Tiguan Motor Trend - First Test: 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan

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Upon initial review, Volkswagen's timing couldn't have been more perfect. Just as gas is approaching a Lincoln per gallon, the German brand introduces the Tiguan, its first compact crossover in the U.S. and one with a miserly 2.0-liter engine that achieves combined fuel economy of up to 21 mpg.

Prospective buyers of mid- and full-size sport/utilities, who know deep down that a smaller vehicle will suffice, are taking notice. In its first month of sale, for instance, the Tiguan enticed 179 more buyers than did its larger, thirstier sibling, the Touareg. And with no end in sight for the rise of fuel costs, the discrepancy is bound to become more severe. After all, who really needs a V-6 or V-8 engine, certainly when a four-cylinder exhaling through a turbocharger delivers horsepower and torque figures at or above 200 and gas mileage that hovers around 20 mpg?


2009 VW Tiguan - First Test - Motor Trend


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