2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Road Test Review
Tiguan Photos
Volkswagen didn’t come late to the compact crossover SUV party – the German manufacturer arrived just as the fat lady was singing. But once settled in, with the 2009 Tiguan SEL 4Motion reviewed here, VW has upped the ante for what is, for the most part, a rather boring segment of the market.
How did they do it? With a handsome, sturdy and fun machine. The top-of-the-line 2009 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion is a five-seat, all-wheel-drive, turbocharged tall conveyance with sufficient power to meld with traffic and enough amenities to make even the most jaded SUV naysayer happy with the choice.
Alpine Gray metallic is a great color for this Tiguan model, as it keeps the off-road dirt from ruining the fine lines of the European-inspired vehicle and, matched to the high-grade sandstone leather interior, it’s a very luxe look. The lines drawn for the petite SUV exemplify brawniness and purpose, even as they explore the “peoples’ car” company’s recent penchant for luxury in a compact package. Pronounced shoulder details and lighting accents give the Tiguan SEL 4Motion the beefy look it needs to compete in the segment.
The Tiguan is truly impressive over the road and on dirt. It is compliant without being mushy and feels robust enough to go well into six-figure mileage without complaint. In fact, the Tiguan SEL 4Motion reviewed here has more than 14,000 miles on it and nary a rattle or loose nut anywhere! Riders are impressed with the Tiguan’s fully independent McPherson strut front and vier-link rear suspension setup on rutted, dirt roads and on freeways; it swallows impediments like a mountain goat leaping boulders.
Blessed with VW’s great 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine (with cast iron block and aluminum crossflow head) that has 200-horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 206 lb-ft of toque at a stoplight-beating 1,700 rpm, the Tiguan has a shiftable six-speed Tiptronic transmission with wonderful gearing that yields 2,900 rpm at 80 mph, en route to a redline of 6,250. VW’s 0-60 claims are under eight seconds, excellent for this 3,651-pound SUV. There is a 160-mph speedometer on the black gauge cluster that features white numbers and red pointers, all of which cast VW’s great blue glow at night.
For safe conveyance on- and off-road, Volkswagen fits the 2009 Tiguan SEL with 4Motion all-wheel-drive and adds traction control and electronic stabilization, anti-slip regulation, electronic differential lock, and antilock brakes all around with electronic brakeforce distribution. Inside, there are driver and passenger front and side airbags, along with head curtain protection front and rear to keep all five occupants safe. A tire pressure monitoring system is standard and VW fits an excellent electronic handbrake with hill holder control. Volkswagen says the Tiguan SEL 4Motion will safely tow 2,200 pounds, so small camp, boat and utility trailers will work fine.
The top-line SEL arrives with 10-spoke 18-inch alloy rims, riding on all-season P235/50R tires. VW includes bi-xenon headlights and halogen fogs, the lovely leather interior, a 12-way power (including lumbar) driver seat with triple memory settings, its premium “Dynaudio” 300-watt 6-CD system (changer is in the center console), dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The front seats are heatable with separate controls for each, but the passenger’s 8-way seat adjustments are manual, yet do include lumbar control.
All four one-touch windows have pinch protection and VW fits a trip computer with compass and outside temperature display. The outside mirrors are heatable and have heated washer nozzles; the inside mirror is self-dimming. Rather than mounting four large vents at the front, the Tiguan has eight smaller, closable vents to keep occupants cool or warm.
Obviously, all this goodness comes with a price: the 2009 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion has a base price of $33,630 including destination. To that, Volkswagen adds some nifty options that make this Tiguan a class winner: DVD navigation with rear backup camera for $1,950 and dual-pane power panoramic sunroof with inside light-color mesh covering for $1,300. There is an added charge of $350 for rear supplemental restraints, bringing the grand total to $37,230.
The navigation system integrates all but the climate control and does so quite nicely. Guidance relies on visual rather than aural prompts and one can easily see the exits to take for proper adherence to the route. Maps are excellent, guiding on off-road destinations as well as in town. The audio can be muted when conversation is necessary without removing navigation prompts. A setup button changes any and all functions as needed.
The one-touch panoramic sunroof is delightful – it opens via the headliner-mounted wheel and folds into the secondary pane, giving rear passengers a good sunshade and, with a mesh wind deflector mounted at the opening, conversation can continue without needing added volume. There is a button built into the wheel that opens and closes the mesh cover with one-touch operation each way.
The adjustable (fore/aft) rear seats of the Tiguan SEL 4Motion are elevated, theater-style to improve visibility. There are small stash boxes in the doors, little containers to the side of each door-side seat and pockets in the front seatbacks. The rear of the center console holds dual cupholders and closable vents for the three rear-seat passengers, together with a 12-volt plug that complements one in the center stack and a second (together with auxiliary plug) in the center console. Absent a third passenger, the center seat pulls down and offers an armrest cum cupholder – it can also be used as a pass-through.
Both rear seats fold in 60/40 fashion to increase the cargo hold from 23.8 cubic feet to 56.1 cubic feet of space, and there are tie-down hooks throughout the rear hatch area. The hatch pull-down is a bit high and the step-in elevated as well, as one would expect with 6.9-inch ground clearance. A temporary spare lies beneath the well-carpeted hatch floor, together with tools and hidden cargo holds.
The 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion has a 16.8-gallon fuel tank that officially yields 18/24 mpg. On a road trip, my mileage tended to hover above the 26 mpg mark and, using the recommended premium fuel, this machine should be able to give nearly 450 comfortable miles of constant travel at steady speeds.
The hood is heavy and mounted on a tall post; the delectable 2.0-liter turbo sits low in the chassis and there’s plenty of space available for a larger power mill, should VW decide to equip the Tiguan thusly. All fills are well marked. The alarm came on when I closed the hood with a not-too-subtle drop from half distance; it’s obviously quite sensitive.
My week with the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion encompassed more than 400 miles of driving. I took it to the mountain, to the sea, to the market and used the hatch for firewood and grocery hauling. This little SUV performed flawlessly throughout, even with 14K miles on the odometer, and its capabilities are impressive everywhere it goes. Volkswagen warrants its vehicles for three years/36,000 miles and covers the powertrain for five years/60,000 miles, offering 24-hour roadside assistance during the warranty period.
While it arrived a bit later than the competition, the 2009 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion raises the bar for others to follow with its quality, fun-to-drive factor and enviable content. The drivetrain is eager, the ride and handling are composed and the cabin is near-luxury in a solidly built package.
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