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There aren't many SUVs that look good in white, but the Tiguan pulls it off quite nicely thanks to tastefully done trim.
(Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.)
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From the rear, the Tiguan's family resemblance to the larger VW Touareg is obvious.
(Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.)
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The interior has the same basic layout as your average GTI; that's good, but the additional metallic-colored trim gives it the look of a Japanese sport-ute.
(Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.)
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Rear seats slide fore and aft and also fold flat, enhancing the utility of the cargo area.
(Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.)
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Road Test: First Drive Test
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First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
Other Than the Name, It's Everything You Would Expect From a Volkswagen SUV
By
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
Date posted: 09-27-2007
It's not an African wind, a desert tribe or anything quite that obscure. The 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan's name is nothing more than a made-up crossbreed between a tiger and an iguana. And although this might suggest that the Tiguan is powerful, exotic and good at catching flies, it's actually, well, not.
Instead, the Tiguan is your typical compact sport-utility — inoffensive, affordable and designed mainly for tooling around the city. And it's good at it, thanks to a supple ride, compact dimensions and a solid chassis that feels far more substantial than most mini-utes in its class.
Touareg-like styling doesn't hurt either, and the interior is nicely done as well. In fact, other than its ridiculous name, there's little reason to be wary of the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Hatchback Genes
Built on the same chassis as the Volkswagen Rabbit and Volkswagen GTI, the 2009 VW Tiguan has an equally friendly size. It stands nearly as tall as a Honda CR-V, but the Tiguan is shorter nose to tail and slightly narrower. There's seating for five, and no optional third-row seating is available.
To keep the Tiguan from looking like a four-door Rabbit with a lift kit, Volkswagen has given it a styling theme similar to the midsize Volkswagen Touareg sport-utility. It works well, as the Tiguan looks tougher than a Honda CR-V and more expensive than a Toyota RAV4.
European customers will be able to butch up this VW a little by ordering the off-road model, which adds an aggressive front bumper treatment and some features that are specific to off-roading like hill-descent control. The U.S. model has been designed for the street, however, so it gets a deep front airdam that makes it look more like an Audi Q7.
Hope You Like the 2.0T
We won't get as many options under the hood, either. If fact, there will be no options at all, since Volkswagen's familiar turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 will be the only engine for the U.S.-bound Tiguan. It will have roughly the same power rating as the version used in the GTI, so expect around 200 horsepower and 208 pound-feet of torque.
Stick with front-wheel drive and you'll be able to choose between a manual and automatic transmission, both six-speeds. Adding 4Motion all-wheel drive limits you to the automatic transmission only.
A 2.0-liter diesel engine is said to be a good possibility later on for the U.S., but don't count on it. Unlike the Jetta sedan that will offer one of Volkswagen's TDI engines in 2008, the heavier Tiguan will likely require additional emissions-treatment hardware to make it legal in all 50 states. Such hardware isn't cheap and neither is the TDI engine itself, a factor that makes the whole setup out of question for the Tiguan's price-sensitive market.
The Right Engine for the Job
If the TDI fails to show, it won't hurt the Tiguan much. As well matched as the torque-rich diesel is to the Tiguan's purpose, the 2.0-liter gas engine should work just as well. We say "should" because we weren't able to drive any Tiguans with the 2.0T during our test in Budapest, Hungary. Instead we spent most of the time sampling Volkswagen's 1.4-liter Twincharger (TSI) engine, an interesting new power plant that will be offered only in Europe.
The inline-4 uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger to generate 150 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. These are good numbers for such a small-displacement engine, and enough power to get the Tiguan up to speed at a reasonable pace using the six-speed manual transmission. With another 50 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque available from turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4, the U.S.-specification Tiguan should have no trouble keeping up with the Honda CR-V.
Feels Heavy, Only It's Not
One reason the Tiguan should feel fine with the 2.0T is the fairly lightweight chassis. With a listed curb weight of 3,505 pounds, the Tiguan tips the scales about 20 pounds lighter than the CR-V.
This VW doesn't feel lightweight and skittish on the road, however. What little weight there is seems concentrated within the wheelbase, as the Tiguan's body remains poised through corners while the tires remain firmly planted on the pavement. Most compact SUVs skate over rough surfaces, but the Tiguan pounds its way through while tracking steadily.
The independent front suspension combines wishbone-type control arms and MacPherson struts mounted on a stout aluminum subframe, while the independent rear suspension features a four-link setup borrowed from the all-wheel-drive VW Passat. To add an extra measure of durability for rough road use, there's high-strength steel in the frame plus heavy-duty dampers.
The Tiguan's electromechanical-assisted steering does a decent job of imitating a traditional hydraulic setup, as the assist starts soft and builds to a moderate amount of effort that won't tax even the skinniest of arms. There's not much effort needed for the brake pedal either, as it delivers plenty of stopping power with a modest push.
A Rabbit Is a Good Thing
Although the way the Tiguan drives is unique, the interior is exactly what you already expected. The modest ride height makes it easy to take a seat, and once you're behind the wheel you feel like you're in a Rabbit, only larger. The tall roof is the primary explanation, while the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel helps carve out some extra room if you're still feeling cramped.
Outward visibility is excellent, and the front seats gave us no problems (although we didn't get to drive for more than a few hours at a time). With a full 6 inches of fore and aft adjustment, the rear seats offer reasonable room for adults in back as long as you don't need all the available capacity of the 16.6-cubic-foot cargo bay.
The interior design and trim is all standard-issue stuff from the Rabbit/GTI parts bin. Same gauges, same switchgear, and it's all in the same place. The only real departure from the formula is the faux metallic trim around the new navigation unit. Such shininess would look more at home in an Accord or a Camry, although perhaps only Volkswagen enthusiasts are likely to find it offensive.
It's No Segment Buster
When the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan goes on sale in the U.S. next May, there will be three trim levels: S, SE and SEL. Volkswagen is still finalizing what you'll get with each trim, but it expects 75 percent of all Tiguans in the U.S. will be the midgrade SE model. Prices haven't been finalized, but the Tiguan will probably start at about $25,000. Load up an SEL with the optional navigation system, leather seats and a panorama sunroof and it will top $30,000.
Volkswagen tells us that it built the Tiguan because it wants a piece of the rapidly expanding compact SUV segment. Well, who wouldn't? The problem is, most of the Tiguan's competitors already have been in the segment for years, so carving out a piece of the action isn't going to be easy.
Aside from its styling, there's nothing particularly unique about the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan. It simply brings VW's familiar attributes to the CUV segment. Its four-cylinder engine won't be the most powerful or the most fuel-efficient, and the interior isn't the biggest or most versatile. It drives as well or better than most of its peers, but so far that's not an attraction in the sport-utility segment the way it is with hot hatchbacks.
There's always the name, of course, but if Volkswagen is hoping that its new tiger/iguana crossbreed can get noticed on image alone, it could be a rough road ahead.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
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