by: Bruce W. Smith When a vehicle’s door shuts with a thud instead of a twang you know
it’s made well. When you slide into the driver’s seat and your body
immediately feels comfortable behind the wheel, you know the designers
were on the mark. Tiguan (pronounced TEE-gwan and derived from combining the German words
for tiger (Tiger) and Its big brother, the Toureg, would be very proud because little brother provides the same feel of on-road superiority over its competitors – just on a smaller scale. The Tiguan SE 4Motion we tested delivers a ride on par with full-size SUVs with the sure-footed nimbleness and quickness of the Rabbit and GTI.
With 0-60mph times in the low seven second range and a quarter-mile sprint at 15.6 at 91.4mph, the Tiguan is faster than the majority of its key competitors (the V6-powered Toyota RAV4 is slightly quicker.)
The SE model we tested was very nicely equipped. The base price for the
SE Driving I just as big a pleasure. The steering is heavier than you’d first expect, giving distinct sense of being in a bigger vehicle. The six-speed automatic shifts briskly and always at the right time whether you are easy on the throttle or enjoying every ounce of the turbo 2.0L’s 207 pound-feet of torque. Ride quality is very good, the suspension absorbing broken pavement and
pot-holes much better than its Honda As for overall styling, the Tiguan’s lines are more tigerish than lizard; it evokes the same look as it feels behind the wheel – muscular and well balanced. In fact we couldn’t find a thing creepy or slithery about VW’s new crossover. – BWS Full Specs: http://www.vw.com/tiguan/completespecs/en/us/#/show_all
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LITTLE
HAULER
iguana (Leguan) is the latest offering from the German car maker in their
crossover SUV line. Stupid name, great vehicle. 
Not
surprising as the Tiguan SE 4Motion (all-wheel-drive) chassis is part
Rabbit/GTI, part Passat with the 200hp 2.0L turbo-four and six-speed
automatic shared with the GTI, Audi TT/A4 handling the performance side of
the equation. It makes for one of the very best cross-over SUV packages
around. 
It
also has excellent interior cargo space and delivers very good EPA fuel
economy getting 18 in town and 24 on the open road. We saw an overall
average of just over 20mpg during some 300 miles of driving – mostly of it
in the suburbs.
4Motion model is $28,875. As tested: $33,165. You get a lot for te money,
too. Trimmed in leather, heated front seats, nearly power everything, DVD/Navi
system ($1,950), and adorned with the optional panoramic sunroof ($1,300),
the Tiguan oozes richness. 
and Toyota rivals. Traction issues, on and off-paved surfaces, are kept at
bay by the all-wheel-drive system VW calls “4Motion” and electronic
differential lock. We had the opportunity to drive in heavy rains, on dirt
and gravel backroads, and on city streets and open interstates. Never once
was there a hint of wheelspin or unexpected car movement.