2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

The 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan is jumping into a crowded pond that is clearly full of opportunity, but within it hides some big fish to compete with as well as a couple of sharks. The compact crossover class is the fastest growing segment and with hybrid models coming on strong, it is easy to see why there is so much pressure to get consumers in love with one of these smaller SUVs. Luckily for the Tiguan, it has VW's sportiness and a fun factor that should pay dividends.

Before I jump into the obvious opinions on the Tiguan, let me address the biggest question I get about this compact crossover: What is a Tiguan?

For fans of the movie Nepoleon Dynomite, you can liken the Tiguan's name to the mystical Liger, a combination of a Lion and a Tiger (which was pretty much Nepolean's favorite animal). Likewise, the Tiguan is not a real animal, but the combo of a tiger and an iguana.

Where does the crazy concept of a tiger-iguana combo come from? A place not unfamiliar with crazy concepts - the World Wide Web, which is where a poll was held for visitors to the VW site to vote on names. The winner - Tiguan.

The good thing about the Tiguan is that it is special. While the competition is thick in this segment, they are not all created equal, or even created good. Tiguan has attractive looks and outstanding drive characteristics that make it feel sporty and fun. Those two things will go a long way to winning over one of the top spots in the compact SUV class.

The car-based Tiguan is offered in front-wheel drive and 4Motion all-wheel drive, with three available trim levels: S, SE, and SEL. Base price starts at $23,200. Tiguan shares the same guts as the super-sporty VW GTI, one of the most fun compacts in the market. Making it fun is the GTI's 2.0T four-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque. Front-wheel-drive versions offer a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel-drive version is only offered in automatic, but it features a manual setting. This combo, maybe a bit more obvious that the tiger and iguana, is a great start to making any trip to the grocery store or to the weekend cottage more memorable and more entertaining.

Mechanically speaking, a four-wheel independent suspension and electro-mechanical rack and pinion steering ensure the Tiguan corners on a dime and has a ride that resembles the sporty VW sedans more than a Touareg (which, oddly, was not named on the Web.). The EPA estimates Tiguan's fuel economy at 18 mpg city, 24 highway for the AWD/automatic.

My tester was the SE with 4Motion all-wheel drive ($28,875). On the outside, Tiguan looks compact and sporty. A chiseled front hood rolls back confidently from the wide grille and headlamp assembly. Raised slightly higher than the sedans on the road, Tiguan has the attitude of an SUV as well as the higher sightlines. From the A-Pillars back, the sporty roof rails easily drag your eyes over the curve of the top to the rear liftgate door. The 17-inch alloy rims do a nice job of keeping the sporty feel in tact, and this was especially true with the impeccable Deep Black Metallic coat of paint on my tester.

Also worthy of note up top of the Tiguan is the huge (optional: $1,300) Power Panoramic Sunroof. I've never been a proponent of dropping big money on sunroofs, but this one is huge at 13 square feet and it really opens up the cabin to feel even larger than it already does.

The Tiguan offers comfortable room for four adults; three kids will easily fit in the back seat. I liked everything about the dash layout, it operates intuitively and looks clean with large gauges and dials. My tester had a two-tone black and beige color scheme that seemed to raise the quality perception of the hard plastics used up front. At this price point, plastic is prevalent but not annoying thanks to the color variation.

The center of the dash is anchored by a 6.5-inch screen that showcases the navigation system. Featuring real-time traffic information, rearview camera option ($1,950) and DVD playback (when in park), the screen is easily visible. Sirius satellite radio was a highlight of the audio system that featured a standard 6-disc changer in-dash and MP3 standard playback w/iPod input jack.

Cargo space is on the high end for this class at 23.8 cubic feet, maxing out at 56.1 cubic feet with all the seats folded down. I found one of the most surprising aspects of the Tiguan was the flexible floor plan featuring sliding, splitting, folding and reclining rear seats. Even the front passenger seat folds flat for more interior utility options. While I was pretty comfortable most of the time in the driver seat, the center console armrest was unadjustable and it made for some less perfect positions on one longer roadtrip. Suggested cure: turn up the radio.

My tester's 4Motion system runs in front-wheel drive in normal road circumstances, but when road conditions require more bite, the system shifts from 90 percent front/10 percent rear power distribution to as much as a 50/50 front/rear split. That's a really great selling point that lifts Tiguan over much of the competition.

Delivering a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty with all the fun factors to make it one of the top crossover standouts in the class, Tiguan should find plenty of fans beyond the usual VW enthusiasts. It is a great crossover with a great ride, big spaces inside and at $32,600, competitive with top models in segment.