2022 Volkswagen Tiguan review: Compassionate conservative

Even nevertheless it is a compact SUV, the Tiguan is a major deal. Not only is it Volkswagen’s very best-providing model in the US, it is also the German automaker’s most common nameplate globally. So for this vehicle’s redesign, VW neatly played it protected, sprucing up the Tiggy with a handful of insignificant enhancements fairly than tossing every little thing and beginning from scratch. This conservative strategy just isn’t the most enjoyable, but it is tough to argue with the results.

New, but you may not detect

If you happen to be unable to place the dissimilarities between the up to date Tiguan and the outgoing model, I are not able to blame you. Visually, minor has altered — and that is not a poor detail. This SUV has constantly been cleanly developed and mature, dressed in styling that, if not pulse-quickening, is basically confirmed to age perfectly. The exact are not able to always be mentioned about the new Hyundai Tucson, for occasion.

So, what is new for 2022? Commencing entrance and centre, the Tiguan’s encounter has been reworked and the overall body has sharper strains in this article and there. LED headlights are conventional fare and certain types element illuminated trim on the grille. Fresh wheel patterns are made available, with measurements ranging from 17 to 20 inches. As for paint shades, Oryx White and Kings Crimson be a part of the palette, and ’round back, the Tiguan name is now located on the centre of the liftgate for a much more high quality appear.

Compassionate conservative

The Tiguan’s conservatism carries via to its cabin. While maybe not as good as what Mazda’s CX-five presents, the Tiguan’s appointments are unquestionably in the vicinity of the leading of its class, conveniently outshining the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. This array-topping SEL R-Line tester has acres of smooth plastic, first rate-high quality leather and lively contrast-colour stitching and piping. Anything is perfectly crafted and stable, in addition the ergonomics give minor to complain about.

For added usefulness, keyless entry with pushbutton commence, in-auto Wi-Fi and heated entrance seats are all conventional. From the SE model on up you also get remote commence and dual-zone local climate control with contact-sensitive controls for lover velocity and temperature. This seems like a awful notion, but they work mainly as perfectly as a physical swap or dial, responding right away and correctly. It can be the exact tale with the Tiguan’s contact-sensitive steering wheel controls. They work considerably better than what you get in some Mercedes-Benz types these days.

An eight-inch digital instrument cluster is conventional gear, but the fanciest Tiguan made available will come with a ten.three-incher. Over and above that, S types are fitted with a 6.five-inch touchscreen, though all other variants element an eight-inch panel. Regrettably, the infotainment program that lives on this crisp, quick-to-reach show is middling. This multimedia array is mainly performant, but the consumer interface is considerably from the most intuitive in the business. But hey, if it is a problem you can constantly use Android Vehicle or Apple CarPlay. Both smartphone-mirroring programs are conventional.

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s 8-way electricity-adjustable entrance bucket seats have all the topographical variation of Florida (read through: they are flat), but inspite of getting much less contoured than a bocce ball courtroom, these chairs are still incredibly livable, getting equally supportive and appropriately angled for prolonged-haul ease and comfort. The back bench is approximately as good, seemingly tailor-built for lanky grown ups mainly because it presents miles of room for heads and legs.

Front-wheel-generate Tiguans appear with a 3rd-row seat, some thing that can be handy in a pinch, but all-wheel-generate variants are two-row only. The set up amount of 3rd-row seats in all-wheel-generate variants was only about ten%, so neatly, the automaker nixed it for 2022. There’s a great deal of cargo area in this SUV. You get 37.6 cubic ft of room at the rear of the second-row seat and up to 73.4 when that rear backrest is folded down, which you can conveniently do from the cargo space by pulling a couple latches. Front-generate types are slightly much less capacious but still a great deal roomy.

No surprises, no problem

If you happen to be familiar with the Tiguan, there are completely no surprises beneath the 2022 model’s hood. This SUV is once yet again determined by a two.-liter turbo I4, and as before, it delivers 184 horsepower and 221 pound-ft of torque. On paper, these figures appear fairly lackluster, but the Tiggy’s overall performance is incredibly sturdy. It has no trouble accelerating at any velocity and feels a great deal punchy from two,000 rpm to about 4,500. Even nevertheless this engine’s peak figures haven’t altered, it is been tuned to deliver much more midrange oomph and be much more effective.

