2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Tiguan has always been one of the top preferences for customers around the world who wanted a tough, rugged SUV that can do it all and be not heavy on the pocket. The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan aims to build on the same reputation with an updated features list and subtle changes. Available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration and as a 5/8 seater configuration, the Tiguan gets a good set of features to match the rising competition from the segment.

Volkswagen has made some small changes in the Trims of the 2020 Tiguan. The Optional R-Line Trim makes its way into the 2020 as a separate Trim. Customers have an option to choose among the 10 Trims depending on whether they want an AWD setup or a Front Wheel Drive Setup.

Trims	S	SE	SEL	SEL R-Line
Price(2WD)	$24,295	$26,695	$31,795	$33,645
Price(4Motion)	$25,595	$27,995	$33,095	$34,945
Features	Powered Heated Side Mirrors	Adds/Upgrades these from "S"	Adds/Upgrades these from "SE"	Adds/Upgrades these from "SEL"
	4 Wheel Independent Suspension and Active Control(only on AWD version)	Heated Windshield Washer Nozzles	Remote Opening and Closing Power Lift Gate with Remote Start	Power Tilting and Sliding panoramic Sunroof
	Automatic Headlights	Dual Zone Climate Control	Park Distance Control	R-Line Front Bumper & Badging
	LED Taillights	Leather Seating	Silver Roof Rails	Start-Stop System
	17" Alloy wheels	17" 2 Tone Alloy	18" Alloy Wheels	19"Alloy Wheels
	Illuminated Glove Box and Black Roof Rails	Keyless Access with Push button Start	Fog Lights with low Speed Corner Illuminating Feature	2nd Row AC Vents
	Color Multi-Function Display	2 Front USB and 1 Rear USB Port	Adaptive Cruise Control	VW Car-Net Guide with SiriusXM Travel Link Subscription
	Multi-Function Steering Wheel	Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel	Volkswagen Digital Cockpit
	Front Center Armrest with Storage Area	Forward Collision Warning Auto Emergency Brake	Volkswagen Car-Net Security with 6 Months Trial Subscription
	6 Way Manually Adjustable Front Seats	10 Way Power Adjust Driver Seats with Lumbar Support	8" Touchscreen Navigation System with all features from "SE" Trim
	7 Seat Configuration	Blind Spot Monitor
	40/20/40 split folding 2nd Row	Heated Front Seats
	6.5" Colored Touchscreen Sound System with AM,FM, VW Car-Net App Connect, Bluetooth, USB	8" Color Touchscreen Infotainment System with Proximity Sensor, SiriusXM and Voice Control with Pedestrian Monitoring
	Rear View Camera and Rear Traffic Alert
	3 12V Power Outlets

 

Trims	SEL Premium with 4Motion	SEL Premium R-Line with 4Motion
Price	$37,195	$38,895
Features	Adds/Upgrades these from "SEL R-Line"	Adds/Upgrades these from SEL Premium
	Adaptive Front Lighting System	Heated Side Mirrors
	Hands Free Open and Close lift Gate	Leather Seating Surfaces
	19-inch 5 Spoke Gray Alloy Wheels	20" Alloy Wheels
	Rain Sensing Windshield Wipers	R Line Front Badging and Bumper
	Automatic LED Headlights with High Beam Control
	Side Mirrors with Memory Function
	Heated Lower Windshield
	Auto Dimming Inside Rearview Mirror
	Interior Ambient Lighting
	3 Position Memory Function for Driver's Seat
	Overhead View Camera
	Fender Premium Audio System
	Rear Traffic Alert with Lane Keeping System
	Blind Spot Monitor

The SEL Premium Trim packs in a lot of Premium Features with itself while the R-Line adds Sportiness to the overall design of the Tiguan. The 7 Seater Configurations are available only in the FWD trim and all trims of the Tiguan come standard with Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

Trim to Choose

The SEL Trim offers a lot of Convenience Features for its price and would suit perfect most people, who wouldn't want the best Lighting Tech or Audio System. For People wanting a Tech Laden SUV, the SEL Premium trim will fit the bill well.

