2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Road & Trail Test

The Frankfurt auto show is an amazing spectacle made up of nine conjoined warehouse sized buildings sheltering more new cars and concepts than this journalist has ever seen at any single event. Two days of purposeful wandering yet shameful aimlessness provided some favorites, most of which will never see North American shores, although some that will grace our continent immediately impressed.

Volkswagen’s global debut of its new compact sport utility, dubbed Tiguan, was one of the more intriguing for sure. And how did it get its name? That’s interesting. It was chosen via an internet poll of some 350,000 automotive magazine readers from 10 European countries. According to Volkswagen, Tiguan was formed by combining the words “tiger” and “leguan” (German for “iguana”), so it either represents an extremely slow tiger or a ruddy quick iguana, and either way is much better sounding than some meaningless alphanumeric designation (X3, RSX, EX35) or VW’s internal code name KSUV. VW may or may not know that it’s also a Spanish word that means “close to the water”, and therefore reminds me of Tijuana, but I digress.

The little crossover sprang onto stage to great admiration, although most had seen it in concept form previously, and then more recently in pre-show press photos, so its design was nothing unexpected. Actually, anyone who likes the Touareg will probably find the Tiguan perfect from an aesthetic standpoint, as its general shape is very similar, immediately recognizable as a Volkswagen SUV. It bridges the not-too-feminine yet not-too-masculine divide well, with a bold enough stance to appear rugged, yet sporting aerodynamically rounded corners to soften it around the edges. It should resonate well with most people.

Inside, the Tiguan will find few complainers. Actually, I’d be complaining if I’d spent thousands more for a BMW X3 after taking in the superior quality of VW’s latest. Yes, the Tigger raises the bar for “entry-level” cute utes, completely leaving the Japanese and Koreans behind to fight it out in a lower class. I’m sure that it will be priced slightly higher than these, mind you, but the extra couple of thousand will be worth it to those who value a first class experience.

Part of that first class experience will be the standard power windows, locks and mirrors, of course, plus a decent AM/FM/CD audio system with redundant steering wheel controls, digital climate control, a power driver’s seat, remote keyless entry and alloy wheels, but an unexpected item includes an electronic parking brake just like in the Touareg and other premium vehicles.
If you’re familiar with Volkswagen’s adherence to plastics quality, with premium level surfaces used in everything from the City Golf up to the top-line Touareg (or Phaeton for those few who appreciated the quality of this über-sedan enough to overlook its peoples’ car roots), then you’ll be relieved to hear that the brand didn’t miss a step when it came time to fit together the Tiguan (unlike some brands, Chrysler and Toyota come to mind, which seem to be getting cheaper with every new model introduction). The Tiguan is as good as the Jetta and better in some ways, with a really attractive dash layout and extremely comfortable seats; many thanks to the adjustable lumbar support for this last item. The controls are all laid out logically, and they feel extremely upscale when pressed, rotated or pulled, and the dash vents are especially good looking and highly functional due to their dual circular setup.

The first Tiguan I stepped inside was on the Frankfurt show floor, and this particular example was finished in beautiful light tan hides and matching plastics. There was one next to it in less formal clothes, but its cloth seats were attractive as well. It was in and around Budapest, Hungary that I became intimately acquainted with this little SUV, however, during the launch program Volkswagen organized on our behalf. A short morning flight saw us away from Frankfurt and into Budapest, followed by a shuttle down the road to a makeshift tent the automaker had erected in a parking lot next to the airport, surrounded by Tiguans of various trims and colors. My partner and I chose one in blue, gasoline powered no less, and headed off on our drive route. The interior, black on black, was the equal of the show vehicle, but its traditional Germanic tones didn’t jump out quite as much as the cream-beige. Later in the day I switched over to a two-tone black and saddle leather colored version, a hue VW calls Cordovan, which a dash of warm modernism with the car’s conventional Teutonic precision.

All of the Tiguans on the press launch featured the top-line infotainment system that, fortunately, included a large navigation monitor with a handy rearview camera helped along by a parking assist system. Nav was critical for getting us from points A to B and then on to C after that, and the system’s soothing female voice with its sexy German accent made all the difference … she probably won’t make it stateside. I should also mention that, unlike any other navigation system I’ve ever seen, this one is capable of getting you back to the pavement when venturing outside of digitized zones. Its exclusive “Off-Road Navigation” can store up to 500 waypoints for driving in the wilderness, allowing you to find your way back more effectively than by using the old inconvenient method of tying reflective strips around tree branches.

The audio/nav interface is well laid out, with reasonably large buttons and knobs surrounded in an attractive platinum colored metal. When not listening intently for directions I was able to check out the extremely good AM/FM/CD audio system, although I didn’t take time to plug my iPod into the available slot or scroll my way through its integrated hard disk drive that would no doubt be good for thousands of stored songs.

