My tester was equipped with the autobox, which matched the powerband of the stout little mill with intimacy to envy. This pair works in harmony unknown in marriage. Never does the engine struggle in the wrong cog; they swap in and out with military precision.
Smoother ride than expected
There’s another German crossover roughly the same size as the Tiguan that thrills with razor-sharp handling dynamics yet it’s decried for an excessively abrupt ride, and that’s BMW’s X3. It seems that VW has managed to infuse the Tiguan with wonderfully athletic handling characteristics while avoiding the X3’s punishment to the kidneys.
VW engineers seem to have found a Zen-like balance between handling performance and ride comfort. The Tiguan is quite realistic in the way that it blends sportiness with compassion, and I found the mix to be a near perfect elixir.
On the road with the Tiguan
With a modest base price of $27,575 (front-wheel-drive), the Tiguan is a compact crossover that feels more polished than its price would suggest. Such incongruity includes the revered sense of German solidity that one would expect to find in a more affluent Germanic offering – names withheld to protect the snobbery.
Driver or passenger would be hard-pressed to confidently declare whether the Tiguan is motivated by four or six cylinders. The 2.0T beneath the rather long hood suffers no turbo lag, and apart from a nanosecond of weakness at launch the little brute pulls with surprisingly strong, linear fortitude through to its 6,500 rpm redline.
A nicely muted yet refined exhaust note is emitted when the Tiguan is ordered to the plate, otherwise the engine is quiet and unobtrusive, and is nicely complemented by low road and wind noise. The civilized operation is a great backdrop to the sensational sound produced through 8 speakers by the optional 300-watt Dynaudio digital sound package.
Safety and protection almost praiseworthy
VW stocked the Tiguan with the important implements of safety and protection as standard equipment, the sum of which includes driver and passenger front airbags, side airbags and Side Curtain Protection. Also on the list is ESP, Volkswagen’s Electronic Stabilization Program.
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| The Tiguan is quite realistic in the way that it blends sportiness with compassion. |
Smoother ride than expected
There’s another German crossover roughly the same size as the Tiguan that thrills with razor-sharp handling dynamics yet it’s decried for an excessively abrupt ride, and that’s BMW’s X3. It seems that VW has managed to infuse the Tiguan with wonderfully athletic handling characteristics while avoiding the X3’s punishment to the kidneys.
VW engineers seem to have found a Zen-like balance between handling performance and ride comfort. The Tiguan is quite realistic in the way that it blends sportiness with compassion, and I found the mix to be a near perfect elixir.
On the road with the Tiguan
With a modest base price of $27,575 (front-wheel-drive), the Tiguan is a compact crossover that feels more polished than its price would suggest. Such incongruity includes the revered sense of German solidity that one would expect to find in a more affluent Germanic offering – names withheld to protect the snobbery.
Driver or passenger would be hard-pressed to confidently declare whether the Tiguan is motivated by four or six cylinders. The 2.0T beneath the rather long hood suffers no turbo lag, and apart from a nanosecond of weakness at launch the little brute pulls with surprisingly strong, linear fortitude through to its 6,500 rpm redline.
A nicely muted yet refined exhaust note is emitted when the Tiguan is ordered to the plate, otherwise the engine is quiet and unobtrusive, and is nicely complemented by low road and wind noise. The civilized operation is a great backdrop to the sensational sound produced through 8 speakers by the optional 300-watt Dynaudio digital sound package.
Safety and protection almost praiseworthy
VW stocked the Tiguan with the important implements of safety and protection as standard equipment, the sum of which includes driver and passenger front airbags, side airbags and Side Curtain Protection. Also on the list is ESP, Volkswagen’s Electronic Stabilization Program.
 |
| VW stocked the Tiguan with the important implements of safety and protection as standard equipment. |