The engine delivers a generally flaccid response when you hit the gas -Cars.USNews.com

Engine and Transmission

Since its facelift in 2020, VW has persisted with its famed 2.0L Turbocharged Stratified Injection (TSI) Intercooled motor that generates 184hp and 221ft-lbs of Torque.

The Motor is very refined and doesn't feel stressed even when pushed to the limits. The TSI motor generates class leading Torque while the power Figure ranks among the best in the segment.

We particularly like the 4 Motion AWD technology offered in the Tiguan that makes it a Capable Off-Roader. The 4 Motion equipped Tiguans however tradeoff there Off Road Credentials with Performance as the heft of the 4WD system reduces the overall Performance.

Models	Volkswagen Tiguan S	Chevrolet Equinox L	Honda CR-V LX	Mazda CX-5 Sport	Hyundai Santa Fe SE	Kia Sorento L	Nissan Rogue S	GMC Terrain SL	Subaru Forester 2.5i	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv
MSRP	$25,190	$24,795	$25,345	$25,345	$26,545	$26,980	$25,795	$26,195	$24,295	$25,100	$25,690
Engine	2.0L I4 Intercooled TSI	1.5L I4 Turbocharged	2.4L I4 i-VTEC	2.5L I4	2.4L I4	2.4L I4	2.5L i4	1.5L i4 Turbo Gas/Ethanol	2.5L Flat 4	2.5L i4 Regular Unleaded	2.4L i4
Transmission	8 Speed automatic	6 Speed automatic	CVT	6 Speed automatic	8 Speed automatic	6 Speed automatic	CVT	9 Speed automatic	CVT	6 Speed automatic	Continuously variable automatic
Horsepower	184hp@ 4400rpm	170hp@ 5600rpm	184hp@ 6400rpm	187hp@ 6000rpm	185hp@ 6000rpm	185hp@ 6000rpm	170hp@ 6000rpm	170hp@ 5600rpm	182hp@ 5800 rpm	168 hp@ 6000rpm	166 hp@ 6000rpm
Torque	221ft-lbs@ 1600 rpm	203ft-lbs@ 2000rpm	180ft-lbs@ 3900rpm	186ft-lbs@ 4000rpm	178ft-lbs@ 4000rpm	178ft-lbs@ 4000rpm	175ft-lbs@ 4400rpm	203ft-lbs@ 2000rpm	176ft-lbs@ 4400rpm	170 ft-lbs@ 4500rpm	162 ft-lbs@ 4200rpm

Transmission duties are performed by an 8 Speed Automatic Transmission that comes with a Tip Tronic functionality. The Transmission is smooth in operation but the Turbo Lag from the 2.0L motor, somewhat makes the Transmission a bit Sluggish to respond at times.

Acceleration

As with the Case of any Turbocharged Motor in the World, the Volkswagen Tiguan isn't the most fastest to take off the line. This is because of 2 simple reasons.

Firstly, the Turbocharger unit starts providing its Boost once the Motor revs past 1600rpm before which, it offers a lot of Turbo Lag.

Secondly, the Tiguan's weight doesn't make the SUV feel agile or eager to respond to any throttle inputs as quickly as one would expect from an SUV of this class.

Models	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
0-60 MPH	N/A	7.1 sec	N/A	N/A	7.7 sec	8.7 sec	8.9 sec	7.3 sec	N/A	6.8 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter mile	N/A	16.7 sec	N/A	N/A	16 sec	16.7 sec	16.7 sec	N/A	N/A	15.4 sec	17.3 sec
Engine	2.0L i4	2.5L i4 Regular Unleaded	2.4L i4	1.5L I4 Turbocharged	2.4L I4 i-VTEC	2.5L I4	2.4L I4	2.4L I4	2.5L I4	1.5L I4 Turbocharged	2.5L flat4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3721	3552	3329	3274	3307	3541	3591	3810	3456	3449	3499
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	7.7	7.3	6.5	6.3	N/A	6.3	N/A	N/A	6.1	N/A	N/A

Ride and Handling

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan comes standard with front-wheel drive while the 4Motion all-wheel drive is available in all trims as an option except for the top 2 trims where it is standard. The 4motion AWD drastically improves performance on wet road conditions or on roads "not taken".

