2014 Volkswagen Tiguan: Perfect for a 3,000-km Ride

The Tiguan burst onto the scene five years ago with a strange name that combines the German words for “tiger” and “iguana.” It certainly needed qualities from both of these animals to survive in the exceptionally competitive compact SUV category – at very least the striped feline’s might and the reptile’s thick skin to withstand attacks from rivals.

Agile, comfortable and elegant, the Tiguan got along just fine, but didn’t beat any sales records, mainly because it quickly becomes too expensive if you let yourself get carried away with post trim levels and costly options.

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Distance runner

When the Tiguan was fitted with a more anonymous grille to make it look more like the current Jetta and Passat, it lost some of its charm. Fortunately, the rest was spared. The little brother of the Touareg even raised a few eyebrows by finishing third in a competition between eleven compact SUVs in the 2013 version of our best-selling French publication, Le Guide de l’auto.

In its fifth year, it was ranked behind two brand-new models, and finished ahead of eight more recent models. Currently, VW is preparing the second-generation Tiguan, which will be developed on the new MQB platform. But don’t hold your breath; we won’t see it until the end of next year.

In the footsteps of Herman Melville

I happily grabbed the keys for a brand-new 2014 Tiguan (with a mere 230 km on the odometer) for an expedition/vacation/test drive. I set out with my accomplice toward New England following in the footsteps of the great author Herman Melville after finally reading his masterpiece, Moby Dick.

First stop: Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, where the story begins. Trip involved as many kilometres as there are pages in the novel, a little less than seven hundred. We made it to Nantucket after a few detours, including one in Lowell to see the park that honours another great author, Jack Kerouac, whose family emigrated Quebec over a century ago.

Enjoying it to the fullest
Our Tiguan was a Comfortline that already featured an immense glass sun roof and synthetic leather upholstery. 4Motion four-wheel drive was added to assist the drivetrain, made up of a 2.0-litre direct injection four-cylinder turbo engine and a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Technology Package includes a 300-watt audio system, a rear back-up camera and a navigation system with touch screen. With the Sport Package, the Tiguan gets adjustable xenon headlights with LED daytime driving lights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a modified suspension.

With these options, the price climbs to $39,350. But you can get a Tiguan Trendline with 4Motion for $31,325 if you’re prepared to give up the sunroof, synthetic leather seats and the other aforementioned conveniences. Fear not, however, you’ll still get the essentials: manual air conditioner, cruise control, eight-speaker audio system and a glut of accessories.

So, our Tiguan was somewhat pricy, but we realized quickly that it was an excellent road companion. Stable and superbly quiet on the highway, its steering is precise and its handling excellent. Add well-sculpted seats that are just firm enough, a decent driving position and well designed controls, and you get a machine that loves road trips. It’s pure joy.

Efficient options

The xenon headlights project powerful, well-defined beams that follow your sight line as you turn the wheel. The navigation system is impeccable, with an excellent 3D display. What a treat to see the speed limit displayed on the screen get updated whenever you pass a new sign!

I would gladly pass on the sunroof to reduce the price (and the weight), but I must admit that its light brightens up a rather somber, typically German passenger compartment. The retractable net that covers it prevents the sun from frying your head or blinding you. Meanwhile, the only purpose of the rear headrests is to block your view when there are just two of you in the car.

After all this time, VW could have also replaced the archaic cruise control controls that are on the same lever as the turn signals, and better integrated digital readers would have been nice. That’s where the Tiguan really shows its age compared to a young rival like the new Jeep Cherokee.

Just enough

There was sufficient space in the trunk for two big suitcases and a backpack. I also stored some walking shoes under the floor. But the cargo hold isn’t the Tiguan’s greatest strength. Obviously you can move the rear bench a few centimetres forward or fold down the seatback’s two sections. The middle pass-through, large enough for snowboards, is one of the best of its kind.

The Tiguan is equally comfortable in town and on the highway. With 20 cm of ground clearance and four-wheel drive, you can fearlessly venture onto narrow, sandy roads. But if you are as lucky as we were, you’ll have to turn back after coming up to a group of horses gently hobbling along up ahead. True story.
There, as in the city, I appreciated the vehicle’s short turning circle, as well as the torque and smoothness of the gas-powered turbo engine. I calculated an average fuel consumption of 9.22 L/ 100 km for 2,730 km travelled in normal driving conditions. Too bad that this engine prefers super and that no diesel version is available in Canada (unlike Europe). Thankfully, it seems that this will be different the next time around.

Solid, practical and perfectly civilized, the Tiguan is a worthy competitor in this popular category overrun with ambitious young bucks, despite the fact that it has just celebrated its sixth birthday.