Flash Drive

2019 Volkswagen Tiguan

July 24, 2019 - Behind The Wheel - Comments: 

Model Tested: 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium w/4Motion

The 2019 VW Tiguan is a great family adventure vehicle as well as an excellent daily driver.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, 184-horsepower 221 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel-drive

EPA Rating: 21-mpg city, 29-mpg highway, 24-mpg combined

Base Price: $37,195

As Tested: $38,190

Performance:

Pleasant highway ride

Confident in moderate off-road situations

Console dial for 4×4 modes: snow, regular, mountain

Interior space and comfort are Tiguan strong points. The SEL Premium trim is very nice.

Good fuel economy—we averaged 26.9-mpg

OK engine response, but no rocket

4-wheel drive Tiguan is slower than 2-wheel drive model

Lots of excellent standard safety features

Comfort:

Spacious front row accommodations

Stretch-out legroom

Great second row knee and legroom

Sliding and reclining second row seats

Adult can fit in middle but cushion is hard

Second row room and comfort are better than most compact SUVs. The seats slide and recline.

Driver power lumbar support

Soft headrests

Passenger seat has manual seat height pump

Thin, but slightly contoured flat bottom leather wheel

Lots of efficient auxiliary controls

Easy back seat access via oversized doors

Panoramic sunroof makes interior seem bigger/brighter

Smallish third row seats (optional on

Third row seating is standard on front-wheel-drive Tiguan models and optional on 4Motion iterations.

4×4 models)

Utility:

Split, folding rear seats have slight slope

Main cargo deck is flat

Large wide opening via power tailgate

No lift-over, tailgate opens very high

Foot motion, hands-free tailgate operation

Medium size front door bins

Small, but deep console bin

LED interior lights

Two seatback pouches

The panoramic sunroof is a great Tiguan feature. It really brightens the interior.

WOW Factors:

Six-year/72,000-mile limited warranty

Handsome 5-spoke alloy wheels

Auto folding side mirrors

Oversized rear doors for easy in/out

Great panoramic sunroof

Foot motion power tailgate

Whines:

Some extra horsepower would be nice

Could use more small item storage

Bottom Line:

VW Tiguan styling is simple and handsome, not gimmicky. The alloy wheels are very attractive.

The VW Tiguan was completely redesigned for 2018, so 2019 changes are minimal. The Tiguan is available in two-and four-wheel drive versions. Both are powered by the same 184-hp turbo four cylinder 2.0-L engine and 8-speed automatic. We drove and prefer the 4Motion Tiguan for its all-weather competency. The spacious, comfortable interior is a Tiguan highlight.