MM Review: 2012 VW Tiguan SE
07-06-12, 05:30 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
MM Review: 2012 VW Tiguan SE
By CL-member-request, a review of the 2012 VW Tiguan
http://www.vw.com/en/models/tiguan/gallery.html
IN A NUTSHELL: Generally pleasant to drive, the only lower-priced European-badged small SUV available in the American market, and reliability is improving.
CLOSEST COMPETITORS: Ford Escape, Chevy Equinox, Dodge Journey, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Suzuki Vitara, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage
(2.0L Turbo shown)
OVERVIEW:
This particular review was not on my regular list, but a short-term request from a well-respected CL member for someone (and, of course, any others) interested in a new Tiguan purchase. I'm still waiting, of course, for some of the 2013-model vehicles to be released in the D.C. area so I can get to those requests, so all the more reason, in the meantime, to go ahead and check out the new Tiguan. Let's get to it.
First of all, it is no secret that VW (Volkswagen) of America, in recent decades, unlike its huge success in Germany and in other parts of the planet where its influence and position in the auto-industry are enormous, has not matched that success here. This, of course, is due to a number of factors, including poor marketing, (sometimes) arrogant or unknowledgeable salespeople, indifferent management, indifferent customer service, poor reliability of some of its products, and just the some preference of many Americans for Japanese or Korean-badged vehicles instead. The most arrogant auto-salesperson I ever met, hands-down (and I've been dealing with them off and on for more than 40 years) was a fairly young VW male of mixed-race (I couldn't really tell which ones, nor does it matter), who was even worse than some of those snooty old aristocrats who used to sell Porsches and BMWs...and that's saying something. This guy had his head so far up the lower-rear position of his own anatomy that his middle name was Colon. Conversely, though, to be fair, , I bought my own Outback, my brother his Impreza, and some of my neighbors, wth my help, their new cars also, from one of the best, nicest, and most honest salespersons I ever met...a VW/Subaru guy at the very same dealership where Mr. Arrogance used to be.
It wasn't always that way, of course. VW of America once enjoyed widespread success in the American market with the air-cooled rear-engine Counter-Culture specials of the 1960s (the so-called Hippie-Machines), often identified by racing-numbers (Herbie the Love-Bug) on the sides or by multi-color paint-splotches and peace-signs on the sides (I won't get into the politics here, as this is not the place for it). Many college students, even of a non-hippie nature, drove air-cooled Beetles for their simplicity, economy,low-cost, good winter-traction on snow, and general short-term durability. They were not problem-free, though, as the noisy, small hard-stressed engines often required major valve-work around 60,000 miles, strong crosswinds made them wander side-to-side like a New year's Eve drunk, 0-60 took all day (top-speed was around 70 or so), and the heater, which worked by blowing air over the exhaust-shroud, was a joke in the winter unless you drove it a hundered miles to warm up. Worse, of course, a leaking shroud could allow exhaust-fumes and carbon monoxide to build up inside. Other than that, though, they were reliable.....and, compared to typical Detroit rattle-and-squeak-machines of the period, quite well-built, with Old World-craftsmanship and excellent fit/finish.
The front-engine/water-cooled VW Dasher of 1974 and Rabbit of 1975 started a major transition, of course, in the design of vehicles that VW sold in the U.S......but also introduced a major downgrade in reliability. I can remember, when I first started working full-time for the government in 1974-75, seeing service-lines of 1975 Rabbits, virtually every morning, that stretched out the side-doors of the service-shop next-door, and all of the way down the street for several blocks (that dealership, BTW, later to become Pontiac, no longer exists). Even Consumer Reports, which liked the way they drove, warned potential buyers to avoid the Rabbit and Dasher for reliability reasons. After this initial period with the new FWD cars, VW of America started a long period of relative obscurity in the American market, despite the occasional popularity of some of its small diesels, the Golf GTI, the Jetta sedan, and, of course, the female-oriented New Beetle of 1998 and its famous flower-stalk on the steering-column.
When VW marketers saw the runaway success in the U.S. market of small car-based SUVs like the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, etc.....they reluctantly decided to try one of their own, the Tiguan. The Tiguan was, like most other small unibody SUVs, based on a small-sedan car-platform, and came in either FWD or full-time 4WD/AWD, lacking an off-road/low-range transfer-case. Its reliability, at first (like many other VW products) was spotty, but has improved in the last several years to average....it is now nominally on Consumer Reports' Recommended-list. It has never been that popular, though, in the American market (certainly not selling in the huge numbers of competitors like the Escape/CR-V/RAV-4). For that reason, it may (?) be easier to deal on and receive a substantial discount while bargaining....depending, of course, on the dealership.
For 2012, three main trim-levels of the Tiguan are avilalable in the American market (S, SE, SEL), although major options, such as sunroof and NAV, are included in adjustments to the basic trim-line rather than sold as separate items. Prices on the various trim-lines vary quite a bit, with basic FWD S models starting at $22,840, and top-level AWD SEL models, with packages, at $38,080. Only one engine is currently offered for the American market...the excellent 2.0L Turbo four with 200 HP and 207 ft-lbs. of torque (long one of my favorite small engines, with power-ratings, IMO, that are underestimated by the official specs). Base-level S models get a choice of a conventional 6-speed manual transmission or a conventional 6-speed Tiptronic torque-converter automatic....all others get the automatic as standard. Why the VW marketers won't offer the superb small TDI diesel and/or the also-superb dual-clutch DSG auto-manual gearbox for American-market Tiguans, like they do on some other American-market VW models, beats me......IMO, these restrictions may be impacting on the vehicle's sales here. Since VW of America relocated its national headquarters, a few years ago, to Herndon, VA, just a few miles from my house, that's a question I might (?) have to check into one of these days....although, for non-auto-press members, getting inside corporate buildings or an appointment to see company VIPs is often easier-said than done. As for the available drivetrains, there is another (IMO) marketing-goof. Base SE models come with FWD, while SE/SEL models have a choice of FWD or VW's 4-Motion AWD. As with the competing new 2013 Ford Escape that I recently reviewed, I see no practical reason why the AWD can't be offered on the base model (especially since it has the same engine/transmisson), for those who want or need the AWD extra traction, but without all of the price-adding features of upper-line models. Auto-marketers sometimes make me want to pull out what is left of my own hair....they are the well-known bane of my existence.
