VW Tiguan in the streets.

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In Eastern Europe, getting ready for a video shoot.

This one seems to have more chrome than the models VW showed us before.
A more upscale model, I’m sure.
Still doesn’t look that different from any other small SUVs.
I’m not sure I’d pay a premium over a CRV for this….

Conversation 20 comments

  1. It looks nice than the Honda CR-V and I am not sure
    about future assembly of the CR-V for the North American market. Japan won’t be no longer the dominant site. I seen new CR-V with 100% Japanese parts on the window sticker with finally assembly in
    E. Liberty Ohio and now their are stupid rumors that this will also be assembled in Mexico. F-that.

  2. Volkswagens are crap. I should. know, I owned a 2005 Jetta. Worst car I ever owned. I drove it for a year (when it wasn’t broken down) & traded it in 2006 for a Honda Civic EX. I will never own another VW product again.

  3. “It looks nice than the Honda CR-V and I am not sure
    about future assembly of the CR-V for the North American market. Japan won’t be no longer the dominant site. I seen new CR-V with 100% Japanese parts on the window sticker with finally assembly in
    E. Liberty Ohio and now their are stupid rumors that this will also be assembled in Mexico. F-that.”

    Who cares where it is assembled. With the previous generation of CR-V it was made in UK and Japan. They are made using Japanese parts so it is just a different person putting it together. Honda has been building models in North America since the 90’s.

    A side note, I have read in multiple magazines that this model will start in the mid 20’s. That is too expensive for a compact SUV. VW can’t get their pricing right, and their reliability is trash. THREE of my co-workers had their vehicles lemoned by VW, two Touregs and a Jetta. That’s saying something. Why would you buy this over a CR-V or RAV4???

    MR

  4. I sat in the new cr-v and found it to be the cheapest interior i’ve ever seen, such low grade materials. i could’nt believe it! This has something over any other mini suv in it’s category…CLASS!
    vw problems were in 99-01 mk4’s and first year of touareg, everyone i know who owns a vw has’nt had a single problem and to the poster who claims his civic is better than his 05 jetta probably works for honda cause you can’t compare the 2 vehicles in terms of drive experience, the civic is an appliance while the jetta is a passionate drive with high end materials

  5. Vince, the CRV is much uglier than the VW. The Honda has an ugly grill. It reminds me of buck teeth. The VW is much more sophisticated.

  6. I test drove the new Jetta2.5 Liter twice and never found anything remotely “passionate” about the drive. (The previous generation was much, much better in that respect)
    And I would never call the interior classy. Depressing, boring, well made but not classy.
    Plus, it’s not that hard to go on JD power’s site and figure out these cars are year after year rated among the least reliable ones in the US.
    They do the studies, not me…

  7. VW isn’t touching a Honda in terms of reliability. Also, Hondas have been assembled in Ohio since 1982. This Tig is another overpriced go to the VW dealer when something goes wrong cute ute, much like a typical GM.

  8. VINCE!

    Why is no one bitching about the interior???? THE INTERIOR OF THE TIGUAN MAKES THE EXTERIOR LOOK LIKE THE MONA LISA!

    Seriously, a loaded Hyundai Santa Fe with leather will probably cost the same as a base model one of these, and be much more reliable, has a WAY NICER interior, and will have better resale (Hyundai’s SUVs have good resale, unlike their cars–check the Automotive Lease Guide ratings that rate Hyundai SUVs tantamount to Honda’s).

    VINCE! I want you to review one of these as soon as they come out!! You should review the Santa Fe and the Tiguan back to back.

  9. I’ve owned three VWs/Audis and never had any major failure in over 300,000 combined miles. I realize that VW had major component failures a couple years ago, but fortunately I didn’t have a vehicle with the effected engines. Knowing the extent of these problems was a consideration when I bought my last car, and I didn’t buy a VW… I bought one of the other import brands brands on the top half of JDPs Dependability list. From my experience, these lists are total crap. My next car is an Audi.

    As for this little SUV, I like it. It looks like a mini Toureg, which I think is a really smart design.

  10. actually the grille looks good, the pix that have been released up to now are much worse…

    good pix, i think someone @ Vw will get booted for this faux pas…

  11. Vince i may have to agree on your comment about the 2.5, the engine lacks alot of excitement altough the car is pretty solid and holds the road pretty well, try the gli or 2.0T those are very passionate drives…you honestly feel like your in a different vehicle compared to the borring and noisy 2.5 and as for jd results most newer models may have very minor problems that most ppl would’nt even think about, but vw owners look at their cars and expect them to be perfect so they will complain about the slitghtest thing while corolla/civic owners dont even bother thinking about their cars as they are mostly used as appliances to bring them from point A-B.

