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ROAD TEST

2018 VW Tiguan.

Second-generation Volkswagen Tiguan brings in welcome changes from predecessor

If cars were shoes, the new 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan would be a pair of Birkenstocks.

Sensible. Solid German design and build. Durable enough to be around for the long haul. Not, however, known for fashion leadership. The type of product you'd buy more with your head than with your heart. And priced just a bit more than you'd like to pay.

Don't get me wrong: The second-generation Tiguan, the first remake in nine years, ticks off a lot of boxes in the mid-sized SUV market. Unlike its predecessor, it has comfortable room for five (as in, people of normal height can now enjoy the back seat). It has a pleasing array of modern safety and comfort features, and it strikes the right balance between power and fuel economy.

The new Tiguan can comfortably fit five people.

In short, the new Tiguan – which begins delivery in Canada in mid-August – puts Volkswagen squarely in contention with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and all the other offerings in this very crowded class of vehicle.

But where's the romance? The relationship between you and your Tiguan feels like a sensible business deal. It's not love at first sight; it's "like." Deeper feelings will take time to develop.

VW is not shy about emphasizing the "all new." One company rep claimed "not a screw" is shared with the Gen 1 model. In terms of size, the change is welcome. Volkswagen has stretched the Tiguan quite a bit from the previous model: The wheelbase is 186 mm longer at 2,790 mm; the overall length has been extended by 268 mm to 4,701; and it's 30 mm wider (1,839 mm). (It's also just marginally less tall, which is good for tossing kayaks on the roof.) The greater length adds more leg room for rear-seat passengers, and brings cargo space up to 37.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, a claimed 58-per-cent increase over the V1.0.

Volkswagen got so heady about the extra room it even offers a third seating row option, although it's so tiny, one VW rep quipped the bench is "not for humans." As a human of average height, I had to try it; feeling my knees up against my chin in that third row, I have to agree.

The Tiguan offers a third seating row, but it’s a tight fit.

The exterior look is far from flashy, but the aerodynamic shape delivers an ultra-low drag coefficient of 0.337 (claimed best in class), which helps fuel economy. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard, as are LED taillights. As you move up the trim lines, LEDs headlamps and mood lighting are added.

The similarly understated interior will also please VW-philes. It's all buttoned up, minimalist and functional – conveying a sense of quality even in the leatherette seats, whose firmness is another VW trademark.

The Tiguan comes in three trim levels: the Trendline (the only level that offers front-wheel drive), Comfortline and Highline (both equipped with standard "4Motion" all-wheel drive that includes economy, snow and off-road choices). The standard MIB II infotainment system nicely integrates connectivity and audio. At the mid-level Comfortline, you get a convenient dash-mounted touch screen, and in the Highline, you can power up with a show-stopping Fender premium audio system, driven by a 480-watt, 12-channel amp.

VW makes much of the fact that the new German-built Tiguan sits on the MQB (a German term that translates as Modular Transverse Matrix) platform. Basically, that means a range of VW products (the Golf lineup, the recently introduced Atlas mid-sized SUV and now the Tiguan) are based on one platform that is sized up or down, depending on the need. This approach cuts development time and costs, and allows VW to put more money into engineering one platform, rather than several.

VW is not offering a diesel option in the new Tiguan.

Even the entry-level Trendline comes with a nice array of safety features we've come to expect in modern SUVs: tire pressure monitoring, vehicle immobilizer, hill descent control and one clever addition: a post-collision braking system. If, heaven forbid, you are in a freeway mashup, the brakes lock post-impact, potentially preventing the too-common second collision. The Comfortline adds fog lights and auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and the Highline adds such nice-to-haves as lane assistance and 360-degree view.

Following the emissions scandal of a couple of years ago, it should come as no surprise that VW is not offering a diesel option in the new Tiguan. Instead, there is just one 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo that produces 184 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. It's paired with an eight-speed transmission that makes it easy to stay on the power band.

While the little turbo's fuel efficiency is welcome (about 9 litres/100 km in our drive through the twisty hills west of Denver), it's hard to describe the power as anything more than adequate. Loaded with five people and luggage, you won't be blowing by any Porsches. In fact, towing capacity is rated at a mere 680 kg – basically, a camper trailer. As with most turbos, there is also that annoying hesitation when you hit the accelerator while the gadget wakes up and gets to work. Plan passing with care.

As one of the largest of the so-called compact SUVs, the up-sized Tiguan stretches the category, edging close to mid-sized. Although Canadian pricing is not yet announced, U.S. prices suggest the vehicle will be competitive at the entry level but pretty rich with the top-end Highline. With a list price well north of $40K, you might wonder why you're buying a compact at all.

The competitors won't yet have to run in fear from this renewed competitor, but at last – after nine years of mediocrity – the Tiguan has marked its space in the school yard. If the low-frills VW approach to driving appeals to you, you'll find much to admire in this immensely improved SUV.

The interior is quiet and uncluttered.

TECH SPECS

  • Price: N/A
  • Motor: 2.0-litre four-cylinder gasoline turbo
  • Transmission/drive: 8-speed automatic/ base model, two-wheel drive; all others 4Motion four-wheel drive
  • Fuel economy (litres/100 km): FWD: 10.6 city/8.7 hwy; AWD: 11.3 city/ 8.8 hwy
  • Alternatives: Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Santa Fe

LOOKS

Its shape is functional, understated and clean – attractive even – but quite conservative.

INTERIOR

The quiet and uncluttered interior makes it easy for a new driver to get oriented to the controls. The leatherette interior (leather in the Highline) conveys a sense of quality and suggests durability.

PERFORMANCE

The vehicle feels agile and solid on pavement, but the suspension gets wonky on washboard-pocked gravel roads. Like most of its competitors, this is a city SUV, happiest out of the rough. Good fuel economy numbers make up for the adequate but uninspiring amount of power (184 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque).

TECHNOLOGY

Lots of great safety features, including the post-collision braking system, are welcome. The integrated infotainment system is simple to figure out. And the 4Motion all-wheel drive sends power to the wheels that need it in varying road conditions.

CARGO

Nearly 38 cubic feet behind the second seats is generous in a compact SUV. Especially if you forget about adding the tiny, misery-inducing third-row seating.

VERDICT

8.0

Volkswagen has turned the underwhelming first-generation Tiguan into a compact SUV that can compete with the best in its class. With a quality build and understated looks, it’s the type of vehicle that suggests it will actually win you over as it ages. True love, after all, takes time.

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