The Ride is comfortable courtesy of a good suspension tuning from Volkswagen while the road noise and exterior noise is very well contained.

There is a little amount of body roll when the Tiguan is made to tackle corners fast but this is a feature, exhibited by other SUV's of the segment as well.

Braking

The Brakes of the 2020 VW Tiguan offer good stopping power and do well to make the Beefy SUV come to a halt in very little time.

When it comes to brake pedal feel however, we feel that the pedals feel a tad bit softer as compared to other VW Cars but they do the Job well in under most conditions.

Model	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
Brake Front (in.)	13.4	12.8	11.6	N/A	11.1	11.7	12.6	12.6	11.7	11.6	11.8
Brake Rear (in.)	11.8	12	11.9	N/A	10.2	11.9	12	12	11.5	11.2	11.3
60-0 MPH (ft.)	N/A	112	N/A	N/A	115	136	130	N/A	N/A	130	129

We don't have the 60-0 figures of the 2020

 Tiguan but considering the numbers of last year (134Ft), we feel that the Tiguan will have similar timings. The Honda CR-V with its rugged construction has the best feel and performance from the Brakes while the Mazda ranks first from the bottom.

While the 2020 VW Tiguan offers Class Leading Torque and Power, the downside is that all this performance comes at the price of Gas MPG.

The Thirsty Engine and the Hefty weight of the Tiguan can be held responsible for the "Ordinary" Fuel Economy figures and the low Fuel Tank Capacity doesn't helps the Tiguan's cause as well.

Model	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
MPG (city)	22	21	25	26	26	25	22	22	26	26	26
MPG (highway)	29	29	30	32	32	31	29	29	33	32	30
MPG (combined)	25	24	27	28	28	28	25	25	29	28	28
Range (city/highway) (miles)	337 / 444	330/455	415/498	387 / 477	364 / 448	370 / 459	414 / 545	414 / 545	377 / 479	387.4/447	431.6/547.8
Tank Capacity (gal)	15.3	15.7	16.6	14.9	14.0	14.8	18.8	18.8	14.5	14.9	14.9

The Nissan Rogue offers the Best Fuel Economy in the Segment but it compromises on overall performance. The Subaru Forester has the Best range courtesy of its good mileage and a decent tank capacity.

"The Tiguan's interior is classically Volkswagen, which is to say that it is simple and functional but not particularly stylish or rich" -Caranddriver.com

Ergonomics and Comfort

The Cabin inside the Volkswagen Tiguan has to rank among the best in class in terms of the Build Quality. All buttons have been properly placed while there are no inconsistencies in design or panel gaps.

The Volkswagen Tiguan, despite its seemingly compact looking dimensions offers good amount of Space inside for Passengers.

There is good amount of Legroom and Shoulder Room while the Head Room will be adequate for most passengers except the taller ones. The Second Row in the Tiguan is particularly suited for Long Rides as the Space offered is immense to stretch your legs or relax your muscles.

Model	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
Passenger capacity	7	5	7	5	5	5	5	7	5	5	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.6/57.0/40.2	39.9/55.9/43.1	40.6/56.4/40.9	40.0/57.2/40.9	40.1/57.9/41.3	39.7/57.1/41.0	41.2/59.1/44.1	39.5/59.1/44.1	41.6/56.6/43.0	41.2/58.2/43.3	40.0/57.2/40.9
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.1/55.9/36.5	39.0/55.2/37.3	38.4/56.0/37.3	38.5/55.5/39.7	39.2/55.6/40.4	39.0/54.8/39.6	39.2/58.3/40.9	39.3/58.0/39.4	38.5/55.9/37.9	39.6/57.2/39.4	38.5/55.6/39.7

The Seats in the Volkswagen Tiguan offer good bolstering and support while providing adequate cushioning. The Seats have been cushioned in ways such that the Body doesn't feel tired or sore after long hours of sitting inside the same.

