Very few automobile manufacturers have the foresight and ambition of Volkswagen. Since its inception, the company has been the “car of the people.” Continually making improvements to their fleet, the German manufacturer has been producing cars that are efficient, reliable, and top-tier for decades. Recently, Volkswagen unveiled one of the newest items for the new model year, the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan. As time has shown us, Volkswagen has been nothing short of flawless in conquering every aspect of the automotive industry. As the SUV continues to grow in popularity, multiple variations continue to arrive from manufacturers looking to reinvent the wheel. Volkswagen’s newest offering could very well give many of the scaled-down and compact SUVs some very real competition, not to mention a run for their money.
Improving Practicality with Performance
There’s no denying that the SUV is one of the most practical and versatile vehicles on the road today, appealing to a multitude of drivers for a wide variety of purposes. For the family, it’s the ideal vehicle, providing storage for school trips, soccer practice, and those long road trips accompanied by cries of “are we there yet?” For the average commuter, the SUV provides added reassurance of safety due to the fact that many of them have larger frames than the average automobile or sedan. To appeal to a wider demographic, manufacturers have taken it upon themselves to make SUVs more appealing and sportier, and Volkswagen is in the lead.
With the 2022 Tiguan, Volkswagen is raising the ante. While SUVs were once powered by large, bulky V8’s, the size of the engines and the vehicles themselves has diminished over the years. The Tiguan takes economy and makes it a part of the equation with a turbocharged 16-valve, 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. Volkswagen challenges the notion that size matters, and this is one 4-cylinder that has some force behind it. Customers who enjoy sporty handling will enjoy the 184 horses and the vehicle’s superior handling. While the Tiguan lacks the trailering capability of its larger American counterparts, the driver who occasionally likes to bring their toys with them on vacation will be pleasantly surprised with a towing capacity of 1,500 lbs.
Naturally, the biggest advantage of having an SUV powered by a smaller engine is the fuel economy. Because of their size, SUVs normally have an adequately sized engine to push their sizable weight. The Tiguan achieves a combined 26 MPG, stretching up to 30 MPG on the highway. The EPA estimates that the average range falls somewhere around 398 miles without refueling, which is perfect for long road trips. For customers who want the convenience of an SUV with the kind of mileage attained by a sedan, the Tiguan seems to be the viable alternative.
Style, Comfort, and Aesthetic
Since the Tiguan is competing with the American SUVs that continually dominate the road, it’s important that it finds a way to stand out among the ever-growing legion that seems to grow in population every year. From an outsider’s perspective, the Tiguan bears little resemblance to the SUVs on the road today. If anything, it comes across like the older sibling of the Volkswagen Golf, whose popularity has remained intact for decades. Like the Golf, the Tiguan is sleek, smooth, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Storage on the Tiguan isn’t as large as some of the American makes and models, but it’s still adequate enough to accommodate the average consumer. Seating five passengers comfortably and offering 73 cubic feet of storage space, you’ll be able to go on that road trip and carry all the essentials with you. As you pack up and get ready to head out, you’ll find that the interior is just as pleasing as the vehicle’s sporty exterior.
The interior of the Tiguan has less to do with style and more to do with the atmosphere. While the interior of the Volkswagen Golf was formulated to share a kinship with the imagination that adores science fiction, the Tiguan has more of a presence akin to a cabin in the woods. If you could compare it to a writer, it would be Thoreau, the scholarly gentleman who communes with nature yet retains his bearings. The Tiguan’s interior has the alloy pedal caps that are synonymous with performance, yet its rustic, almost drab interior will give you a powerful yearning to take your new vehicle out to explore nature. And, you can…
Available all-wheel drive and 18″ wheels mean you can compete with the elements and whatever they have to throw your way. A ground clearance slightly below 8″ will help maintain your center of gravity when you’re on and off the road. Dual-zone climate control will allow you to maintain the temperature you like inside, even when it turns against you on the outside. With accessible controls right on the steering wheel, your journey isn’t just in your hands, but at your fingertips.
Safety and Warranty
Seeing that Volkswagen is the car of the people, it only makes sense that it would have features that look after the best interest and safety of their customers. Like many other vehicles in their ever-growing fleet, the Tiguan scored high on safety tests, and its features were praised in collision prevention. Volkswagen equips the Tiguan with some very essential safety features, such as forward collision alert and blind-spot monitoring. For those who want additional peace of mind, adaptive cruise control, lane departure, and warning are available.
Volkswagen’s warranty is another example of the extension from manufacturer to customer. Their “carefree coverage” policy is all-encompassing and another winning feature from Germany’s best engineers.
Scheduled Carefree Maintenance for 2 years/20,000-miles: With life being busy as it is, routine maintenance for your vehicle might slip your mind. As a new VW owner, you’ll have this early period covered. Most dealerships have a service center manned by top-tier personnel who know the ins and outs of your vehicle.
Roadside Assistance: Life happens, and the unexpected occurs at the most inopportune times. No one understands this better than Volkswagen, which is why you’ll have roadside assistance for the first 3 years. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Bumper-to-Bumper: Worrying does not look good on you, but your new Volkswagen does. So enjoy your drive without worry. Volkswagen’s bumper-to-bumper coverage extends to 4 years/50,000-miles
The Final Verdict
The SUV market is among the most competitive in the automotive industry. Every manufacturer attempts to outdo the other with fancy stereo systems, larger engines, and new promises of vehicular superiority. Volkswagen does none of these things. Its reputation that’s been solidified over the past few decades speaks for itself. The 2022 Tiguan brings the finesse and expertise of cutting-edge German engineering and combines it with the practical needs of the American consumer and SUV owner. With high performance and low maintenance, the Tiguan is bound to take the upcoming year by storm. Don’t be surprised if it surpasses the sales figures of any other SUV in its class. Because as they’ve shown us plenty in recent years, Volkswagen doesn’t just exist ahead of the curve; they’re the ones redesigning it.