As impressed as I was with the Tiguan’s interior design and quality, I was equally happy with its general spaciousness for occupants and cargo. In a similar fashion to how BMW’s X3 came close to matching its larger X5 sibling for interior roominess when it debuted, the Tiguan makes me wonder if a larger Touareg is in the planning stages. Truly, its maximum cargo capacity is a stellar 53.3 cubic feet, which is only 2.1 cubic feet shy of the Touareg’s 55.4 cubic foot max capacity. The Touareg does much better when stowing cargo behind the rear seats, with 19.6 cubic feet of space available compared to the Tiguan’s 16.6 cubic feet. Still, that’s a lot of cargo for a compact SUV. All the same, increasing the size of the Touareg only makes sense of course, as the lack of a seven-occupant SUV is a serious problem for Volkswagen’s North American division. This is probably a good spot to mention that VW will be getting a seven-occupant van late next year, and unlike other markets that get a bevy of VW vans like the Touran, Caddy and T5 that we don’t get here, next year we’ll be getting a van built to VW specs in Windsor at Chrysler’s van plant sharing the general architecture of the domestic manufacturer’s class leading Grand Caravan and Town and Country.

While not quite as wide as the upcoming van or a Touareg, only those trying to fit two child seats plus a third passenger into the second row will find the squeeze problematic, as three abreast without child seats is doable, for a total of four passengers and a driver. Legroom is good, as is headroom, and if only two are in back, shoulder and hip room is ample. Front occupants enjoy much greater comfort, as should be in this class, although all will appreciate the optional mega-size glass Panorama Sunroof overhead as it spans front and rear passenger areas, creating an open, airy feeling that’s three times the size of a conventional sunroof.

I had my eyes on the Hungarian countryside most of the time, however, as when I wasn’t driving I was attempting to keep us from getting lost (not that my trying helped all that much). Beautiful greenery and colorful autumn flowers everywhere, this is a land still wounded from years of communist rule evidenced by desecrated mansions and acres of soot-blackened Bronx-style “project” apartments, yet still bolstered by a new enthusiasm for freedom (and commercialism) evident everywhere. The roads are well kept for the most part, not as pristine as those in Germany or Austria, but probably better suited for testing an SUV thanks to pavement irregularities and some rougher potholed sections. VW’s newest didn’t let such intrusions ruin our tranquility, soaking up bumps and dips without consequence and continuing on to eat up miles and miles of roadway with an enthusiasm rare in the SUV class.

It actually corners very, very well, like its elder Touareg brother, yet with a nimbler, lighter feel and greater willingness to dance through the curves, thanks to significantly less weight. I wouldn’t go so far to say that it’ll run rings around an X3, for one, but it certainly could hold its own against any of its direct rivals and won’t embarrass its owner if forced to keep up to the Bavarian. To be clear, it does roll a bit through tight, high-speed corners, and tends to push at the front end if carrying too much speed through a corner, which is a far cry better than losing it at the rear end with the resultant top-like rotation that would otherwise have you facing the opposite way if still on the road at all. Fortunately, for such moments, Volkswagen has fitted standard electronic stability control, traction control and ABS-enhanced four-wheel disc brakes, capable of keeping even the most foolish of drivers upright. If a roll occurs or impact with another car or something larger and more substantial (a building, retaining wall or granite cliff), VW has filled the Tiguan with standard passive safety features such as pretensioning seatbelts, active front headrests and airbags up front, on the side and curtain-type bags for all outside passengers. A tire pressure monitoring system is also part of the package.

Feedback is quite good for an electro-mechanical power steering system, and general road feel through the tires is about where I’d want it, so as not to upset ride quality, and amazingly there’s no kickback through the wheel as with most others of this type, even over rough surfaces. Ride quality in mind, I think that the average North American consumer will like the car I drove in Europe, although it remains to be seen if the suspension settings will remain the same when shipped across the Atlantic. It will arrive with the same MacPherson strut setup in the front and four-link rear suspension, which is ideal for handling and packaging. Tires on the Track and Field model were 215/65 R16s on 16-inch alloys, while all other versions received 235/55 R17s as standard. Optional are a set of 18-inch alloy rims wrapped in 235/50 R18s, and they look stunning. Expect the latter two combinations on North American bound Tiguans.