Infotainment

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan comes with a plethora of features, to keep you entertained on your long weekend drives or office commutes. The Infotainment System Screen comes in two sizes namely a 6.5" and an 8" unit depending on the trim you choose. The Unit is extremely simple to use, gives good feedback to user inputs and offers a Lag Free experience.

These are the list of Features available from the infotainment system of the 2020 Tiguan

• Android Auto and Apple Car Play Compatibility
• 8/6.5" Touchscreen Infotainment System with Navigation
• SiriusXM Radio and Travel Link with 3 Months Subscription
• VW Car Net App Connect with Voice Control
• FM/AM Radio connectivity
• USB Connectivity and Charging ports
• Bluetooth Telephony and Connectivity to Multiple devices
• VW Digital Cockpit

Interior Features

As expected from an SUV of this category, Volkswagen has bundled the 2020 Tiguan with a host of Interior Features. We have already discussed about the features inside the Infotainment System above and will now be enlisting some of the Important Interior Features.

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Blind Spot Monitoring System
• Auto Dimming Inside Rear View Mirror
• Overhead View camera and Rear View Camera
• Power Adjustable Driver Seats with Memory Function
• Ambient Lighting
• Heated Leather Front Seats
• Keyless Access with Push Button Start
• Dual Zone Climate Control
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• 40/20/40 Split 2^nd Row Seats

Cargo Capacity

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan offers 12 cu ft. of Cargo Storage Space with its 3^rd Row up and 37.6 cu ft. in its 5 Seater Avatar.

This means that there is no shortage of Space for Carrying big suitcases or Carry Bags or Camping Equipment inside the Tiguan.

Model	Ford Escape S suv	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	34.0	37.6	10.3	29.9	39.2	30.9	35.9	11.3	39.3	35.4	29.6

For added utility and Practicality, the Tiguan's second row can be folded down which liberates even higher storage space.

In terms of In Cabin storage space, there are plenty of Bottle Holders and Cubby holes inside the Tiguan's Cabin. Passengers will also be happy with the amount of Storage Compartments in the Cabin of the Tiguan which are present under the Armrests and the Dashboard.

It may not be the boldest compact crossover SUV, but the 2020 Tiguan has clean, simple lines that will age well -TheCarConnection.com

Design

The Exterior Design of the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV won't win any Fashion Contests or Style Awards. That being said, the Tiguan does look Handsome from all angles with its Precise Lines and well put together body.

There are no Panel Gaps and Inconsistencies in design of the exterior and the Tiguan has to be one of the Best Build SUV's in the segment.

Exterior Dimensions

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan on sale in the US today has a good road presence courtesy of its dimensions.

The SUV isn't the smallest in the Class and looks big courtesy of its sheer size.

The SUV doesn't look compact from any dimension and this translates into good interior space for the passengers and the Cargo Area.