The review-request specified an SE if possible, but did not specify either FWD or AWD. So I went down to the local VW-Subaru shop where I had bought my own Outback (they all know me there, of course, and don't mind much if I sometimes pop in unannounced for a review). They didn't have any AWD SE versions readily available right there (without a fairly long walk to the secondary lot). As it was in the humid mid-90's, pushing 100 degrees (we've been steaming all week in D.C., with some people still without power after last Friday's storms) I just said the heck with it, picked out one of the FWD SE models parked out in front, and did the review off of that. It was a medium (Pepper) Gray Metallic, with a black Leatherette imitation-leather interior, no factory options, and listing for a tad over $29,000. And, not driving an AWD version probably made little difference in the handling/ride as they both have generally the same drivetrain and suspensions, though the AWD version, being a little heavier and with more drag, may not have been quite as fast. With a few exceptions (mostly in the power-steering boost), I was more impressed with it than I expected to be....details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 VW Tiguan SE FWD
BASE PRICE: $28,635
OPTIONS: None
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $820 (maybe a little higher than necessary for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $29,455
EXTERIOR COLOR: Pepper Gray Metallic
INTERIOR Black Leatherette
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 2.0L Turbo in-line four, 200 HP, 207 ft-lbs. of torque (couldn't find the RPM-peaks on the website), and 6-speed Tiptronic Sport-Shift automatic transmission. (I still don't believe those official power-ratings....more on that later)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City / 27 Highway
PLUSSES:
Tough (by unibody-standards) monocoque body construction.
Solid-closing doors.
A gem of a standard (and only) four-cylinder....smooth, quiet, and powerful.
Responsive, refined 6-speed Tiptronic transmision.
Fairly smooth ride by SUV standards.
Quick, smooth, responsive power-steering (but steering-effort much too low).
Flat cornering, especially for a fairly high center-of-gravity.
Butter-smooth, responsive brakes.
Fairly good wind-noise control.
Generally low (but audible) road noise, mostly on grainy surfaces.
Decent underhood layout in spite of the engine-cover.
Excellent paint job.
Nice-quality exterior trim.
Solid-feeling doors and door handles.
Handsome (IMO) SE finned-spoke silver alloy wheels.
Easy snap/swivel outside mirrors.
Good rear/side outward visibility from conservative squared-off body/window design.
Well-done steering wheel.
Well-done controls/*****.
Good front and rear headroom.
Adequate (but not great) rear legroom.
Fairly comfortable lower front-seat cushions.
Nice-looking/feeling Leatherette seat upholstery.
Generally nice (but also some cheap) interior-trim materials.
One-touch four-window lowering for quick cooling.
Monkey-simple, easy-to-read primary/secondary gauges.
Killer stereo sound-quality.
Roomy, well-shaped and well-equipped cargo area.
Under-cargo-floor cubby compartments.
Free scheduled 3/36 maintenance.
Comparatively low sales may (?) help in bargaining on the deal.
MINUSES:
Several (IMO) engine/drivetrain marketing goofs/omissions.
Indifferent corporate management.
(Sometimes) lower-than average customer-service...but depends on the dealership.
Turbo engine requires expensive synthetic or turbo-approved oil.
Reliability generally improving, but still could (?) be tossing the dice.
Way over-boosted power-steering, with almost zero effort.
Somewhat weak A/C air-flow and dash-vents.
Small, D-Shaped exterior side-mirrors impede some rear-vision.
Front seat-backs a little narrow for wide torsos like mine.
Mix of power and non-power driver-seat controls....one must remember which is which.
Cheap-material headliner and sun-visors.
Generally unimpressive (IMO) exterior paint-color shades.
Temporary spare tire.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Manual prop-rod for the hood instead of struts.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the 2012 Tiguan for the first time, the exterior styling pretty-much identifies it as a member of the U.S.-market VW family. Its front end, grille, roofline, fenders, and taillights all carry distinct the marks of those found on other VW products....or at least closely-styled versons of them. The paint-job is quite well done, as it is on most vehicles these days. Except for occasional orange-peel (especially with black), it's getting harder and harder to find lousy paint-jobs or bad imperfections in the paint today. Only 7 exterior colors are offered on the Tiguan, though, and, except for the Wild Cherry (Red) metallic, most of them aren't really to my tastes. The sheet metal quality seems to be good (or at least as good as most of its competitors), and the doors and exterior door-handles have a solid feel. The doors/hatch/hood all close wth a solid feel and sound. The exterior side-mirrors, with their somewhat small "D" shapes, impede on rear-vision a little, but snap/swivel/lock a little more smoothly and slickly than those on some other VW products. The alloy wheels, with their silver fin/turbine-style spokes, were, IMO, handsome. The bean counters (as usual these days) left off the body-side moldings for parking-lot ding-protection. All of the exterior trim looked nice, was slick-smooth, and was securely attached. The high conservative roofline and squared-off rear hatch/window helped make for generally good rear/side vision out the back, though the large D-pillars (which almost all small SUVs now have) necessary for today's roll-over roof-crush-standards tend to block some of it.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the strong yet lightweight steel hood (it felt like steel, despite its relatively light weight) and you fumble with a manual prop-rod instead of nice springs or gas-struts to hold the hood up. As with most vehicles, there is an insulation-pad attached to the underside of the hood. The transversely-mounted 2.0L turbo TSI four fits in with at least some room to spare.....not overly-tight or cramped. even with the plastic cover, which of course blocks the top of the engine, there is some room to reach engine components and work around the sides of the block. Dipsticks (the big oil dipstick is colored orange for easy-recognition), filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are all within easy view and-or reach. The battery, though, was not out in plain view.....it seems to be hidden under one of the plastic covers.
