All New 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Review By John Heilig

THE AUTO PAGE
By John Heilig
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Mid-Atlantic Bureau
The Auto Channel

REVIEWED MODEL: 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL
ENGINE: 2.0-liter DOHC turbo 4
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with Tiptronic
HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 184 hp @ 4,400 rpm/221 lb.-ft. @ 1,600 rpm
WHEELBASE: 109.8 in.
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 185.1 x 72.4 x 66.3 in.
TIRES: P215/65R17
CARGO CAPACITY: 12.0/33.0/65.7 cu. ft. (behind 3rd row/ behind 2nd row/ behind 1st row
ECONOMY: 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway/28.7 mpg test
FUEL TANK: 15.3 gal.
CURB WEIGHT: 3,777 lbs. #/HP: 20.5
TOWING CAPACITY: 1,500 lbs.
COMPETITIVE CLASS: Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Jeep Patriot
STICKER: $37,150 (includes $900 delivery)
BOTTOM LINE: The VW Tiguan is a very nice small SUV that is hampered by a noisy engine.

The redesigned 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan is so different from its predecessor that it’s surprising VW didn’t come up with a new name. The new Tiguan is 10.6 inches longer than the previous version. With the extra length, there is now up to 33 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row.

But it has one serious flaw. You can’t ignore the engine. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four does its job most of the time, but around town, every time it goes over 2,000 rpm it makes a horrible racket, almost like valve clatter. On the highway from say 3,000 rpm upward, it isn’t as noticeable, perhaps because of wind noise, etc.

Acceleration is exciting, especially when you’re entering a highway and a big 18-wheeler is bearing down on you. We made it.

In just about every other aspect, the new Tiguan shines. For example, we took the Tiguan on a long trip over a winding road to a new restaurant. With the lane keeping assist that nudged us subtly toward the center of the lane, it was almost as if the Tiguan knew the way. Some lane keeping assist features either move your seat or jerk the wheel. The Tiguan was gentler about it.

Front seats are comfortable with bolsters the sides and seat to hold the passengers in. There’s a small center console/arm rest, but it was larger enough so that my wife and I didn’t have to battle over arm rest space.

There is a large sunroof that extends to the rear seats. At night, there is accent lighting around the perimeter of the sunroof. There’s also accent lighting under the front side windows and in the door wells.

Cargo capacity s impressive for a small SUV, but we still had to lower the second row seat backs to place golf bags in there. In Tiguan’s defense, this is standard for most small SUVs. The seat backs fold flat for a flat cargo floor. If you have the third row seats up (we kept them folded for most of our test), you can gain access thanks to sliding second row seats. We had some initial difficulty figuring out how to lower the second row seats but it’s a short learning curve.

There is essentially no cargo space behind the third row seats, just 12 cubic feet. It’s a good size for grocery bags, but if you’re returning from a visit to Costco, you need more room.

Tiguan has a clear dash and instrument panel. There’s a large tachometer with an inset gear indicator, an information panel, and a large speedometer with a digital speedometer inset. The information panel included a compass, digital clock, outside temperature, odometer, lane keeping assist indicator and cruise control settings. In the center of this is an image of the Tiguan with the route you are on.

The 8.0-inch infotainment screen is clear with the usual menu of options. We found the navigation system easy to program and follow. It picked up destinations easily. We enjoyed the Fender audio system.

New on the Tiguan this year is an emergency braking system called Maneuver Braking. Included with ParkPilot, which uses ultrasonic sensors front and rear to provide guidance when parking in tight spaces, Maneuver Braking can help mitigate or prevent collisions with stationary objects while the vehicle is maneuvered in reverse. It can apply the brakes automatically if necessary.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a nice package overall, but the 2.0-liter four is a detriment. Let’s hope that VW offers a V6 in the near future.

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