Model	Volkswagen Tiguan S suv	Ford Escape S suv	Mitsubishi Outlander ES suv	Chevrolet Equinox L suv	Honda CR-V LX suv	Mazda CX-5 SPORT suv	Hyundai Santa Fe SE suv	Kia Sorento L suv	Nissan Rogue S suv	GMC Terrain SL suv	Subaru Forester suv
Curb weight (lbs.)	3721	3552	3329	3274	3307	3541	3591	3810	3456	3449	3499
Length(in)	185.1	178.1	184.8	183.1	180.6	179.1	187.8	189.0	184.5	182.1	182.3
Width(in)	72.4	72.4	71.3	72.6	73.0	72.5	74.4	74.4	72.4	71.5	72.4
Height(in)	66.3	66.3	67.3	65.4	66.1	66.2	66.1	66.3	66.3	68.1	65.4
Ground clearance (in)	7.9	7.8	8.5	N/A	7.8	7.5	N/A	7.3	7.8	8.7	6.9
Wheelbase (in)	109.8	105.9	105.1	107.3	104.7	106.2	108.9	109.4	106.5	105.1	107.3
Track width (in) F/R	62.2/61.8	61.5/61.6	60.6/60.6	62.2/62.2	62.9/63.5	62.8/62.8	64.3/64.7	64.3/64.7	62.8/62.8	61.6/61.8	62.2/62.2

The 109.8 inches of ground clearance in the Volkswagen Tiguan is the biggest in this comparison. This results in good Water Wading Abilities and confidence while going over speed bumps or rocks/ small boulders while off-roading.

Exterior Features

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan has a good set of Exterior Features which is in line with the other Volkswagens present in the US. The R-Line Trim and the other trims of the Tiguan have small exterior differences between them. Other Features include

• Adaptive Front Lighting System
• R-Line Front Bumper on R-Line models
• Hands Free open and close Tailgate
• Heated Wind Shield Nozzles
• Park Distance Control
• 4 Wheel Independent Suspension
• Rain Sensing Wipers
• Heated Side Mirrors with Memory
• Automatic LED Headlamps and Tail Lamps
• Fog Lamps with corner illuminating features

There are other features like different size Alloy wheels as per the Variant chosen, Coming/Leaving Home Assist and others, that adds to the practicality of the Tiguan.

The Tiguan has been one of the Most Safest SUV's in the segment. For the 2020 iteration as well, VW is leaving no stones unturned in offering all the Safety Features that are being offered in the other SUV's of the Segment.

Some of those features include

• ABS with ESC and Anti Slip Regulation
• Electronic Differential Locking and Engine Brake Assist
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Intelligent Crash Response System
• Side Curtain, Front and Thorax Airbags
• Seatbelts with Pre Tensioners and Load Limiters

Volkswagen Tiguan vs Honda CR-V

There is no denying the Fact that the Honda CR-V is one of the Best SUV's in the segment. It flaunts an easy to understand infotainment system and best in class storage space. The CR V additionally has a rich lodge that offers two lines of seating and has enough space to oblige grown-ups. The Tiguan however is Big on Power and the 4Motion AWD makes it, a better proposition on the road less taken.

Volkswagen Tiguan vs Mazda CX-5

The Mazda CX-5 is one of the most Sportiest SUV's in the segment. The Mazda offers one of the Best 2^nd Row Seating arrangement in the class as well. When it comes to the off road ability, both the SUV's are nearly matched and have potent 4WD systems. The Volkswagen Tiguan scores high on the Infotainment System it has on offer and offers the added ability of Carrying 7 people on board.

Volkswagen Tiguan vs Chevrolet Equinox

The Chevrolet Equinox is the American Answer to what is essentially a market dominated by European, Korean and Japanese SUV's. The Equinox offers good fuel efficiency and way more space in the Interior for both the 1^st Row and 2^nd Row of passengers. The VW Tiguan however has lot more power on tap and has the ability to ferry 7 people. The Tiguan also feels the better built among the 2 and the 4Motion AWD system makes it the better SUV among the 2 for off-roading.

 

With The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan, Volkswagen has tried to present to customers an SUV, which has the potential to do it all. The Tiguan has a very powerful engine that offers Huge Torque and an AWD system that can do serious off-roading. The Tiguan offers probably the Best Build Quality both in the Interiors and Exteriors which will probably last longer than Most SUV's in this comparison "Combined".

Hence, if Fuel Economy isn't your Top Priority and Power, Practicality and Function is important to you more than anything else, the VW Tiguan is an SUV that should be on your Bucket List as an option that you should probably go for.