Relatively unchanged from the original release 9 years ago, the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan drives more like a car while still providing the versatility of an SUV. Although the exterior could use an update (this is assumed to come with the 2018 version), its conservative exterior design has kept it somewhat current with present trends. The 2017 VW Tiguan is the smaller of Volkswagen’s two SUVs and is built on the same platform as the VW Golf.
ENGINE & DRIVE
The 2017 Tiguan keeps things simple by only offering one choice of engine – a 2.0L turbo charged 4 cylinder engine, outputting 200hp and paired to 6 speed auto. There is an option to step up to an available all wheel drive that directs power as needed to any of the 4 wheels to gain better traction and smoother handling.
This peppy engine is very responsive and makes for fun, zippy accelerations. The turbo makes peak power available at lower RPMs allowing full force accelerations much sooner. Our 200km combined city and highway test drive yielded a 10.2 L/100km fuel consumption which is right in line with the posted rates and a respectable number considering the available performance.
The handling of the 2017 Volkwagen Tiguan feels more like a car with its precise steering and cornering, grippy traction and overall road feel. The body sway due to the higher seating position is the only thing giving away the fact that it’s an SUV. However, this overall engaging drive will appeal to those looking for more emphasis on performance
I particularly liked the adaptive headlights that light up around corners as you turn, making night driving much safer. I think this should be a standard feature on all cars because it really does make a huge difference at night.
EXTERIOR & INTERIOR
The conservative design of the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan has served it well over the years and owners of the earlier models can rejoice in their design staying current. Although the conservative exterior design does age well, it hasn’t changed much from the original release 9 years ago. While it’s expected to undergo a full overhaul for the 2018 model year, the current Tiguan is much like it’s original release version.
I found the exterior shape to be slightly odd and the proportions to be a little off, but this does serve the interior well and make for a spacious, versatile cabin. The interior of the 2017 VW Tiguan provides many practical, out of sight storage areas like the dual compartment glove box and the under-floor storage. Add the sliding, reclining, folding rear seats to ensure rear passenger comfort and accommodate all sizes of cargo and you have some real versatility in the cabin.
The cabin contains quality materials, with two tone leather seating and a dash that’s laid out intuitively, but overall it’s a simple and bland design. I found the full length sunroof and the dual tone leather surfaces to be some of the only saving graces to give the interior some pizzazz. The build quality is exquisite thanks to its German engineering standards.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan starting at $25,990 it’s in line with the competition like the Honda CR-V and the Nissan Rogue. Due to the unchanged design, the safety standards have some improvement to undergo leading the Tiguan to fall short of the top categories of the IIHS safety ratings. When testing out the 2017 Tiguan I suggest valuing the high quality build, interior versatility and the enjoyable drive.