This swanky SEL R-Line model with 4Motion all-wheel generate should really return 21 mpg in the metropolis and 28 mpg freeway. Put together, it is rated at a aggressive 24 mpg. In combined motoring I’m averaging just about that considerably. An entry-level, entrance-generate Tiguan is, by natural means, slightly much more effective, stickering at 23 mpg metropolis and thirty on the freeway. Possibly way, the auto is slightly much more inexpensive than previous yr. Depending on model and trim, it is about one mpg much more effective.

Refinement has constantly been a hallmark of Volkswagen’s EA888 two.-liter turbo engine, which does a convincing task of imitating a fantastic V6. In this software, the engine is as sleek as ever, with scarcely any vibration getting felt in the passenger compartment. Positive, it can sound a minor grumbly at periods, but it is hardly ever obtrusive. The Tiguan’s conventional 8-velocity computerized transmission is just as refined, swiftly swapping cogs as desired and willingly downshifting when you want to boogie. Prompt and polite, this gearbox is every little thing you could inquire for.

For all this drivetrain’s virtues, it does have a couple insignificant downsides. To start with, the conventional, gasoline-preserving computerized stop-commence program, though tremendous brief, is a little bit jerky, resulting in the engine to judder when it fires up yet again. And second, the Tiguan feels a little little bit smooth when getting off from a standstill, like the throttle reaction is dulled. This is a insignificant criticism that can be rectified by getting a minor much more aggressive than standard with the go-pedal.

Luxurious-car refinement

When pushed, the Tiguan can take it all in stride. No, it is not eager to perform, but the Tiguan can deal with roughhousing with no situation.  Irrespective of whether you happen to be hammering it via corners or bombing down rutted backroads, this SUV feels as stable as bedrock, like its framework is built from depleted uranium or some other unbelievably dense product. The Tiguan has seemingly zero chassis flex and emits no squeaks or rattles, which helps make it really feel much more like a luxurious auto than some thing crafted by a mass-current market producer.

That structural stiffness translates into a tremendous-refined trip. The Tiguan is company about bumps, but hardly ever punishing, even with 20-inch wheels. Its trip is also incredibly totally free of vibration or grittiness, which more underscores its luxurious-rivaling refinement. As for steering really feel, it is class aggressive: Mild to the contact but brief ample to really feel agile.

Warding off incidents, ahead-collision warning, blind-place monitoring and rear cross-targeted visitors inform are all conventional. Upping the ante, Volkswagen’s IQ Generate suite of aids is also included on all but the foundation S model, and there it is priced at just $895. This consists of lane-preserving guide, computerized emergency braking with pedestrian detection and rear cross-targeted visitors inform. Travel Support — VW’s version of adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and lane centering — is bundled, as well. In the Tiguan, this element is effective as advertised, effortlessly changing the vehicle’s velocity as needed and preserving it between the strains, nevertheless the lane-centering program just isn’t very as stable emotion as in cars from other brands.

Just one of the very best

The up to date Tiguan should really be obtainable at Volkswagen sellers soon. If you happen to be browsing for a single of these SUVs, four trim degrees are on the menu for 2022 in its place of 5 like previous yr. The much more streamlined array now consists of S, SE, SE R-Line Black and highfalutin SEL R-Line, the model evaluated in this article. This instance checks out for about $38,000 together with $one,995 in shipping service fees, not at all an unreasonable sum given how costly cars have come to be. The foundation model is about ten grand cheaper, with the S trim kicking off at $27,a hundred ninety, a beginning value that puts the Tiguan correct in line with rivals.

Many thanks to its spacious and richly appointed interior, about-the-highway refinement and generous features, the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan is a single of my beloved compact SUVs. I conveniently like it about a Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4, but regardless of whether it is better than a Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson or Mazda CX-five is tougher to say. Even now, the truth that you can mention this VW in the exact sentence as all those section leaders is great for the automaker and even better for motorists.