The new Volkswagen Tiguan was first shown back in September, about the same time the Dieselgate scandal broke out, so you could say it had a difficult birth. But over half a year later, the clouds of diesel particles have mostly dissipated, and the new Volkswagen compact SUV looks like it'll be a strong seller for the Germans.
And so it should be. Considering the previous generation sold like the proverbial hot cakes (helped in no small part by clever marketing and rebates - the only explanation for the 600,000 units sold in 2015, despite hardly being able to hide its age), the new one has all the hallmarks of being another success for the Wolfsburg company.
First of all, it looks great, borrowing the new front design from the Passat while managing to make the rest of the car look a lot more athletic. Second, it benefits from the proven powertrains available in the Volkswagen Group: the 2.0-liter TSI and TDI engines (don't groan, it's the Euro 6 version that wasn't involved in the fail device scandal) coupled to the still excellent seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. It also comes with a manual, but really only those strapped on cash should ever consider it.
It's also quite roomy (in the US, it even offers a seven-seat option), so it should take care of those school runs without any problems. But how about that thing all SUV manufacturers talk about - what's it called? Ah, yes, "off-road." How does it do with that?
We're going to leave it to our German colleagues at Ausfahrt.tv who participated in a rough terrain test drive for the press and were kind enough to film it. The new Tiguan had to navigate through a man-made course that saw it pass wavy surfaces, tilted banks, climb a steepish incline, go over a rocky surface - you get the idea: it's the classic off-road test track for vehicles that aren't really made for off-road.
If you don't speak German and want to skip straight to where it gets interesting, go to the 2:50 mark. While the new Tiguan comes with impressive figures, like the 11 mm bump in the ride height (coupled with a lowered roof line to keep the center of gravity low) and really good approach angles for the off-road version (it gets a different front bumper), I can't really think of any four-wheel-drive SUV that wouldn't be able to ace it. But what do I know, maybe it just looks easier when sat in front of a computer screen. Have a look and decide for yourself.
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