INTERIOR:
The interior, was generally nice and well-done, and, IMO, had only a few disagreeable things. The first nice thing was a system built into the left-front power window switch that, when depressed for more than a few seconds, dropped all four windows at once for quick-cooling....yes, that was nice on this steam-bath 100-degree day and the black leatherette seats. The front seats themselves, for a big wide guy like me, had generally comfortable lower-cushions, but the seatbacks were a little narrow for me. The front-seat adjusters were a mix...power for the seatback/rake adjustment, and manual for most of the other functions. The softly-padded leathette upholstery generally looked and felt nice (nicer, IMO than in some more expensive BMW and Mercedes with their own versions of German imitation-leather), but you could still tell the difference between it and, say, the smooth leather Jaguar/Lexus standards. I'd say, though, for imitating real leather without using the real stuff (in other words, saving money), the small Lexus CT200h probably does it better than any vehicle I've reviewed yet. Yes, when I sat in a CT for the first time, it almost fooled me.
Anyhow, back to the Tiguan's interior. The ceiling headliner and sun-visors were both done in cheap materials....the hard-plastic sun-visors more-so than the thin-fabric headliner. The inside of the A-pillars also lacked padding or fabric. The inner-door-panels were a mix of nicely-padded surfaces and hard-plastic, though the integrated hard, thick-plastic door-grabs felt as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar. The dash was nicely-padded in soft materials, and both the primary and secondary gauges were so simple and clear that a monkey could read them (monkeys actually have more sense then some drivers I've seen). The control-stalks on the steering wheel, pleasantly, lacked the flimsy, break-off-in-your-hand feel of some previous VWs and other German-brand vehicles....I noticed the difference the first time I flicked them. The controls/***** were clear, simple, and well-done, though the SE model lacked the dual front climate-control many other vehcles have nowadays. The video-screen display for the stereo (still controlled by some *****) was not to my taste, but still less-complex than some other screens I've seen. When I turned on the stereo, the sound was a killer...it sounded almost as good as the classic Mark Levinson stereos in high-line Lexus models. Darn, where are those Motley-Crue and Quiet-Riot CDs when you need them?...a stereo THIS good just BEGS for some classic 80s Long-Hair Heavy-Metal sounds. Yeah.....Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest. Great stuff.
The all-black monotone interior my test-car was not necessarily to my tastes, but two-tones and other colors are available. All of the trim and hardware inside felt solid and well-attached. The steering wheel was the classic sporting three-spoke design, and had a very thick, well-padded rim that was beefy to hold....almost like something out of a race-car. The steering itself, though, was a mix of good and not-so-good.....more on that below. The rear seats were generally more comfortable to sit on than those of the competing Ford Escape I reviewed a few weeks ago...but that may still not be saying much. Like the ones in the Escape, the Tiguan's rear seats also have some limited-adjustments to them. The eight small round A/C vents in the dash (which look somewhat like those of late 70s/early-80s Pontiacs, for those of you who remember them), unlike those old Pontiacs, don't produce a very strong, cold flow of air, even on the highest fan-setting. The A/C was (just) adequate for one of those brutal D.C. summer days (known for some of the worst heat/humidity combinations in the country). Those instant-drop of the four windows pays off here....it gives the A/C a little head-start, which it needs. It's not the weakest A/C I've seen by any means (that trophy probably goes to my old 1967 Chrysler), and it does the job.....you just wait a few minutes more than average for it, that's all. My particular test-car did not have a sunroof inside, but they are available in some versions and packages. The shifter for the Tiptronic transmission had a nice fore-aft motion instead of the common zig-zags that I generally find more annoying....more on the transmission, of course, below.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Swing up the big steel-and-glass hatch-lid (SE models don't have a power-lift for it), and one is treated to a fairly roomy and nicely-done cargo area. The comparatively high squared-off roofline, of course, helps with the overall cargo-room and in carrying tall items. A nice fabric/carpeted cargo-cover, attached to the sides of the hatch (and detachable), swings up and down with the hatch, and helps protect cargo from prying-eyes. Matching-fabric of both texture and color (gray) covers both the trunk floor and the walls. The split-rear seats, of course, fold down for added cargo-room, and also have what appears to be a center pass-through for long slim items. Under the trunk floor were a few extra foam-shaped cubby-compartments for carrying small things, and, of course, the one thing I did not like in the cargo area....the usual temporary spare tire. Some trucks and SUVs, designed for off-roading, still have real spare tires and wheels....but they are getting fewer and farther between all the time. Still, IMO, temporary spares, donut-spares, and tire-inflation bottles are for the birds.....cheap, cheap, cheap.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the excellent 2.0L Turbo four, in the SE model, with a regular ignition-key and switch (I generally prefer a start-stop button and proximity-fob). This is a superb four-cylinder powerplant........easily, IMO, along with the also-superb gauges, one of the car's best features. It is smooth, quiet, refined, pulls like a locomotive even from low RPMs, outruns some much bigger V6s (and, in some cases, even small V8s) that I've driven, and is a downright pleasure to drive. Several automotive organizations have consistantly ranked it as one of their Ten-Best engines, and I agree. Every 2.0T I've ever driven, whether in a VW or Audi product (it's the same engine with both brands) has put a smile on my face, especially with the auto-manual DSG and S-Tronic gearboxes (which, unfortunately, the U.S.-market Tiguan doesn't offer). I said it above (and I'll repeat it here)...I simply don't believe the 200 HP/207 ft-lb. torque rating. I'm convinced it's officially underrated...for what reason, I don't know (maybe insurance reasons). It pushes you back in your seat, even in the comparatively heavy Tiguan, like a powerplant with around 270-300 ft-lbs. of torque. A small 2.0L TDI diesel is offered on some U.S.-market VWs.....but, again, not on the Tiguan. The TDI diesel offers more (official) torque than the gas 2.0T, though I personally don't notice much difference between the two of them....one more reason why I think the gas 2.0T is underrated.
