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Reviews September 20, 2007, 3:53PM EST

Testing the Tiguan

Can a little fuel-efficient, smooth-handling, well-priced off-roader get VW back on track?

by Paul A. Eisenstein

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VW Tiguan

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Bullet holes and shell scars pockmark the old castle overlooking the ancient Hungarian capital of Budapest . From the parapet of the Citadela, we can see city, suburbs, and wooded countryside, the long and circuitous route ahead of us as we take our first drive inside the new Volkswagen Tiguan.

It's an appropriate course for VW's new, downsized sport-utility vehicle. What one senior executive calls "the little brother" to Volkswagen's big Touareg, the new Tiguan is designed to be a do-it-all vehicle: with the go-anywhere capabilities of an SUV, but the comfort, handling, and fuel efficiency of a sedan. Sound familiar?

Now add in some surprisingly luxurious touches at an unexpectedly affordable price and, at least on paper, you've got a product that could challenge the likes of well-established crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. But we're not interested in press kits. We want to know how the long-awaited Tiguan fares in real-world situations.

To start with, though, we're in for a bit of make-believe. To provide a sense of the crossover's capabilities, the automaker has set up a challenging, if completely artificial, off-road course complete with steep hills, sharp descents, and even a teeter-totter.

For this first run, we start out in what we'll refer to as the Tiguan 28. In an unusual, though not entirely unique, move, Volkswagen has given its new SUV two faces. This number refers to what off-roaders call the approach angle - in this case 28 degrees, a reasonably impressive figure for those who might want to assault something more aggressive than a snowy street or gravel trail. And as we make our way around the course, there's no question that the Tiguan offers some real, off-road capabilities.

The face for America

So it might come as something of a surprise to hear that the automaker has decided not to import this version into the U.S. , focusing instead on the alternate Tiguan front end. With an 18-degree approach angle, it will still do fine in moderately deep snow, and it can handle reasonably rutted dirt trails, as well. But the marketing decision reflects the reality that for all those TV commercials showing SUVs handily assaulting boulders and ravines, less than one in ten American drivers will ever challenge anything more aggressive than a washboard road.

With that in mind, we jumped into a silver Tiguan with, for the most part, American-spec hardware, and headed down from the Citadela into the heart of old Budapest.

Visually, the Tiguan 18 is the more attractive package. It's got a more traditionally rugged look than some of the newer Japanese entries into the compact crossover segment. The double mesh air intakes below the bumper give VW's offering a particularly sporty feel, complimenting the twin-crossbar grille, with its large VW badge. Cat's-eye headlamps wrap into the fenders and are paired with fog lamps in the lower fascia.

To deliver a roomy package, with plenty of usable cargo space, VW designers gave the relatively short-wheelbase Tiguan a high and gently arcing roofline. Gracefully sculpted side panels, large windows, and minimal cladding on the rocker panel keep the feel balanced and avoid the impression that the Tiguan is a tall wagon.

The taillights, with their ovoid lamps, sweep from rear fenders into the large tailgate, which rises high enough for a tall man to stand underneath without stooping. The cargo compartment it reveals it unexpectedly roomy, with a small hidden storage bin underneath the load floor. There is, in fact, plenty of storage space throughout the Tiguan's cabin, from the twin glovebox back.

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