What probably won’t make it across is VW’s wonderful 1.4-liter turbocharged and supercharged gasoline-powered four-cylinder. One point four liters you say? That’s right. No 2.0TSI versions of the Tiguan were ready for this long lead program, so we were privileged to drive a vehicle that should be sold here but probably won’t. This is a shame, as its fuel economy is fabulous at 28 mpg and power delivery ample for most peoples’ needs or desires. The engine makes 150 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, which is good for zero to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds and a 119 mph top speed. Just the same, it probably won’t make it here for two reasons. First, it needs 93 octane fuel, which is difficult to get and if available very expensive. Unless VW can make it run on 91, it won’t happen. Secondly, the engine is more expensive to build than the 2.0TSI because of its complexity, which means that it’s probably a no-go even if they can get it to run on 91 octane. An engine I didn’t get a chance to try was another four cylinder making 170 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, for a 0 to 60 mph time of 8.1 seconds and a top speed of 124 mph, all while consuming an average of 26 mpg if you’re not always trying to maximize acceleration performance. The pièce de résistance as far as gasoline engines go is VW’s ultra-popular 200 hp 2.0TSI with 207 lb-ft of torque, which when cradled into the Tiguan’s bonnet allows for a 7.5 second sprint to 60 mph and a 131 mph top speed, all while matching the lesser engine’s 26 mpg fuel economy rating.

As mentioned, the only gasoline engine I had opportunity to drive was the least powerful, although most efficient. And considering that this 1.4-liter unit will probably never make it to our shores it’s probably best to dwell on something that I drove which most likely will, the wonderful 2.0-liter TDI turbo-diesel. For interest’s sake, the Tiguan will be sold in other markets with a 140 horsepower TDI that makes 236 lb-ft of torque, good enough for 10.4 seconds to 60 mph and, more importantly, 33 mpg of diesel consumption. When we get our clean-burning diesel (probably a year after it gets released in North America, so about two years from now) it’ll sport 170 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque for a quicker 8.8 second run to 60 mph and an even more efficient 34 mpg fuel economy rating. I like it when additional performance joins better efficiency, and in the case of the 2.0-liter TDI that I was able to test it left little on the table when it came time to get up to highway speeds. An 8.8 second sprint is hardly neck-snapping, of course, but in this class it’s impressive enough, and when combined with the fuel efficiency of a hybrid it’s one compelling package.

All Tiguans come with either a smooth shifting six-speed manual or an even smoother six-speed automatic with Tiptronic manual mode, the latter featuring a gear lever preselect that prevents upshifting when off-road. And this, 4×4ing, is where the Tiguan is no Touareg, nor is it trying to be. Volkswagen, nevertheless, showed us just what the “little brother” to the larger Touareg is capable of on two specially prepared off-road courses, the first more of a sophisticated obstacle course atop a parapet of the Citadela, part of an old castle that overlooks the Danube with Buda on one side and Pest on the other. Great for a photo shoot (check the gallery for more detailed shots), there were steep inclines and drop-offs, sharp embankments and even a teeter-totter that made me feel like a gerbil in a cage. Just the same, the Tiguan’s capability was impressive for a light-duty off-roader with no low range and only moderate ground clearance.

This is probably as good an opportunity as any to explain a unique approach VW has taken with its new Tiguan, in providing future buyers with two distinct models to choose from designed with specific purposes in mind. The vehicle used for this specific test was the Tiguan Track and Field, which was designed for life off the beaten path as well as regular duty on paved roads. First and foremost its unique façade allows for the more extreme entry angle of 28 degrees as opposed to 18 on the regular Tiguan, so the vehicle’s snout won’t scoop up dirt when climbing a steep grade or coming down off of a steep decline. The Track and Field also features a unique off-road mode that, at the switch of a console-mounted button, makes sure all of the SUV’s electronic nannies, such as hill descent control and hill climb assist, are knitting together simultaneously to modify throttle response and improve braking on gravel, dirt, snow and other loose surfaces. The systems, along with standard Haldex-sourced 4Motion all-wheel drive, combined to work well in this instance, showing that this little sport utility is capable of a great deal more than what most expect of compact crossovers.

After another stint of circuitous albeit paved roadways, the second off-road segment came into view. It had been dug up from a picturesque few acres of river frontage cum marshland (part of the course had flooded by the time we were to drive it so rather than see how the SUV would fare while wading through waste high waters the course had been rerouted). Again, rather than traversing the rugged trails of Moab, Utah like the Touareg had done for its launch program, these trails had more akin with a rough and tumble ride to a rarely used campsite. A giant mound of soil “paved” with concrete slabs covered in loose sandy dirt sat at center, proving the Tiguan’s level of grip on uneven, loose and steep surfaces, as well as how well its hill hold mode works when going up and hill decent control works when descending. The verdict? Very well.

This is where the bad news comes, however, as VW’s U.S. operations, at least, won’t be importing the Track and Field version at all, so it’s unlikely this more adventurous version will be available in the U.S. either. That’s life, but it’s still a ruddy shame as I’m sure enough outdoor enthusiasts would opt for the more rugged SUV.

