2018 Volkswagen Tiguan

In its attempt to court U.S. buyers, Volkswagen has tried on size big—the spacious, made-for-America versions of the Jetta and Passat sedans—and size tall—the Tiguan and Touareg SUVs. Both approaches have found mixed success on our shores. Now VW finally has figured out that we Americans like our cars big and tall.

A renewed SUV push is now underway to try to make up for lost time, starting with the three-row Atlas and continuing with the second-generation Tiguan that’s considerably bigger than its Euro-centric predecessor. The new, bigger Tig now is one of the largest entries in the compact-crossover segment, with its 185.1-inch length exceeding the old Tiguan’s by nearly an entire foot and eclipsing key rivals such as the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, and the Nissan Rogue by several inches.

Long and Strong

We’re getting the long-wheelbase version of the new Tiguan in the States (there’s a short-wheelbase version already on sale in Europe), and it’s capacious enough that VW saw fit to offer a third row of seats, a rarity in this class. The Rogue and the Mitsubishi Outlander are the only other crossovers this size that can lay claim to seven-passenger capacity, and those claims are dubious—as anyone who has tried to stuff a passenger over five-feet tall into their third rows will understand.

As in the size-XL Atlas, the Tiguan’s packaging is a strong suit. Yes, the third row works best as a kids-only zone, but adults will fit in a pinch. The roomy second row is an especially nice place to spend time. It reclines, slides fore and aft, and features well-sculpted padding in addition to air vents and a USB port. All front-wheel-drive Tiguans come with seven seats, but the third row is a $500 option on all-wheel-drive models. (Blame the feds for that weird anomaly: Front-drive models need the third row in order to be classified as a light truck; all-wheel-drive versions don’t.)

Dulled Dynamics

The key downside to the new Tiguan’s ballooning size is that it loses the previous-generation’s Golf-on-stilts character, which made it one of the more entertaining small crossovers to drive. The new Tiguan is less eager. It rides softly and rolls considerably in corners; even though it shares its basic MQB bones with the fabulous-driving seventh-generation Golf, the combination of the Tiguan’s extra weight versus that car and the relaxed tuning of the primary controls removes a considerable degree of responsiveness from the chassis. The electrically assisted steering rack is overboosted and lacks on-center feel, turn-in is lazy, and the brake pedal is a bit mushy. Volkswagen clearly prioritized quiet comfort over athleticism, and the Tiguan tracks straight down the freeway and features a quiet and plush ride, qualities that will please family-minded shoppers.

The Tiguan’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine has been updated and now uses a more efficient combustion process called the Budack cycle. There’s a meaty torque plateau in the four-cylinder’s midrange, but the engine note is gritty, and its response off the line is sluggish due to some turbo lag and a long-travel accelerator pedal. With the caveat that we drove the Tiguan exclusively at high elevations in Colorado, the engine ran out of steam higher in the rev range and the eight-speed automatic is slow to downshift, making passing or merging a somewhat strained proposition. The new engine left us wishing for some sort of upgrade powerplant with more power, but this 2.0T is the only choice for now. And given the Budack-cycle tech, we’re disappointed the turbo four isn’t able to deliver more competitive EPA numbers: The Tiguan’s 24-mpg combined rating falls 6 mpg short of the CR-V’s with its more enthusiastic and more powerful 1.5-liter turbo four.

All Grown Up

If the new Tiguan isn’t quite as fun-loving as before, it is at least considerably more mature in its aesthetic. Its nicely creased, squared-off look is among the more pleasing designs in its class. The interior, too, rises to the top end of the segment: The dashboard looks and feels upscale, with clearly organized HVAC and audio controls and a large, crisp-looking 8.0-inch touchscreen display in all but the base S trim, which gets a 6.5-inch screen. The leatherette upholstery found in SE and SEL models is convincing, while the top SEL Premium gets real hides and a high-tech, configurable digital gauge cluster that’s not far off from Audi’s Virtual Cockpit system. Active-safety feature availability isn’t quite as widespread as in the CR-V, but VW does offer forward-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring as standard on SE models and above (and optional on the S).

While the base Tiguan S has an attractive starting price of $26,245—that’s less than a three-row Rogue—the better-equipped trim levels can get pricey, especially when you add $1300 for 4MOTION. The reasonably equipped SE model with all-wheel drive and without the third row runs $31,280 and is probably the best value, but to get equipment such as a power liftgate, a panoramic sunroof, or remote start, you have to pay just over $33,000 for the SEL. The SEL Premium approaches $40,000 with all the options, at which point you might start looking at an Audi Q5 or the much larger Atlas. For those who can’t stomach those costs, or for those who want to have more fun in their VW crossover, the outgoing Tiguan will remain on sale for a few more years as the Tiguan Limited, presumably with a considerably discounted base price.

For others looking for a roomy compact crossover SUV, though, this full-figured Tiguan’s price premium will be offset by the sheer amount of car you get for the money. While we might lament the loss of a sense of driving pleasure, we understand why Volkswagen remade this small crossover into a spacious comfortable cruiser. The Tiguan now meets the wants and needs of shoppers in the segment, most of whom will take space over pace any day.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 5- or 7-passenger, 4-door hatchback

BASE PRICES: S, $26,245;
SE, $29,980;
SEL, $33,450;
SEL Premium, $37,150

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 121 cu in, 1984 cc
Power: 184 hp @ 4400 rpm
Torque: 221 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 109.8 in
Length: 185.1 in
Width: 72.4 in Height: 66.3 in
Passenger volume: 102–125 cu ft
Cargo volume: 12–38 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3800–3900 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 8.2–8.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.4–22.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.5–16.7 sec
Top speed: 120 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway: 23–24/21–22/27 mpg