We travelled far and wide to find the perfect location to feature our December cover car – 034 Motorsport’s mid-engine VW GTI. What looks like the moon is actually a barren desert located two hours northeast of Los Angeles, CA. To get us there, we asked for help from Volkswagen of America and they loaned us a ’10 Tiguan SE 4Motion.
The driving experience is almost surreal for an SUV. It acts more like a GTI than a 3000+lb slug thanks to sporty cornering and handling characteristics. It doesn’t feel top-heavy like some other SUVs and the 4Motion drivetrain ensured we were always planted on the ground whether it was pavement or dirt. There’s also 7” of ground clearance allowing us to dodge most obstacles like shrubs and rocks whenever we encountered them.
Acceleration is surprisingly potent. The equipped 2.0-liter TSI engine is borrowed from the GTI, Jetta and Passat platforms. This gives the Tiguan 200hp and 207 lb-ft of torque – plenty of power for passing cars on the freeway or getting squirly on back roads.
Unfortunately our test car was equipped with a six-speed automatic. It’s not as quick as a DSG or manual but it gets the job done. VW does offer the Tiguan with a manual which is a refreshing option to see on an SUV.
The Tiguan also delivers fuel economy similar to a GTI. Our 4Motion averaged between 16-18mpg in the city but on the freeway, we saw up to 28mpg. This is just 3-5mpg less than our experiences with a GTI. All the Tiguan needs is a TDI model and we could have a torquey SUV with incredible fuel economy. We can only hope…
As far as features go, the standard equipment is stunning which would make any comparable SUV cry. Our test vehicle included Sirius radio, Bluetooth, fog lights, heated seats, leatherette interior, multifunction trip computer and auxiliary audio input, push-button brake and more.
For our photoshoot, we made use of the 60/40 split folding rear seats to carry all our photography equipment, plus two passengers. With all the seats folded down, 56.10 cubic feet can be realized but we didn’t need to use all of it. In fact, our rear passenger could adjust his seat front and back and up and down for more leg- and head room. Not many SUVs can do that!
There’s also an attractive panoramic sunroof that allows four times more sunlight than the average sunroof.
The list of available options for the Tiguan continue with SD memory card reader, touch screen nav and xenon headlights.
Our 4Motion Tiguan was priced just above $30k but the base models go for around $24k. With all the bells and whistles, the Tiguan can easily topple $37k. It’s obviously not the least expensive small SUV in the market but the value and style you get in return doesn’t compare. VW also offers a great warranty - three years of no-cost scheduled maintenance as part of it.
So if you’re shopping for a sportier SUV that can handle the snow, wet, canyons, twisties and city, the Tiguan might be for you. If it were up to us, we’d make this our eurotuner photo wagon!