We all know Golf is Volkswagen’s best sold car ever. But, we guess you didn’t know that Volkswagen’s most popular SUV is the Tiguan. The compact crossover celebrates its popularity with a facelift, meant to increase its appeal.
In 2019, the Tiguan was the most successful model for both the Volkswagen brand and Volkswagen Group, with more than 910,000 units produced. Over its lifetime, more than six million have been produced.
The front end is completely new. The new grille, which flows into the standard LED headlights, is wider—forging a visual link between the Tiguan and larger models such as the European Touareg and the Atlas Cross Sport. The new Volkswagen badge is positioned centrally at the front. The eye-catching bumpers have also undergone a makeover.
At the rear, the “Tiguan” lettering is now in a conspicuous central position below the VW badge. The “4Motion” lettering for the all-wheel drive models has also been redesigned. An updated hands-free Easy Open and Close for the power liftgate is available on midrange models. New wheel designs for every trim line round out the exterior changes.
Inside the vehicle, Volkswagen has added a digital version of the new multifunction steering wheel, featuring illuminated touch islands and sliders. An all-new touch module is available for the Climatronic® automatic climate control functions on midrange models. In addition to touch buttons, generously sized and illuminated touch sliders are used for fan and temperature control. The touch buttons can also be used to operate functions such as the newly standard heated front seats, rear window defrost, and to open the air-conditioning menu. Illuminated USB-C ports are located under the air-conditioning module.
The new Tiguan will feature the latest generation modular infotainment system (MIB3), a standard configurable digital instrument panel and the next-gen personalization system. MIB3 offers natural voice control, multi-phone pairing that can easily switch between devices, and wireless App-Connect. Every Tiguan is equipped with the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, which allows the driver to configure the instrument display. An 8-inch display comes standard, and top trim models will receive a 10.25-inch display.
In US, the engine is 184 horsepower that kicks in at 4,400 rpm and is maintained until 6,000 rpm. Maximum torque of 221 lb-ft is available from 1,600 to 4,360 rpm. All Tiguan models are equipped with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission, and Start/Stop system, designed to help improve fuel efficiency.
The normal wheelbase Tiguan goes on sale shortly in Europe. The U.S. will continue to receive the long-wheelbase version, which receives the same design changes and features noted above. The U.S. Tiguan will arrive in Fall 2021 as a 2022 model.
