The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV is offered in 4 trims, namely the S, Wolfsburg, Sport, and the SEL, with prices ranging from an MSRP of $24,995 for the base S, and going all the way up to $34,500 for the top-of-the-line SEL trim. All of the said trims are powered by a standard 2.0L turbocharged unit coupled exclusively to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive setup is standard, whereas, for a premium of $2,000, each of the said trims can be equipped with an AWD setup. Now including the two new trims on offer, VW has offered us a multitude of latest features, with the premium factor increasing as you move up the trim table.

We Recommend

If you want to experience a true blue SUV drive, the 2017 VW Tiguan Sport variant is the best and the most practical pick amongst all of the other variants. Coming to the interiors too, it has got plenty of creature comforts on offer that are worth the $32,605 price tag.

The six-speed automatic is well-behaved and smooth. Response in Normal mode is slightly sluggish since it takes the car some time to realize you want power but in Sport mode, the Tiguan becomes a more willing partner. -MotorTrend

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV is powered by a potent 2.0 Liter DOHC turbocharged engine unit, which is good enough for 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. This pushes it right to the top of the compact SUV segment in terms of power figures. Also coupled to it is a 6-speed automatic transmission unit, which sends all the power to either the rear wheels or all of the wheels.

The peppy turbocharged engine is one of the many positive traits that the Tiguan showcases, along with being an impressive sportier handling SUV compared to the rest. Nevertheless, despite the 200 hp on point, don't go about expecting it to break acceleration time barriers, as it is solely meant for family duty purposes. Coming to the towing capacity front, the powerful and muscular Tiguan is the best here with it being able to tow 2200 lbs. The VW definitely shows its class here.

Moving to the competition in play, all the rivals are somewhat different in this performance regard with the Mazda and the Ford offering a bigger 2.5-liter engine but settling down for relatively lower power figures, while the Honda has a 2.4-liter NA engine which produces decent torque. Compared to that, however, the compact SUV offering from VW is at a different level altogether.

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 0-60 MPH and Acceleration

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan does the 0-60 MPH sprint in just about 8.3 seconds, all the while crossing the quarter-mile barrier in just 16.5 seconds. This makes it the fastest compact SUV out there, courtesy of its potent turbocharged engine unit and lower curb weight. Overtaking maneuvers in the Tiguan is also not so cumbersome as it's aided by the spruced up turbo power.

All of the said competition has decent sub-9-second 0-60 MPH acceleration figures, except for the Ford Escape which does it in 9.1 seconds. The Honda CR-V, on the other hand, comes in second to the Tiguan with 8.6 seconds, despite the lowest curb weight in the segment.

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Ride and Handling 

As is the case with all Volkswagen offerings, the wholesome ride and handling dynamics of the VW Tiguan is why the SUV is an outright treat to own. The highway drive especially deserves a worthy mention as it is a different experience altogether. Factoring in 3404 lbs curb weight, the compact SUV is nevertheless agile around the corners too, with negligible body roll.

Moreover, the light steering wheel offers a good amount of feedback, as is evident while zipping past traffic-congested city streets. Although don't go about expecting the promising handling precision of the Golf GTI, as you'd be fairly disappointed with the outcome.

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan delivers 20 MPG in the city and 24 miles to the gallon out on the highway. This combined with a 16.9 gallon fuel tank is able to deliver a total of 406 miles on the stretch. This places the Tiguan at the bottom rung of the compact SUV ladder. Although, these figures are in more ways than other deeply appreciated, as VW makes up for it on the power front with 200 horses, which is way more than what the others offer.

All the rivals here deliver better fuel efficiency figures than the 2017 Tiguan, with the Honda CR-V giving out 28 miles to the gallon, while the Mazda delivers 27 MPG, despite the bigger engine capacities these SUVs house. With a combined mpg of 22, the Tiguan is pretty good in this regard too, considering the bigger power output.

From the dated dashboard layout to the lack of th elatest safety-oriented driver aids, you definetely get the sense that the Tiguan is getting on in its years - Edmunds

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact sports utility vehicle that accommodates 5 average-sized adults in utmost luxury. Although we could have done with a newly redesigned layout instead of the age-old one. Nevertheless, the existing feature-rich dash too has been very well laid out and completely complements the interiors in every regard.

The 2017 Tiguan is the shortest SUV of the lot, and that is reciprocated well enough into the cabin as well. Coming to the seats, it provides heated and cooled seating as well. The passenger rear seats are also electrically powered. They are very comfortable, especially for long rides. The seats are made of premium leather upholstery as you go up the trim ladder and the Tiguan offers an electronic seat movement system for the front seats as well.