Even though the also-superb DSG/S-Tronic automanual gearbox is not offered on the American Tiguan, there's not much to complain about with the standard (on the SE model) conventional Tiptronic automatic. It is smooth, refined, quiet, shifts smartly in the manual Sport-Shift mode. and the 6 speeds it now has makes it flexible and efficient. The fore/aft shifter works smoothly and slickly. It's a great companion to the 2.0T engine.....although the DSG or S-Tronic is even better.
The German-designed chassis, in the German tradition, is quite competent, with a good ride/handling combination and balance. By SUV standards, steering response is quick, and medium-to-hard cornering shows very little body lean......somewhat surprising, considering the relatively high center of gravity. Wind noise is generally well-controlled, and road/tire noise is audible but not bad, even on coarse surfaces. But, IMO, there is one fly in the chassis-ointment, and that is the way-overboosted electro-mechanical power-steering. Some vehicles have gotten the newer electric-boost units right, but this one, IMO, still needs a little work. VW claims that the boost-level drops off with added speed, so people with weak arms and hands can park it easily at low-speeds while retaining a firmer-feel on the road. I'm not convinced...I didn't notice much, if any, difference, regardless of road-speed or engine-RPM. At virually all times, the steering was indeed responsive and butter-smooth, but felt like the novicaine my dentist would give me before drilling. The brakes, like the steering, were responsive and butter-smooth. I didn't have my mens'-size 15 clown-shoes on like I usually do when reviewing cars (the 100-degree heat forced me to wear open-toed sandals today). But the brake pedal in the Tiguan, like the pedals often are with my big size-15 shoes, was mounted a little too high for my big feet. My sandal-edge caught a little on the bottom-edge of the brake pedal whle lifting from gas to
brake, so I had to be careful.
THE VERDICT:
If you want a European-badged/European-designed small, relatively inexpensive car-based SUV, the Tiguan is currently the only real choice in the American market, although the new 2013 Ford Escape, derived from the Euro-market Ford Kuga SUV, does offer some competition at least in spirit if not literally. And, of course, Tiguan SEL models are not necessarily cheap either, with loaded top-line versions running almost 40K or more wth tax/tags. I won't cover the marketing-goofs and lower-than-average customer-service issues again here, as I have already done so above.
But, nevertheless, the Tiguan, IMO, is definitely worth considering. The gas 2.0T engine and Tiptronic combination is superb, though the DSG transmission is even better. The chassis, except for the glare-ice steering feel, performs very well. In general, it is a pleasure to drive. Reliability, initially below average, seems to be improving. Fit/finish, paint-quality, and most of the interior materials/design are quite good. Its low-demand/low-sales and significant mark-up, particularly with high-line versions, allows significant room for dealer-bargaining. Its tough monocoque body-construction allows at least some rough-and-tumble off-road use with the AWD versions, despite the lack of a low-range transfer-case, but, of course, it was not designed to be a Jeep Wrangler. Some insurance companies also either charge extra for off-road-use or won't insure them at all off-road.
And, as always, Happy Car-Shopping.
MM
http://www.vw.com/en/models/tiguan/gallery.html
IN A NUTSHELL: Generally pleasant to drive, the only lower-priced European-badged small SUV available in the American market, and reliability is improving.
CLOSEST COMPETITORS: Ford Escape, Chevy Equinox, Dodge Journey, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Suzuki Vitara, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage
(2.0L Turbo shown)
OVERVIEW:
This particular review was not on my regular list, but a short-term request from a well-respected CL member for someone (and, of course, any others) interested in a new Tiguan purchase. I'm still waiting, of course, for some of the 2013-model vehicles to be released in the D.C. area so I can get to those requests, so all the more reason, in the meantime, to go ahead and check out the new Tiguan. Let's get to it.
First of all, it is no secret that VW (Volkswagen) of America, in recent decades, unlike its huge success in Germany and in other parts of the planet where its influence and position in the auto-industry are enormous, has not matched that success here. This, of course, is due to a number of factors, including poor marketing, (sometimes) arrogant or unknowledgeable salespeople, indifferent management, indifferent customer service, poor reliability of some of its products, and just the some preference of many Americans for Japanese or Korean-badged vehicles instead. The most arrogant auto-salesperson I ever met, hands-down (and I've been dealing with them off and on for more than 40 years) was a fairly young VW male of mixed-race (I couldn't really tell which ones, nor does it matter), who was even worse than some of those snooty old aristocrats who used to sell Porsches and BMWs...and that's saying something. This guy had his head so far up the lower-rear position of his own anatomy that his middle name was Colon. Conversely, though, to be fair, , I bought my own Outback, my brother his Impreza, and some of my neighbors, wth my help, their new cars also, from one of the best, nicest, and most honest salespersons I ever met...a VW/Subaru guy at the very same dealership where Mr. Arrogance used to be.
It wasn't always that way, of course. VW of America once enjoyed widespread success in the American market with the air-cooled rear-engine Counter-Culture specials of the 1960s (the so-called Hippie-Machines), often identified by racing-numbers (Herbie the Love-Bug) on the sides or by multi-color paint-splotches and peace-signs on the sides (I won't get into the politics here, as this is not the place for it). Many college students, even of a non-hippie nature, drove air-cooled Beetles for their simplicity, economy,low-cost, good winter-traction on snow, and general short-term durability. They were not problem-free, though, as the noisy, small hard-stressed engines often required major valve-work around 60,000 miles, strong crosswinds made them wander side-to-side like a New year's Eve drunk, 0-60 took all day (top-speed was around 70 or so), and the heater, which worked by blowing air over the exhaust-shroud, was a joke in the winter unless you drove it a hundered miles to warm up. Worse, of course, a leaking shroud could allow exhaust-fumes and carbon monoxide to build up inside. Other than that, though, they were reliable.....and, compared to typical Detroit rattle-and-squeak-machines of the period, quite well-built, with Old World-craftsmanship and excellent fit/finish.