Then again, the one we will be getting is sportier and therefore arguably better looking, and its more car-like setup will be better suited to the 90+percent of SUV owners that never take their vehicles off pavement. A closer look will show double mesh air intakes beneath the bumper and a dual-crossbar grille, complete with a rather large VW badge front and center. Fog lamps integrated into the lower fascia complete the upscale look. And 4Motion will be optional, incidentally, as many who live in warmer climates like Vancouver hardly need the extra complexity and fuel hungry characteristics of all-wheel drive.

The drive route VW had planned took us through the city of Budapest, across a variety of centuries old bridges and past buildings that looked as if they’d been standing for millennia. This is a beautiful city, rich in heritage and like I mentioned previously, interestingly steeped in post-communist memorabilia … the deluge of blue smoke-spewing East German Trabants and slightly more upscale pre-VW AG Skodas and classic Fiat-based Ladas come immediately to mind (check out the gallery for pics taken while en route). Driving through such an ancient city brings a vehicle’s character flaws to the forefront, especially when it comes to maneuverability. Exacerbate the situation with our getting lost and the need to execute impromptu U-turns at the most inappropriate and abbreviated of places and I’m sure you can appreciate that we’d either be lauding or chastising the Tiguan without much provocation. Fortunately for us, the little vee-dub proved highly maneuverable with a nice, tight turning circle and a knack for quick, controlled lane changes, much to the chagrin of our Hungarian friends on the road around us. If we can do what we did with it in Budapest, it will be easily up to city streets in any North American town.

Practicality in mind, there was one thing that really floored me when the car’s exterior designer, Andreas Mindt, gave me a personal walk-around tour earlier in the day. Pop open the rear hatch and, under a little flap opened with the point of a key, a little cable release latch will drop the trailer hitch down from its hiding place behind the rear bumper when tugged. Press down on it with your foot and it’ll click into place, allowing for an impressive 5,500 lbs of towing capacity when the TDI engine is doing the lugging, or 4,400 lbs when hitched to a gasoline powered Tiguan. I love innovative solutions to age-old problems most other automakers seem to be quite happy not dealing with. Now, VW has created a trailer hitch that’s not even noticeable when not employed, is much safer than a traditional hitch that sticks out of a vehicle’s backside 24/7, or at the very best features a breakaway plastic cover that mars the look of the bumper. A deployed trailer hitch without a trailer is a safety hazard too, not to mention that it creates drag and therefore hampers fuel efficiency. Smart move Volkswagen … and one that will certainly be copied by competitors.

Another smart move is making a spare tire optional. When fitted it’s a full-size spare stowed under a flat loading floor that sits higher than the Tiguan sans spare tire; the latter model getting a can of that “instant air” tire repair gunk in its place, and run-flats are always an option. I’d opt for the one without the spare, as it opens up minivan levels of cargo room replete with under-floor storage, and reduces weight, all for something that I wouldn’t want my wife having to change (and wouldn’t want to personally change) when roadside assistance is only a phone call away.

In the end it was a shame that the Tiguan we’ll get here wasn’t available to test in Hungary, although I was told that the 2.0TSI that will be available here next year at launch is to be set up similarly to the 2.0TDI I tested, so no real harm done. Of course, it will be faster than either the 1.4-liter TSI or the 2.0-liter TDI shown on these pages, and therefore all the more fun to drive.

On this note, however, many compact competitors offer a great deal more top-line power, such as Saturn’s new Vue with its 252-horsepower V6 and Toyota’s RAV4 boasting 269-horsepower, but I don’t think this will pose much of a problem for VW’s dealers. After all, there’s more to the Tiguan, or any Volkswagen for that matter, than engine output statistics. Why the VW faithful keep coming back again and again has more to do with the superb interior quality I mentioned earlier, and even more so because of the European driving experience. To this end the Tiguan delivers, and therefore I believe it will do extremely well if priced right.

And with a last thought to its window sticker, it’s landed U.S. price is anyone’s guess. In Germany it will sell for 26,700 euros, taxes in, which translates into the high $20s for America. This would certainly make it more expensive than base prices for CR-V, Vue, and RAV4, but not totally out of line either. VW’s new U.S. CEO Stefan Jacoby says he wants to get pricing down to about five percent higher than rivals, a premium he thinks will still make his brand competitive.

The new Tiguan is currently being launched in Europe and will arrive here about May of next year. Expect to see a lot of them in your neighborhood.

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $27,995
Richardson, TX 75080

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $24,995
Pasadena, CA 91107

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $25,255
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2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $22,419
Latham, NY 12110

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $19,995
Red Bank, NJ 07701

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $21,995
Coraopolis, PA 15108

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $21,995
Coraopolis, PA 15108

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $29,480
Clearwater, FL 33765

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $21,995
Feasterville Trevose, PA 19053

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan - $24,995
Richardson, TX 75080