Eric's Autos: Reviewing the 2015 VW Tiguan
WHAT'S NOT SO GOOD
Costs more than Japanese-brand competition.. Can cost more than a BMW. No more manual transmission.
Now-mandatory DSG automatic's engine braking programming can make the Tiggy feel (and sound) busy at times. Less back seat real estate relative to rivals; less cargo room than rivals.
UNDER THE HOOD
The Tiggy is more expensive to start than competitors like the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape -but you do get more engine for your money. While those come standard with - respectively - 155, 176 and and 168 hp - you get 200 hp in the Tiggy right off the bat.
The Kia Sportage is one of the Tiggy's potential cross-shops that can be ordered with more engine - a 260 hp 2.0 turbo engine. But if you click that options box, you'll be looking at more than $28k - about $3k more than the Tiggy's base price, even as upticked for 2015.
Unfortunately, VW has hush-hushed the Tiggy's formerly available six-speed manual transmission off to the glue factory, giving Mazda - which still offers a manual transmission in the CX-5 - a competitive advantage. But - the Mazda's manual is only available with the standard 155 hp engine. Its stronger optional engine comes only with an automatic.
VW's excellent 4-Motion all-wheel-drive system remains optional. "Excellent" - because it has the capability to route nearly all the engine's power to the rear wheels when the vehicle is called upon to accelerate to its full potential. This front-to-rear power transfer means the Tiggy feels more like a rear-drive vehicle than its front-biased competitors.
Acceleration is still best-in-class, too - when compared with other small crossovers equipped with their standard engines. Zero to 60 takes about 7.4 seconds (manual models with FWD being quickest) whereas the 155 hp/six-speed manual CX-5 needs almost 10 seconds to reach the same speed. Even when ordered with its optional engine (2.5 liters, 184 hp) the Mazda's best effort is a still-sluggish 8.3 or so seconds to 60. Both the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V are notorious slow-mobiles, each needing 9-plus seconds to get to 60 and neither offering a stronger optional engine.
The base engined Kia's also not as quick as the Tiggy. When equipped with its optional engine, it is - but that's an apples-oranges comparison due to the $3k price disparity. Fuel economy is pretty good - given what's under the hood.
...continued