The front-engine/water-cooled VW Dasher of 1974 and Rabbit of 1975 started a major transition, of course, in the design of vehicles that VW sold in the U.S......but also introduced a major downgrade in reliability. I can remember, when I first started working full-time for the government in 1974-75, seeing service-lines of 1975 Rabbits, virtually every morning, that stretched out the side-doors of the service-shop next-door, and all of the way down the street for several blocks (that dealership, BTW, later to become Pontiac, no longer exists). Even Consumer Reports, which liked the way they drove, warned potential buyers to avoid the Rabbit and Dasher for reliability reasons. After this initial period with the new FWD cars, VW of America started a long period of relative obscurity in the American market, despite the occasional popularity of some of its small diesels, the Golf GTI, the Jetta sedan, and, of course, the female-oriented New Beetle of 1998 and its famous flower-stalk on the steering-column.
When VW marketers saw the runaway success in the U.S. market of small car-based SUVs like the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, etc.....they reluctantly decided to try one of their own, the Tiguan. The Tiguan was, like most other small unibody SUVs, based on a small-sedan car-platform, and came in either FWD or full-time 4WD/AWD, lacking an off-road/low-range transfer-case. Its reliability, at first (like many other VW products) was spotty, but has improved in the last several years to average....it is now nominally on Consumer Reports' Recommended-list. It has never been that popular, though, in the American market (certainly not selling in the huge numbers of competitors like the Escape/CR-V/RAV-4). For that reason, it may (?) be easier to deal on and receive a substantial discount while bargaining....depending, of course, on the dealership.
For 2012, three main trim-levels of the Tiguan are avilalable in the American market (S, SE, SEL), although major options, such as sunroof and NAV, are included in adjustments to the basic trim-line rather than sold as separate items. Prices on the various trim-lines vary quite a bit, with basic FWD S models starting at $22,840, and top-level AWD SEL models, with packages, at $38,080. Only one engine is currently offered for the American market...the excellent 2.0L Turbo four with 200 HP and 207 ft-lbs. of torque (long one of my favorite small engines, with power-ratings, IMO, that are underestimated by the official specs). Base-level S models get a choice of a conventional 6-speed manual transmission or a conventional 6-speed Tiptronic torque-converter automatic....all others get the automatic as standard. Why the VW marketers won't offer the superb small TDI diesel and/or the also-superb dual-clutch DSG auto-manual gearbox for American-market Tiguans, like they do on some other American-market VW models, beats me......IMO, these restrictions may be impacting on the vehicle's sales here. Since VW of America relocated its national headquarters, a few years ago, to Herndon, VA, just a few miles from my house, that's a question I might (?) have to check into one of these days....although, for non-auto-press members, getting inside corporate buildings or an appointment to see company VIPs is often easier-said than done. As for the available drivetrains, there is another (IMO) marketing-goof. Base SE models come with FWD, while SE/SEL models have a choice of FWD or VW's 4-Motion AWD. As with the competing new 2013 Ford Escape that I recently reviewed, I see no practical reason why the AWD can't be offered on the base model (especially since it has the same engine/transmisson), for those who want or need the AWD extra traction, but without all of the price-adding features of upper-line models. Auto-marketers sometimes make me want to pull out what is left of my own hair....they are the well-known bane of my existence.
The review-request specified an SE if possible, but did not specify either FWD or AWD. So I went down to the local VW-Subaru shop where I had bought my own Outback (they all know me there, of course, and don't mind much if I sometimes pop in unannounced for a review). They didn't have any AWD SE versions readily available right there (without a fairly long walk to the secondary lot). As it was in the humid mid-90's, pushing 100 degrees (we've been steaming all week in D.C., with some people still without power after last Friday's storms) I just said the heck with it, picked out one of the FWD SE models parked out in front, and did the review off of that. It was a medium (Pepper) Gray Metallic, with a black Leatherette imitation-leather interior, no factory options, and listing for a tad over $29,000. And, not driving an AWD version probably made little difference in the handling/ride as they both have generally the same drivetrain and suspensions, though the AWD version, being a little heavier and with more drag, may not have been quite as fast. With a few exceptions (mostly in the power-steering boost), I was more impressed with it than I expected to be....details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 VW Tiguan SE FWD
BASE PRICE: $28,635
OPTIONS: None
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $820 (maybe a little higher than necessary for a vehicle this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $29,455
EXTERIOR COLOR: Pepper Gray Metallic
INTERIOR Black Leatherette
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted 2.0L Turbo in-line four, 200 HP, 207 ft-lbs. of torque (couldn't find the RPM-peaks on the website), and 6-speed Tiptronic Sport-Shift automatic transmission. (I still don't believe those official power-ratings....more on that later)
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City / 27 Highway
PLUSSES:
Tough (by unibody-standards) monocoque body construction.
Solid-closing doors.
A gem of a standard (and only) four-cylinder....smooth, quiet, and powerful.
Responsive, refined 6-speed Tiptronic transmision.
Fairly smooth ride by SUV standards.
Quick, smooth, responsive power-steering (but steering-effort much too low).
Flat cornering, especially for a fairly high center-of-gravity.
Butter-smooth, responsive brakes.
Fairly good wind-noise control.
Generally low (but audible) road noise, mostly on grainy surfaces.
Decent underhood layout in spite of the engine-cover.
Excellent paint job.
Nice-quality exterior trim.
Solid-feeling doors and door handles.
Handsome (IMO) SE finned-spoke silver alloy wheels.
Easy snap/swivel outside mirrors.
Good rear/side outward visibility from conservative squared-off body/window design.
Well-done steering wheel.
Well-done controls/*****.
Good front and rear headroom.
Adequate (but not great) rear legroom.
Fairly comfortable lower front-seat cushions.
Nice-looking/feeling Leatherette seat upholstery.
Generally nice (but also some cheap) interior-trim materials.
One-touch four-window lowering for quick cooling.
Monkey-simple, easy-to-read primary/secondary gauges.
Killer stereo sound-quality.
Roomy, well-shaped and well-equipped cargo area.
Under-cargo-floor cubby compartments.
Free scheduled 3/36 maintenance.
Comparatively low sales may (?) help in bargaining on the deal.
