to keep his seats that way.

As far as the stereo goes, for me nearly anything would be an upgrade. The thing I want to avoid, if possible, is buyers remorse, wishing I had a better system two years down the road when the less powerful one has lost some of it's oomph that makes it only slightly not as good as the Fender system. I do drive a good bit, and this would be the family hauler for vacation, so having something that would be able to pump and thump during _Baby Shark_ and Between the Buried and Me alike is dang near essential.

I cannot speak to experience with LED headlights, but the halogen ones I have and have had in the past leave a ton to be desired. It's tough to feel confident driving at night when you can barely see the road, let alone what's around it. 

Thanks for the input!

-BP


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

helo stella said:


> That's good to know about the durability of the leatherette. But aren't there treatments that you can use to prevent the creasing and cracking? My dad still has his 2008 BMW 335xi (original owner) and the leather looks perfect after more than 200k miles. I dunno if there is a difference in the quality of leather, but he is by no means a car-pamperer, so I doubt there has been much upkeep performed to keep his seats that way.


Yes, there are definitely different levels of leather quality (VW almost-certainly doesn’t use BMW-grade leather). And yes, there are conditioners to help reduce the cracking/flaking (if you remember to apply them religiously). But there’s nothing that prevents leather from stretching, hence the permanent “butt imprints” most cars will develop over time. V-TEX is not susceptible to this in my experience.


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## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

RedHotFuzz said:


> Yes, there are definitely different levels of leather quality (VW almost-certainly doesn’t use BMW-grade leather). And yes, there are conditioners to help reduce the cracking/flaking (if you remember to apply them religiously). But there’s nothing that prevents leather from stretching, hence the permanent “butt imprints” most cars will develop over time. V-TEX is not susceptible to this in my experience.


Fair enough. That's definitely good food for thought. :thumbup::beer:

-BP


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## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

RedHotFuzz said:


> I for one couldn't imagine driving a Wrangler for daily on-road use, and if I really wanted to get into the off-road scene, I'd buy an old Wrangler that wouldn't mind getting scraped up.
> 
> I have a buddy who bought a loaded Wrangler and sold it 3 months later. Couldn't stand the noise, the ride, the handling, the seating comfort...


Amen. The noise on the highway is well higher than I would care for, and sweet Jesus does it scare me sometimes. Hitting a bump in a turn causes the entire truck to jump outward and tends to result in somewhat panicked corrections trying to get back where the car should be. If there is even a little slick on the road (rain), it'll peel out without even trying from a stop. Not the most fun or confidence inspiring vehicle to say the least. Off-road, it's a beast and truly a one of a kind experience. On normal roads, it feels about as well planted as a lifted go-cart with slicks. 

The Tiguan is a much better fit for me, and my family as a whole, too. Enough room for the dogs in the trunk, additional space for gear and the fam. And the safety features that are non-existant on the JKU. Seems like it would be an upgrade in every sense.

-BP


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## blitz869 (May 7, 2016)

Would anyone be able to confirm if the R-Line sits lower than other models? I was at the dealer and on my way out saw a Highline beside a R-Line and the R looked to sit lower. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Smokeybeetleman (Aug 13, 2018)

blitz869 said:


> Would anyone be able to confirm if the R-Line sits lower than other models? I was at the dealer and on my way out saw a Highline beside a R-Line and the R looked to sit lower.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It does.


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## blitz869 (May 7, 2016)

Smokeybeetleman said:


> It does.


Thanks, I wonder why they don’t mention it in the brochure or website?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

helo stella said:


> I cannot speak to experience with headlights, but the halogen ones I have and have had in the past leave a ton to be desired. It's tough to feel confident driving at night when you can barely see the road, let alone what's around it. -BP


I went with a non-premium SEL R-Line and swapped some LED & HID bulbs from deAutoLED.com to remedy the only thing I didn't like about the car. Yeah, the stock halogens are awful.


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

Just keep in mind that if you put LED bulbs in a reflector housing you're almost certainly not in compliance with USDOT if you're in the US. Such bright bulbs require specialized reflectors or projector housings to proper control the light pattern. Even the highest quality LED doesn't have the same emitter posting as the regulated halogen bulbs and will cause glare to oncoming traffic.