Compared to the other compact crossovers, VW deploys better interior quality, including upholstery. The Honda CR-V, still remains one of the go-to SUVs in this segment, especially with the best-in-class cabin space it offers, whereas Mazda's CX-5 misses out on providing the customers with comfortable rear seating space, courtesy of the swooping roofline.

The interior features include:

• Back-Up Camera
• Dual-zone climate control with pollen filter
• Panoramic sunroof
• Ambient Lighting
• Interior Cargo Shade
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Universal Garage Door Opener
• Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers
• Heated Mirrors

2017 Volkswagen Tigaun Infotainment

Volkswagen now adds a 6.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system standard to every trim in the lineup. The Volkswagen infotainment has always been easy to use and understand, and this one is no different. It does have an intuitive infotainment interface along with a sharper display, which also includes all the necessary features as well. For instance, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been made standard from now on.

The basic infotainment features on offer are-

• 3 Months of provided satellite radio service
• 8 total premium speakers
• USB connection
• AUX input
• Speed sensitive volume control
• AM/FM stereo

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Cargo Capacity

The 2017 VW Tiguan has 23.8 cu. ft of cargo space. That said, the 2017 Tiguan doesn't boast of the best trunk in this segment. It is not even close to the best. Folding down the rear seats in a 60/40 manner can increase the trunk capacity to a decent 56.1 cu. ft. However, The trunk of the Tiguan can easily hold a few duffle bags among others. It has a wide opening with a flat surface, which is good for inserting and removing those heavy bags.

All the other three rivals are pretty much top class in this regard, with the Honda CR-V offering a class defining 39.2 feet, courtesy of its best-in-class cabin space. The Ford is pretty comparable too with 34.3 feet. The Mazda is a little behind at 30.9.

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan carries forward the same exterior design silhouette of the previous iteration into this year for the US model, whereas the model sold overseas, does get a refreshed design. Like the VW Golf, it is full of character lines flowing to the back. 16-inch alloys are offered with the base S trim, whereas opting for the top-of-the-line SEL trim gets you 19-inch ones.

With rumors buzzing of a new redesigned Tiguan for 2018, we'd have to let do with the tough but aged Tiguan design. The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan might not be the heaviest car in this segment. However, the solid and muscular built has always been associated with the Volkswagen brand, and this is something which makes the driver very confident.

The Honda CR-V here has the best dimensions leading to a best-in-class space on the inside as well. The Tiguan has the worst dimensions in this regard. Tiguan's 6.9-inch ground clearance lets it down, as it fails to wade over small boulders and unbeaten paths. However, the Ford Escape takes this parameter to a different level altogether, with a massive 7.9 inches.

Standard exterior features of the VW Tiguan are-

• Rear Defrost and Privacy Glass
• Dual Moonroof (Optional)
• Halogen headlights and DRLs
• Automatic trunk release
• LED taillights
• Rear Spoiler

This is often known as the VW Tiguan's Achilles heel, and rightfully so, the 2017 Tiguan has much fewer standard features on offer than the rest of the segment. So much so that, it is reflected in its safety crash test ratings too. The 2017 Tiguan received 4 stars out of 5 from the NHTSA and a "Good" safety crash test rating from the IIHS. Nevertheless, VW will make up for it by equipping the latest driver-assistance features on the Tiguan for the MY 2018.

Safety Features on offer are-

• Electronic Stability Control and Anti-Slip Regulation
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Forward Collision Warning
• Intelligent Crash Response System
• Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution
• LATCH

2017 Honda CR-V vs 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan

The fight between Volkswagen and the Honda goes right down to the wire. They are almost equally priced along with a good engine output. The fuel economy and trunk capacity is where the 2017 Honda CR-V is a clear winner. However, again like in the case of the Mazda, the Volkswagen does well better in all the necessary regards of an SUV with unmatchable towing capacity and an engine output beyond comparison.

2017 Mazda CX-5 vs 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Mazda CX-5 does have a better trunk and seating space inside. Although these features are not that important for an SUV but this is where the VW makes its presence felt with much better power output, along with a muscular built and better acceleration. Nevertheless, with the better interior quality too, the 2017 VW Tiguan is actually no match to the much more stylish Mazda CX-5.

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUV is a serious offering and does almost everything that is desired from a practical SUV. And it is actually a better bet than the Mazda CX-5 and the Honda CR-V. However, the Ford Escape does give the VW a real run for their money. While the Ford does have better physical aspects and a better fuel economy, the Tiguan has better acceleration and power figures. It also has a much better interior quality with a beautifully laid out dashboard. It does have a much better feel to it too. So, a typical muscular SUV along with classy interiors would be the Volkswagen Tiguan, and for the starting price tag of $24,995, it is a value-based proposition.