MINUSES:
Several (IMO) engine/drivetrain marketing goofs/omissions.
Indifferent corporate management.
(Sometimes) lower-than average customer-service...but depends on the dealership.
Turbo engine requires expensive synthetic or turbo-approved oil.
Reliability generally improving, but still could (?) be tossing the dice.
Way over-boosted power-steering, with almost zero effort.
Somewhat weak A/C air-flow and dash-vents.
Small, D-Shaped exterior side-mirrors impede some rear-vision.
Front seat-backs a little narrow for wide torsos like mine.
Mix of power and non-power driver-seat controls....one must remember which is which.
Cheap-material headliner and sun-visors.
Generally unimpressive (IMO) exterior paint-color shades.
Temporary spare tire.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Manual prop-rod for the hood instead of struts.
EXTERIOR:
Walking up to the 2012 Tiguan for the first time, the exterior styling pretty-much identifies it as a member of the U.S.-market VW family. Its front end, grille, roofline, fenders, and taillights all carry distinct the marks of those found on other VW products....or at least closely-styled versons of them. The paint-job is quite well done, as it is on most vehicles these days. Except for occasional orange-peel (especially with black), it's getting harder and harder to find lousy paint-jobs or bad imperfections in the paint today. Only 7 exterior colors are offered on the Tiguan, though, and, except for the Wild Cherry (Red) metallic, most of them aren't really to my tastes. The sheet metal quality seems to be good (or at least as good as most of its competitors), and the doors and exterior door-handles have a solid feel. The doors/hatch/hood all close wth a solid feel and sound. The exterior side-mirrors, with their somewhat small "D" shapes, impede on rear-vision a little, but snap/swivel/lock a little more smoothly and slickly than those on some other VW products. The alloy wheels, with their silver fin/turbine-style spokes, were, IMO, handsome. The bean counters (as usual these days) left off the body-side moldings for parking-lot ding-protection. All of the exterior trim looked nice, was slick-smooth, and was securely attached. The high conservative roofline and squared-off rear hatch/window helped make for generally good rear/side vision out the back, though the large D-pillars (which almost all small SUVs now have) necessary for today's roll-over roof-crush-standards tend to block some of it.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the strong yet lightweight steel hood (it felt like steel, despite its relatively light weight) and you fumble with a manual prop-rod instead of nice springs or gas-struts to hold the hood up. As with most vehicles, there is an insulation-pad attached to the underside of the hood. The transversely-mounted 2.0L turbo TSI four fits in with at least some room to spare.....not overly-tight or cramped. even with the plastic cover, which of course blocks the top of the engine, there is some room to reach engine components and work around the sides of the block. Dipsticks (the big oil dipstick is colored orange for easy-recognition), filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs are all within easy view and-or reach. The battery, though, was not out in plain view.....it seems to be hidden under one of the plastic covers.
INTERIOR:
The interior, was generally nice and well-done, and, IMO, had only a few disagreeable things. The first nice thing was a system built into the left-front power window switch that, when depressed for more than a few seconds, dropped all four windows at once for quick-cooling....yes, that was nice on this steam-bath 100-degree day and the black leatherette seats. The front seats themselves, for a big wide guy like me, had generally comfortable lower-cushions, but the seatbacks were a little narrow for me. The front-seat adjusters were a mix...power for the seatback/rake adjustment, and manual for most of the other functions. The softly-padded leathette upholstery generally looked and felt nice (nicer, IMO than in some more expensive BMW and Mercedes with their own versions of German imitation-leather), but you could still tell the difference between it and, say, the smooth leather Jaguar/Lexus standards. I'd say, though, for imitating real leather without using the real stuff (in other words, saving money), the small Lexus CT200h probably does it better than any vehicle I've reviewed yet. Yes, when I sat in a CT for the first time, it almost fooled me.
Anyhow, back to the Tiguan's interior. The ceiling headliner and sun-visors were both done in cheap materials....the hard-plastic sun-visors more-so than the thin-fabric headliner. The inside of the A-pillars also lacked padding or fabric. The inner-door-panels were a mix of nicely-padded surfaces and hard-plastic, though the integrated hard, thick-plastic door-grabs felt as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar. The dash was nicely-padded in soft materials, and both the primary and secondary gauges were so simple and clear that a monkey could read them (monkeys actually have more sense then some drivers I've seen). The control-stalks on the steering wheel, pleasantly, lacked the flimsy, break-off-in-your-hand feel of some previous VWs and other German-brand vehicles....I noticed the difference the first time I flicked them. The controls/***** were clear, simple, and well-done, though the SE model lacked the dual front climate-control many other vehcles have nowadays. The video-screen display for the stereo (still controlled by some *****) was not to my taste, but still less-complex than some other screens I've seen. When I turned on the stereo, the sound was a killer...it sounded almost as good as the classic Mark Levinson stereos in high-line Lexus models. Darn, where are those Motley-Crue and Quiet-Riot CDs when you need them?...a stereo THIS good just BEGS for some classic 80s Long-Hair Heavy-Metal sounds. Yeah.....Iron Maiden, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest. Great stuff.