  12. “I sat in the new cr-v and found it to be the cheapest interior i’ve ever seen, such low grade materials. i could’nt believe it! This has something over any other mini suv in it’s category…CLASS!
    vw problems were in 99-01 mk4’s and first year of touareg, everyone i know who owns a vw has’nt had a single problem and to the poster who claims his civic is better than his 05 jetta probably works for honda cause you can’t compare the 2 vehicles in terms of drive experience, the civic is an appliance while the jetta is a passionate drive with high end materials”

    Wow, since you aren’t a professional automotive journalist your opinion doesn’t have much weight. Every single review I have read about the newest iteration of the CR-V has complimented the interiors fit and finish as well as its high quality materials. You, sir, don’t know much about automobiles.

    VW problems extend way beyond those vehicles listed, and it is ignorant to believe it is only that suggested bunch. There is a reason why multiple sources who do research studies rate VW so low. There is irrefutable evidence that their reliability is piss poor, many people have talked about it. There is NOTHING passionate about the Jetta unless you are going to pay 22k for the GLI.

    “I test drove the new Jetta2.5 Liter twice and never found anything remotely “passionate” about the drive. (The previous generation was much, much better in that respect)
    And I would never call the interior classy. Depressing, boring, well made but not classy.
    Plus, it’s not that hard to go on JD power’s site and figure out these cars are year after year rated among the least reliable ones in the US.
    They do the studies, not me…”

    Perfect.

    MR

  13. I know the 2.0 Liter is a much better engine.
    But I would still have to stare at the Jetta dashboard. I hate the design.
    I know it’s just a matter of taste. I am not saying it’s ugly.
    I just hate it.

    For a little bit more money, I’d rather get the Passat. Same 2.0 Liter, and a great interior. With tons of room.
    And, to me, a much better design with lots more personality and class to it.

  14. i defintely prefer the look of the tiguan to the cr-v on the outside. i sat in a cr-v and really liked the interior – cheaper plastics can be compensated for to a certain extent by the design (huge flat panels don’t work chrysler!). i feel that the design of the tiguan’s interior doesn’t match the understated elegance of the interior. in fact, it looks both dated and cheap. no surprise since it’s based on a golf plus? still disappointing, though. c’mon vw!

  15. “Wow, since you aren’t a professional automotive journalist your opinion doesn’t have much weight.”

    Well I suppose there’s absolutely no reason to have these forums any longer. Why don’t we just let the “professionals” tell us what to drive? Probably because they can’t even all agree amongst themselves. While I’ll agree that Hondas reliability is generally bulletproof, the CRV to me just doesn’t seem very solid and the interior is not class leading. I haven’t seen the Tiguan yet in person, but the VW almost always gets it right with tactile elements and design of their interiors.

  16. “Wow, since you aren’t a professional automotive journalist your opinion doesn’t have much weight. Every single review I have read about the newest iteration of the CR-V has complimented the interiors fit and finish as well as its high quality materials. You, sir, don’t know much about automobiles.”

    No i actualy know alot about cars, have you sat in the new cr-v? I’m not gonna say it’s a GM, the fit and finish is nice but have you felt the materials? Nothing but hard plastics that look out of a fisher price toy

  17. “Well I suppose there’s absolutely no reason to have these forums any longer. Why don’t we just let the “professionals” tell us what to drive? Probably because they can’t even all agree amongst themselves. While I’ll agree that Hondas reliability is generally bulletproof, the CRV to me just doesn’t seem very solid and the interior is not class leading. I haven’t seen the Tiguan yet in person, but the VW almost always gets it right with tactile elements and design of their interiors.”

    The professionals are professionals for a very good reason, they are good at what they do. They are journalists who report on almost every aspect of a vehicle so people like you can understand things better. The reason they can’t agree amongst themselves is good, conflicting opinion is good because it gives you a completely different viewpoint. Diversity is a good thing, but I am sure you already knew that.

    Yes, VW is very good at making high quality interiors but don’t forget that their vehicles also cost more than the competition. Those soft touch surfaces in vehicles do not come cheap, and that is why we have 30K+ Passats running around on the road. You are forgetting that interior design of vehicles is completely subjective, what you do not like, another will. You do not think that the CR-V interior is class leading? That’s funny because the sales somehow show that quite a few think Honda is doing it right. What exactly are you comparing it to??? The RAV4s interior plastics and choice of seat fabrics are pretty chintzy.

    “No i actualy know alot about cars, have you sat in the new cr-v? I’m not gonna say it’s a GM, the fit and finish is nice but have you felt the materials? Nothing but hard plastics that look out of a fisher price toy”

    I don’t think you know a lot about spelling and grammar though. Yes, I actually have sat inside of the new CR-V and I think it is very nice. Of course there are not going to be soft touch plastics inside of a low priced small SUV. You are forgetting that the Honda CR-V is not a 60K Lexus.

    MR

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