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## Row1Rich (Sep 11, 2001)

gerardrjj said:


> Just keep in mind that if you put LED bulbs in a reflector housing you're almost certainly not in compliance with USDOT if you're in the US. Such bright bulbs require specialized reflectors or projector housings to proper control the light pattern. Even the highest quality LED doesn't have the same emitter posting as the regulated halogen bulbs and will cause glare to oncoming traffic.


Yeah, yeah... they are fine and don't glare


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## OZ.IN.USA (Jan 29, 2011)

Row1Rich said:


> Yeah, yeah... they are fine and don't glare


This is the same DOT that allows flashing brake light as turn signals so don't sweat it. I have LED headlight bulbs and they are great.


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## WOTFTW (Sep 30, 2011)

Row1Rich said:


> I went with a non-premium SEL R-Line and swapped some LED & HID bulbs from deAutoLED.com to remedy the only thing I didn't like about the car. Yeah, the stock halogens are awful.



Mind posting the bulbs you got for each replacement or you can DM me  Thanks!


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## CTGeoff (Feb 24, 2015)

Just to add to the comments, we decided on the Premium over non for differing reasons.

Wife: heated steering wheel since it was one of her favorite features in the car it replaced, easy open and close addition to the tailgate since she does 90% of the shopping for the household, and the overhead camera as it was also in our previous vehicle.

Me: LED Lights, Fender Audio - that sub makes all the difference to me, rain-sensing wipers (Loved them on my GTI), and memory seats & mirrors since it's her main car but she works from home so we end up both driving that vehicle about 50/50 (I primarily drive when together).


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## CTGeoff (Feb 24, 2015)

This may be an unpopular opinion, and please do what you like with your vehicle, but the LEDs and HIDs people put in halogen housings really can be blinding to others on the road. I don't think i've seen them on a Tiguan yet, but on some other vehicles it's definitely bright to the point they should just leave the high beams on.


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## helo stella (Oct 7, 2012)

CTGeoff said:


> Just to add to the comments, we decided on the Premium over non for differing reasons.
> 
> Wife: heated steering wheel since it was one of her favorite features in the car it replaced, easy open and close addition to the tailgate since she does 90% of the shopping for the household, and the overhead camera as it was also in our previous vehicle.
> 
> Me: LED Lights, Fender Audio - that sub makes all the difference to me, rain-sensing wipers (Loved them on my GTI), and memory seats & mirrors since it's her main car but she works from home so we end up both driving that vehicle about 50/50 (I primarily drive when together).


Thanks for the input. I suppose I should have updated this thread a bit ago, but I ended up buying a 2019 SEL-P R-Line in Pure White back in December. I was able to get a decent enough value for the Jeep, and haven't regretted it for a second. The Tiguan is *WAY* more comfortable, drives better (for my purposes), and I feel more connected with the car and the road than I did before. I no longer fear how my car is going to react to road conditions and driver inputs. 

I settled on the Premium because of the abundance of features that I knew I would regret not having, even if I don't use them all the time. The heated steering wheel is something that I never would have thought that I would have wanted, but I use it every single cold morning on my commute and, man, is it nice. My only gripe there is that there is no ability to select the steering wheel het intensity, like you can the seats. That's not to imply that it gets crazy hot, but sometimes it would be nice to have a lower setting than just the binary ON/OFF. The Fender system I will say could be better, but it still is worth it for the sound quality being as good as it is. I love the apple carplay, and the displayed map on the digital display, but it urkes me that I can't display Waze or Google Maps (or Apple Maps, for that matter) on the Digital Dash. :what: It just seems like a corner cut that shouldn't have been for the price paid. :banghead:

It's a small thing, but I am really happy that the door cards above the arm rest in the rear seats have the same stitch pattern as the front doors. Once I noticed that difference, I couldn't not see it. Also, it's been mentioned in a few other threads, but the 2019 did feel like it drove different from the 2018s as far as engine response. I still bought Carista and was able to utilize their beta to change the throttle response to Direct, which made a difference, but I definitely feel that it was less of a change that some of the folks with 2018s who did the same change. Would definitely recommend it. 

While I still notice Jeeps out there, I find myself getting amped when I see another SEL-P R-Line driving around. Happy to share more insights to anyone looking to make a similar jump. For me, the Premium was worth the premium, though I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone. Now, if I can just get my better half on-board with lowering the car and adding some other fun bits (though the selection as of now is quite limited). Have been looking into GFB's VTA Blow Off Valve ... would be nice to hear an excited _*fsssst*_ after a spirited "sprint." Not sure if there are restrictions with the Budak but seems like it'd work for any 2.0 TSI/FSI. Wish me luck!

Cheers!:beer:

-BP


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## raymar (Mar 25, 2019)

SEL has all the features I needed. SEL-P is nicer to have, but at that price point I would look into an Audi


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## CTGeoff (Feb 24, 2015)

raymar said:


> SEL has all the features I needed. SEL-P is nicer to have, but at that price point I would look into an Audi


I absolutely felt the same initially. However, the 2019 Q3, which I think is most comparable to the Tiguan, is not out yet. We lease our vehicles and didn't want to sit in speculative limbo. We did consider a leftover 2018 but they are diminishing from lots and choices are what's there. Price-wise it wasn't even close, either, when comparably equipped. Given that, I have to assume a Q5 would definitely be a huge financial step, comparatively.

For transparency, the selling price on my 2019 SEL-P R Line was 35,400. That equates about evenly with an entry level leftover Q3, IF I could even locate one.


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## raymar (Mar 25, 2019)

CTGeoff said:


> I absolutely felt the same initially. However, the 2019 Q3, which I think is most comparable to the Tiguan, is not out yet. We lease our vehicles and didn't want to sit in speculative limbo. We did consider a leftover 2018 but they are diminishing from lots and choices are what's there. Price-wise it wasn't even close, either, when comparably equipped. Given that, I have to assume a Q5 would definitely be a huge financial step, comparatively.
> 
> For transparency, the selling price on my 2019 SEL-P R Line was 35,400. That equates about evenly with an entry level leftover Q3, IF I could even locate one.


If you want compare selling prices, keep in mind Q3/Q5 were sold 12-15% off MSRP as well


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## TypeSH (Jul 11, 2013)

helo stella said:


> I love the apple carplay, and the displayed map on the digital display, but it urkes me that I can't display Waze or Google Maps (or Apple Maps, for that matter) on the Digital Dash. :what: It just seems like a corner cut that shouldn't have been for the price paid. :banghead:


That's actually a very valid point. I think at this point, there aren't any cars out there that have this capability. My guess is a limitation on the capability of CarPlay and the digital screen itself. But as digital gauge displays proliferate, and getting CarPlay (and yes i know, Android Auto too) will be as common as a stereo or A/C, it's only a matter of time before this becomes a thing. 

Hopefully by the time the lease ends on my current Tig.


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## lgbalfa (Nov 18, 2018)

It is definitely worth it if you can afford it.


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

helo stella said:


> ... I love the apple carplay, and the displayed map on the digital display, but it urkes me that I can't display Waze or Google Maps (or Apple Maps, for that matter) on the Digital Dash. :what: It just seems like a corner cut that shouldn't have been for the price paid. :banghead:
> ...





TypeSH said:


> That's actually a very valid point. I think at this point, there aren't any cars out there that have this capability. My guess is a limitation on the capability of CarPlay and the digital screen itself. But as digital gauge displays proliferate, and getting CarPlay (and yes i know, Android Auto too) will be as common as a stereo or A/C, it's only a matter of time before this becomes a thing.
> 
> Hopefully by the time the lease ends on my current Tig.


I submitted a question to VW prior to purchasing to ask if any of the 3rd party apps were visible in the digital cockpit. FWIW worth, they confirmed that Waze etc are not available, and cited that due to the critical nature of the cockpit, they would not be integrating any 3rd party applications at this time.

On the one hand I get it - there would have to be app-by-app testing for both platforms, and I suppose a bug could hamper the gauges. This would not be unique to VW. At the same time, I think integration of this type is inevitable, and they could sandbox things such that a failure could be isolated from critical display systems.


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