The all-black monotone interior my test-car was not necessarily to my tastes, but two-tones and other colors are available. All of the trim and hardware inside felt solid and well-attached. The steering wheel was the classic sporting three-spoke design, and had a very thick, well-padded rim that was beefy to hold....almost like something out of a race-car. The steering itself, though, was a mix of good and not-so-good.....more on that below. The rear seats were generally more comfortable to sit on than those of the competing Ford Escape I reviewed a few weeks ago...but that may still not be saying much. Like the ones in the Escape, the Tiguan's rear seats also have some limited-adjustments to them. The eight small round A/C vents in the dash (which look somewhat like those of late 70s/early-80s Pontiacs, for those of you who remember them), unlike those old Pontiacs, don't produce a very strong, cold flow of air, even on the highest fan-setting. The A/C was (just) adequate for one of those brutal D.C. summer days (known for some of the worst heat/humidity combinations in the country). Those instant-drop of the four windows pays off here....it gives the A/C a little head-start, which it needs. It's not the weakest A/C I've seen by any means (that trophy probably goes to my old 1967 Chrysler), and it does the job.....you just wait a few minutes more than average for it, that's all. My particular test-car did not have a sunroof inside, but they are available in some versions and packages. The shifter for the Tiptronic transmission had a nice fore-aft motion instead of the common zig-zags that I generally find more annoying....more on the transmission, of course, below.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Swing up the big steel-and-glass hatch-lid (SE models don't have a power-lift for it), and one is treated to a fairly roomy and nicely-done cargo area. The comparatively high squared-off roofline, of course, helps with the overall cargo-room and in carrying tall items. A nice fabric/carpeted cargo-cover, attached to the sides of the hatch (and detachable), swings up and down with the hatch, and helps protect cargo from prying-eyes. Matching-fabric of both texture and color (gray) covers both the trunk floor and the walls. The split-rear seats, of course, fold down for added cargo-room, and also have what appears to be a center pass-through for long slim items. Under the trunk floor were a few extra foam-shaped cubby-compartments for carrying small things, and, of course, the one thing I did not like in the cargo area....the usual temporary spare tire. Some trucks and SUVs, designed for off-roading, still have real spare tires and wheels....but they are getting fewer and farther between all the time. Still, IMO, temporary spares, donut-spares, and tire-inflation bottles are for the birds.....cheap, cheap, cheap.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the excellent 2.0L Turbo four, in the SE model, with a regular ignition-key and switch (I generally prefer a start-stop button and proximity-fob). This is a superb four-cylinder powerplant........easily, IMO, along with the also-superb gauges, one of the car's best features. It is smooth, quiet, refined, pulls like a locomotive even from low RPMs, outruns some much bigger V6s (and, in some cases, even small V8s) that I've driven, and is a downright pleasure to drive. Several automotive organizations have consistantly ranked it as one of their Ten-Best engines, and I agree. Every 2.0T I've ever driven, whether in a VW or Audi product (it's the same engine with both brands) has put a smile on my face, especially with the auto-manual DSG and S-Tronic gearboxes (which, unfortunately, the U.S.-market Tiguan doesn't offer). I said it above (and I'll repeat it here)...I simply don't believe the 200 HP/207 ft-lb. torque rating. I'm convinced it's officially underrated...for what reason, I don't know (maybe insurance reasons). It pushes you back in your seat, even in the comparatively heavy Tiguan, like a powerplant with around 270-300 ft-lbs. of torque. A small 2.0L TDI diesel is offered on some U.S.-market VWs.....but, again, not on the Tiguan. The TDI diesel offers more (official) torque than the gas 2.0T, though I personally don't notice much difference between the two of them....one more reason why I think the gas 2.0T is underrated.
Even though the also-superb DSG/S-Tronic automanual gearbox is not offered on the American Tiguan, there's not much to complain about with the standard (on the SE model) conventional Tiptronic automatic. It is smooth, refined, quiet, shifts smartly in the manual Sport-Shift mode. and the 6 speeds it now has makes it flexible and efficient. The fore/aft shifter works smoothly and slickly. It's a great companion to the 2.0T engine.....although the DSG or S-Tronic is even better.
The German-designed chassis, in the German tradition, is quite competent, with a good ride/handling combination and balance. By SUV standards, steering response is quick, and medium-to-hard cornering shows very little body lean......somewhat surprising, considering the relatively high center of gravity. Wind noise is generally well-controlled, and road/tire noise is audible but not bad, even on coarse surfaces. But, IMO, there is one fly in the chassis-ointment, and that is the way-overboosted electro-mechanical power-steering. Some vehicles have gotten the newer electric-boost units right, but this one, IMO, still needs a little work. VW claims that the boost-level drops off with added speed, so people with weak arms and hands can park it easily at low-speeds while retaining a firmer-feel on the road. I'm not convinced...I didn't notice much, if any, difference, regardless of road-speed or engine-RPM. At virually all times, the steering was indeed responsive and butter-smooth, but felt like the novicaine my dentist would give me before drilling. The brakes, like the steering, were responsive and butter-smooth. I didn't have my mens'-size 15 clown-shoes on like I usually do when reviewing cars (the 100-degree heat forced me to wear open-toed sandals today). But the brake pedal in the Tiguan, like the pedals often are with my big size-15 shoes, was mounted a little too high for my big feet. My sandal-edge caught a little on the bottom-edge of the brake pedal whle lifting from gas to
brake, so I had to be careful.
THE VERDICT:
If you want a European-badged/European-designed small, relatively inexpensive car-based SUV, the Tiguan is currently the only real choice in the American market, although the new 2013 Ford Escape, derived from the Euro-market Ford Kuga SUV, does offer some competition at least in spirit if not literally. And, of course, Tiguan SEL models are not necessarily cheap either, with loaded top-line versions running almost 40K or more wth tax/tags. I won't cover the marketing-goofs and lower-than-average customer-service issues again here, as I have already done so above.
But, nevertheless, the Tiguan, IMO, is definitely worth considering. The gas 2.0T engine and Tiptronic combination is superb, though the DSG transmission is even better. The chassis, except for the glare-ice steering feel, performs very well. In general, it is a pleasure to drive. Reliability, initially below average, seems to be improving. Fit/finish, paint-quality, and most of the interior materials/design are quite good. Its low-demand/low-sales and significant mark-up, particularly with high-line versions, allows significant room for dealer-bargaining. Its tough monocoque body-construction allows at least some rough-and-tumble off-road use with the AWD versions, despite the lack of a low-range transfer-case, but, of course, it was not designed to be a Jeep Wrangler. Some insurance companies also either charge extra for off-road-use or won't insure them at all off-road.
And, as always, Happy Car-Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-12 at 09:30 AM.
07-06-12, 05:59 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks. 
I don't necessarily see it as feminine styling. Feminine-attraction is more typical of small VW convertibles and, of course, the 1998-2011 Beetle. In general, though, I agree that your opinion is not alone......it's probably not going to sell in RAV4 or CR-V numbers. But people who actually take the time to go to a VW showroom and drive one will, I think, be fairly impressed.
