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Just over a year ago, VW introduced its first small SUV. Despite the Tiguan’s pint-size scale, in many ways it mimics its larger sibling - The Tourag - while remaining true to its Volkswagen heritage. The Tiguan I recently reviewed was quite impressive, besides its $33,000 hefty price tag, when compared to other like vehicles in its class. (To put things into perspective, Mercedes is introducing an all-new SUV this month, starting at $33,900.)
With its trademark bright chrome grille, it’s hard to mistake the Tiguan for anything but a Volkswagen. Under the hood, the brand’s signature blue color on the Tiguan I reviewed was equipped with a 2.0 liter peppy 4-cylinder turbo, which produced 200 horses (horsepower).
During the week I tested the SUV, I was able to accumulate close to 400 miles on one tank of gas. (Fueleconomy.gov Web site says drivers should be able to achieve a combined 20 miles per gallon.) So if you’re looking for a little vehicle, with a lot of punch while saving fuel, this could be the vehicle for you.
Upon getting behind the wheel of the Tiguan, I immediately forgot about the sticker price. The heated seats were both comfortable and inviting, specifically during Georgia’s unseasonably cold winter mornings. And for a moment, I felt like I was driving the current generation Jetta again, which was last updated in 2004, except this time, it was wrapped in the body of a compact SUV.
In many ways, I reluctantly found myself justifying the sticker, after discovering all of the nifty German engineering incorporated in this small SUV. From the two slots in the center of the instrument panel console, which was designed to hold parking garage cards, to the two bottle holders located in the front doors, it’s quite obvious VW pays attention to details.(VW’s instrument panel, with its attention to detail, is often used as a benchmark by many automakers.)
The Tiguen 17-inch wheels gave the VW a big car ride, handling the rode better than some larger vehicles I have driven. Its precise steering always kept me in control despite a wind advisory we’re were experiencing in “Hot-lanta.” And the small SUV made the Tiguan easy to navigate and park. (The optional back up camera built into the navigation system was a welcome feature for parking, although this costly option drove up the price tag of this little VW.)
Overall the Tiguan contained a number of features, VW owners have come to expect – steering wheel controls, a height adjustable front armrest, a rotary dial heating/air condition system and a multi-function display center, which includes service warning data, an outside temperature display, a speed warning alert system (allowing the driver to set the speed to avoid tickets) and a fuel monitoring system, which measures average fuel consumption and the like.
More important, my favorite feature was VW’s world class auto hold feature, which kept the Tiguan from rolling forward or backwards without continuously holding my foot on the brake, while at a stop light or braking on a hill. For most of us not use to this technology, which is another trademark of VW, it takes a moment to trust that the car won’t roll at a stop light once you take your foot off of the brakes, awaiting for the light to change.
Unlike most of VW’s competitors, the brand typically doesn’t offer rebates on its vehicles. So don’t expect one on the Tiguan anytime soon. On the other hand buyers can expect for VW to offer attractive lease payments and low interest financing to stimulate sales. If you’re cost conscious like I am, you can opt for a less-equipped VW, eliminating the all-wheel-drive package, navigational system with rear back up camera, the power panoramic (skyroof) the sunroof and the rear side airbags.
The base Tiguan starts at around $23,000 and can easily climb to $38,000 before negotiation starts. And the Tiguan is available in three trim levels, available as a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive in a manual or automatic.
To configure, price out or calculate the payments of a new Volkswagen Tiguan, visit JeffCars.com’s New Car-Buying Guide.
1 comment:
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