Our Rides: Bringing Home The Goods in a Tiguan

You are working on your new home or garden. You don’t need to haul a lot – a few bags of soil or mulch, flat-packed furniture to put together, knicks-knacks…just the small stuff for your home.

A lot of small stuff!

If you live in a place where parking is a premium – just enough for a compact or mid-sized vehicle – have you ever considered a Volkswagen Tiguan?

Competing in one of the hotly contested vehicle segments, the Tiguan punches above its weight. The 109.8-inch wheelbase is longer than a lot of its competitors. It accommodates a lot – up to 73.5 cubic feet of space with the rear seats down.  

These are great points when considering a vehicle that is right-sized and practical. However, is it a solid vehicle to live with?

To find out, just open up the hood. Every 2024 Tiguan is motivated by a 184-horsepower EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 221 pound-feet of torque. This is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission sending power to either the front wheels or the 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Of course, you have to choose the latter since we’re living in Minnesota.

The EA888 is one of the common engines found in many Volkswagen models. Years of production has given this venerable engine a solid reputation. Ask any Golf GTI owner.

It has also proven its worth in terms of efficiency. Our SE R-Line Black tester returned a fuel economy average of 26.3 MPG. You could see better numbers in models with small wheels or with front-drive. This tester came with 19-inch alloy wheels and lower profile all-season tires.

When you drive a Volkswagen, there is an expectation that it should drive like one. A driving signature, if you will. While the Tiguan is built on the same architecture as the Golf and Jetta – the MQB architecture – that assumption actually exists.

Do not expect the Tiguan to drive like a Golf GTI. The long wheelbase yielded a smoother ride overall. On rougher surfaces, it does its best to absorb imperfections – cracks, shallow potholes, even gravel. Where the driving signature comes into play was in its chassis stability and handling. Simply put, it does the job.

Another point for the Volkswagen driving signature was in its steering system. There was plenty of feedback coming from the road for solid turns. A good example is how well then turning radius was for tight situations. Braking is sharp in stops with superb pedal response and feedback. It also offered great stops in normal and panic situations.

We talk about the driving experience first because there were some concerns about how Volkswagen can produce an SUV that is exactly like most of its competitors. Shoppers should ask themselves: “Do I just want an SUV or a Volkswagen – or both?”

To get part of that answer, step inside a Tiguan. It is laid out like any other Volkswagen with familiar switchgear, controls, and readouts. Even with the tester’s Digital Cockpit, the font and dials should be familiar. Even the infotainment system is truly a Volkswagen, including connectivity options for smartphone mirroring.

The upholstery for the SE trim will always be in a leatherette. The R-Line offers a bit more sporting look and feel overall. The result are the front seats offering a mix of support and comfort. Our review took us on a road trip deep into Wisconsin. We felt no fatigue over the 650-mile round trip.

Rear seat room is very good for two adults. Perhaps three children. Plan on seating two back there.

The current generation of Tiguan has been around since the 2018 model year. Over the years, it received some updates to the exterior. While handsome and on-brand, the Tiguan will never be offensive to anyone.

However, some trim levels are more handsome than the next. It depends on your personality and style. In the case of our tester, black finishes against the Kings Red primary color are the order of the day. It’s handsome, alright.

With four trim levels, along with front- or 4Motion all-wheel drive to choose from, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan starts from $28,880. This SE R-Line Black tester with 4Motion came with a sticker price of $37,450.

The first question you must ask yourself is whether the Volkswagen Tiguan is right for you. Start with measuring it up for your life. Can you envision bringing home new plants for home in one? Perhaps bring home those missing paving bricks that made your backyard patio an eyesore for your partner’s family?

No matter what you do with your Tiguan, know this: It does a lot more than you expect in a Volkswagen.