It is well appointed, and I defiantly prefer it to the first gen one, but I would still omit it from my list if I were shopping for a small CUV. I think it's the somewhat feminine styling that offputs it for me
07-07-12, 06:34 AM
#5
Dysfunctional Veteran
Mike, thank you so much for the review. My soldier is currently exploring all of his options, but I printed this off so he could read it. Sorry for the short notice on it, but he is now down to days to make his choice. Poor planning on his part, perhaps, but it is his first vehicle purchase. You just helped us immensely in whatever vehicle he chooses, so thanks
And Great Review as always. I find myself very often looking through your threads at reviews of the past and seeing what you think of vehicles. Great reading all the time
And Great Review as always. I find myself very often looking through your threads at reviews of the past and seeing what you think of vehicles. Great reading all the time
07-07-12, 06:46 AM
#6
Lexus Champion
C&D recently did a comparo and one of the cars was an Audi A4 with the 2.0T engine. They too mentioned that the engine felt and performed very strong for its published hp and tq ratings.
07-07-12, 07:13 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Sure....anytime.
Yes, the real torque figure in the 2.0T is at least 250-260, and, IMO, probably between 270 and 290. VW, for some reason, either didn't post the RPM power-peaks on their website, or I couldn't find them. But the torque peak seems to be a low enough RPM that you can feel it at low speeds (and it will press you back into your seat), without having to over-rev, like with older Honda normally-aspirated VTEC fours.
Me too think the rating is not right, it's the same as Audi A4, and that was rate 200hp, 255 lb of torque.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-12 at 07:20 AM.
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07-07-12, 07:26 AM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yes, it's obvious that the specs don't do this engine justice. But one thing concerns me, though.....the more stress you put on an engine over and above what it was designed for, especially with small-displacement engines like this one, the more you could be ultimately compromising its service-life. If I owned a car with this engine, I'd take it easy most of the time, taking advantage of fuel-economy, and save the power for when it's probably most-needed....pulling out into fast-moving traffic.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-12 at 07:30 AM.
07-07-12, 07:39 AM
#9
Lexus Champion
Yes, it's obvious that the specs don't do this engine justice. But one thing concerns me, though.....the more stress you put on an engine over and above what it was designed for, especially with small-displacement engines like this one, the more you could be ultimately compromising its service-life. If I owned a car with this engine, I'd take it easy most of the time, taking advantage of fuel-economy, and save the power for when it's probably most-needed....pulling out into fast-moving traffic.
07-07-12, 07:48 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by ArmyofOne
Mike, thank you so much for the review.
My soldier is currently exploring all of his options, but I printed this off so he could read it. Sorry for the short notice on it, but he is now down to days to make his choice. Poor planning on his part, perhaps, but it is his first vehicle purchase. You just helped us immensely in whatever vehicle he chooses, so thanks
If your G.I. friend is interested in this general type of vehicle, I also reviewed the competing new 2013 Ford Escape several weeks ago, and the outgoing 2012 Toyota RAV4 a few months ago. You might want to buzz him off a copy of those, also.
And make sure that if and when he goes shopping, he asks about a discount for active-duty military (and takes along his ID card or dog-tags). Some dealerships are saying Thank-You to the military by giving them a lower price.
And Great Review as always. I find myself very often looking through your threads at reviews of the past and seeing what you think of vehicles. Great reading all the time
Mike (1SICKLEX) also does some good 1SICKREVIEWs.....mostly on upmarket vehicles. You might also want to check them out.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-07-12 at 07:52 AM.
07-07-12, 09:02 AM
#11
MM great view as always, thanks.
We recently shopped for a vehicle in the class and I agree the Tiguan drives really nice, probably one of the most enjoyable in the class. On the down side we also found that rear seat room and storage was lacking compared to others and, as you state in your write up, the price creeps over $35K once you option it up.
Looking forward to your next review!
We recently shopped for a vehicle in the class and I agree the Tiguan drives really nice, probably one of the most enjoyable in the class. On the down side we also found that rear seat room and storage was lacking compared to others and, as you state in your write up, the price creeps over $35K once you option it up.
Looking forward to your next review!
07-07-12, 09:10 AM
#12
Lexus Champion
MM great view as always, thanks.
We recently shopped for a vehicle in the class and I agree the Tiguan drives really nice, probably one of the most enjoyable in the class. On the down side we also found that rear seat room and storage was lacking compared to others and, as you state in your write up, the price creeps over $35K once you option it up.
Looking forward to your next review!
We recently shopped for a vehicle in the class and I agree the Tiguan drives really nice, probably one of the most enjoyable in the class. On the down side we also found that rear seat room and storage was lacking compared to others and, as you state in your write up, the price creeps over $35K once you option it up.
Looking forward to your next review!
07-07-12, 09:20 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Glad you enjoy them.
Granted, it's no Chevy Suburban, but the conservative squared-off rear roofline does help some with the cargo area.
It's not hard to get small SUVs up to 35K, and, in some cases, even 40K today. Auto prices have risen in recent years for a number of reasons...more government-mandated equipment, more consumer-demanded equipment, more emphasis on quality at the factory requiring more care in assembly and inspections, and, of course, the engineering needed for constantly-increasing CAFE and emissions rules.
Still waiting for some of the 2013 requests I have to debut.....and for a Dodge Dart test-drive.
We recently shopped for a vehicle in the class and I agree the Tiguan drives really nice, probably one of the most enjoyable in the class. On the down side we also found that rear seat room and storage was lacking compared to others and, as you state in your write up, the price creeps over $35K once you option it up.
It's not hard to get small SUVs up to 35K, and, in some cases, even 40K today. Auto prices have risen in recent years for a number of reasons...more government-mandated equipment, more consumer-demanded equipment, more emphasis on quality at the factory requiring more care in assembly and inspections, and, of course, the engineering needed for constantly-increasing CAFE and emissions rules.
Looking forward to your next review!
07-07-12, 10:07 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter