What do you get when you introduce a tiger to an iguana?

According to Volkswagen, you get a Tiguan. Tigers are powerful, agile and ferocious while iguanas are cold-blooded reptiles who essentially stop functioning when the temperature drops. An odd combination you might think. I know I do.

Fortunately Shakespeare had a point and there really is nothing in a name as I found in a 2.0-litre TDI 4motion version of the compact SUV from VW.

Built on the same platform as the Q3, the Tiguan is both longer and taller (but narrower) than its Audi stablemate. Although the differences are small, the VW does appear significantly bigger, less nimble. It’s a far more restrained, stoic, look in line with the rest of the VW range.

Despite its sedentary appearance there is still fun to be found in the 2.0 TDI. The steering is quite weighty and that adds to the illusion of mass but, if you’re prepared to forget what you know about the laws of physics, the Tiguan almost earns its stripes.

I say almost because the high centre of gravity means that the Tiguan will never be entirely happy on tight and twisty roads. The steering is positive, direct and does a commendable job of letting the driver know what's underfoot, or rather wheel, but it's let down by a disappointing lack of body control, which can quickly dampen any enthusiasm for a quick sprint through the countryside.

It's not a slow car. In fact, push down hard with your right and the Tiguan demonstrates a surprising turn of speed but it only ever feels really comfortable at more sedate velocities.

The four-wheel drive system on the 4motion version that I drove directs at least 10% of the power to the rear wheels. It does, of course, provide improved traction but there is a small trade-off in fuel consumption.

Ride quality is, unsurprisingly, middle of the road. It’s never uncomfortable, never too firm and generally copes well with most imperfections. The brakes provide ample stopping power but can grab a little when you first apply them.

If you’re searching for inspirational surroundings it’s unlikely you’d choose the Tiguan’s cabin. The layout is functional, rather than funky, but that does mean that everything is pretty much where you expect to find it and, of course, everything works just the way it should. The atmosphere is sedate, almost sombre, but then this is not a car that was designed to set pulses racing.

Build quality is top-notch with plenty of soft-touch materials and first-class switchgear.

The driving position is just about spot on, helped by the telescopic wheel that extends so far you could steer with your chin*, and the seats are comfortable and supportive.

There’s plenty of head and legroom, even in the back, though a fifth passenger would still find it a bit of squeeze. The boot is a good size - 470 litres with the rear seats in place, 1,501 with them folded flat - and easily accessible thanks to the large, square tailgate and there is plenty of storage space inside the cabin.

It's easy to be critical of a car like the Tiguan, but the truth is not everyone is looking for razor-sharp handling, face-deforming acceleration and stratospheric top speeds. In fact, for a large number of drivers comfort, economy and practicality are all that matter and the Tiguan scores highly on all three. It's is certainly no tiger, and there are definitely no traces of lizard DNA. No, the beast that lies within is a labrador. Meet your new best friend.

*Don’t try this at home.

VW Tiguan 2.0-litre TDI BlueMotion Technology 4MOTION

Price: £26,660

Engine: 2.0 TDI with stop/start

Transmission:Six-speed manual driving all four wheels

Acceleration: (0-62mph): 10.2 sec

Top speed: 118mph

Urban: 40.9mpg

Extra-urban: 55.4mpg

Combined: 48.7mpg

Emissions: 150g/km

For more information about the Tiguan and other Volkswagen cars click here.