Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan

[Autos_Editor]

It may not have won our recent Compact SUV Comparison Test, but the Volkswagen Tiguan still has its charms for those looking for a small premium SUV.

Read More...

[SaskSpecV]

Really nice review Jonathon - I think you did a great job encapsulating the pros and cons of this vehicle.

Although I'm contemplating buying in this class of vehicle (and there's a 6MT option ), Tiguan won't make the cut for a bunch of reasons:
-too small (as you mentioned)
-not particularly fuel efficient
-I'm just too cheap!

I can live without AWD, and the Tiguan really doesn't have great ground clearance anyway, so the Golf Wagon (TDI) would make a lot more sense for me.  But if the wagon had the 2.0 gas turbo option...hmm...now that could be interesting...

[nlm]

FiL walked away from a Tiguan solely based on the combined freight and "mandatory" fees which he claimed combined was over $2,000, I forget the exact figure he was quoted but for some reason $2,400 comes to mind. He actually cross-shopped with a QX50 b/c he has an Altima he is trading in and found that the QX50 base with premium was close enough in price to the Tiguan he was looking at.

[bombastic]

Interesting that in the article you get the sport package and then complain about firm ride. Wasn't it expected? Forget about sport package and is a complete different story. About premium fuel is not a MUST. It is recommended. You can easily drive 89 without any issues.

[bombastic]

FiL walked away from a Tiguan solely based on the combined freight and "mandatory" fees which he claimed combined was over $2,000, I forget the exact figure he was quoted but for some reason $2,400 comes to mind. He actually cross-shopped with a QX50 b/c he has an Altima he is trading in and found that the QX50 base with premium was close enough in price to the Tiguan he was looking at.

Shouldn't your friend check with the other dealers? The "mandatory" fees are not mandatory at all. I consider the freight to be outrageous for RAV4 since it is build in Ontario. Tiguan is build in Germany.

[micha]

2012 VW Tiguan Comfortline 4motion: $34,775 + $1,580 Dest. = $36,355
2014 VW Tiguan Comfortline 4motion: $31,390 + $1,395 Dest. = $32,785

AFAIK they are equipped exactly the same. Looks like the price went down by $3,570. I guess, they might have been overpriced after all.

[jyarkony]

FiL walked away from a Tiguan solely based on the combined freight and "mandatory" fees which he claimed combined was over $2,000, I forget the exact figure he was quoted but for some reason $2,400 comes to mind. He actually cross-shopped with a QX50 b/c he has an Altima he is trading in and found that the QX50 base with premium was close enough in price to the Tiguan he was looking at.

The QX50/EX is an understandable leap from the Tiguan, also sporty, small (probably even less rear seat space, but i'm guessing that was not a primary consideration for your FIL - i mean it was probably just you riding back there anyway, right?  ) and well equipped, drives nice, but IIRC, the EX37 had a much nicer ride without giving up a firm ride. but in the EX37 we drove last year the interior was another level of premium, nicer than most of the luxury SUVs we tested, never mind the Tiguan - just felt very rich, but I think it was into the 50s with leather and nav, etc.

[jyarkony]

Interesting that in the article you get the sport package and then complain about firm ride. Wasn't it expected? Forget about sport package and is a complete different story. About premium fuel is not a MUST. It is recommended. You can easily drive 89 without any issues.

the odd thing was, I don't recall the Tiguan R-Line we had in 2012 being such a harsh ride - i felt it was more Audi supple than old-BMW flinty. This Tiguan and the RAV4 both displayed choppy rides in this comparo.

Have any of you ever experienced a vehicle being super stiff and choppy when brand new, but then settling into a more comfortable ride as it breaks in? could be it was how brand spanking new it was... but when we had the Mazda5 and VW Golf Wagon long-termers, both were settled and comfortable from day 1, each with less than a few hundred km on the odo, though neither is set up with a sport suspension...

[Noto]

Have any of you ever experienced a vehicle being super stiff and choppy when brand new, but then settling into a more comfortable ride as it breaks in?

Nope, other way around.  As the suspension components wear, the ride tends to get more stiff.

Back in 2011 when we got the Forester XT, it was down to it and the Tiguan.  Actually, we testdrove the Tiguan on about 4 occasions, loved it, but never bit.  The reason?  That price and small trunk.  The trunk wasn't SO bad, but the price certainly was.  We were looking at the EXACT model you had there (Comfortline + Sport + Tech = just under $40k pre-tax and PDI/Freight fees).

I haven't driven it since 2011, but I don't think it has changed all that much.  Here were my concerns with it:

1) That engine really felt underpowered to me - I agree that it was the 1st gear only, and afterwards felt fine...but never enthralling.
2) The fuel economy really wasn't any better than in the Forester XT and also required Premium (even if Recommended, only a fool would put regular in a small-displacement turbocharged engine optimized by the manufacturer for premium).
3) The AWD always felt like it was pulling (FWD bias, could barely feel the rear wheels).
4) Smaller footprint, but higher up made it feel like I was driving something of a minivan - it just didn't feel sporty.
5) Quality concerns.
6) Low front chin.

Still, if the price was $35k loaded (pre-tax/fees), and had a 60/40 AWD split (i.e. Full-time AWD), it would be a very, very difficult decision to make.  The Forester was just a better all-around vehicle given the price, space, and AWD systems.

[Fobroader]

Have any of you ever experienced a vehicle being super stiff and choppy when brand new, but then settling into a more comfortable ride as it breaks in?

Nope, other way around.  As the suspension components wear, the ride tends to get more stiff.

Back in 2011 when we got the Forester XT, it was down to it and the Tiguan.  Actually, we testdrove the Tiguan on about 4 occasions, loved it, but never bit.  The reason?  That price and small trunk.  The trunk wasn't SO bad, but the price certainly was.  We were looking at the EXACT model you had there (Comfortline + Sport + Tech = just under $40k pre-tax and PDI/Freight fees).

I haven't driven it since 2011, but I don't think it has changed all that much.  Here were my concerns with it:

1) That engine really felt underpowered to me - I agree that it was the 1st gear only, and afterwards felt fine...but never enthralling.
2) The fuel economy really wasn't any better than in the Forester XT and also required Premium (even if Recommended, only a fool would put regular in a small-displacement turbocharged engine optimized by the manufacturer for premium).
3) The AWD always felt like it was pulling (FWD bias, could barely feel the rear wheels).
4) Smaller footprint, but higher up made it feel like I was driving something of a minivan - it just didn't feel sporty.
5) Quality concerns.
6) Low front chin.

Still, if the price was $35k loaded (pre-tax/fees), and had a 60/40 AWD split (i.e. Full-time AWD), it would be a very, very difficult decision to make.  The Forester was just a better all-around vehicle given the price, space, and AWD systems.

You made the right call, the AWD on the Subaru is much better.

[bombastic]

Interesting that in the article you get the sport package and then complain about firm ride. Wasn't it expected? Forget about sport package and is a complete different story. About premium fuel is not a MUST. It is recommended. You can easily drive 89 without any issues.

the odd thing was, I don't recall the Tiguan R-Line we had in 2012 being such a harsh ride - i felt it was more Audi supple than old-BMW flinty. This Tiguan and the RAV4 both displayed choppy rides in this comparo.

Have any of you ever experienced a vehicle being super stiff and choppy when brand new, but then settling into a more comfortable ride as it breaks in? could be it was how brand spanking new it was... but when we had the Mazda5 and VW Golf Wagon long-termers, both were settled and comfortable from day 1, each with less than a few hundred km on the odo, though neither is set up with a sport suspension...

I do agree with you. My brother got a 2013 Tiguan which has a harsher ride that 2009 that I owned. Quite strange for a vehicle that is suppose to have more less the same riding qualities. My feeling that 2013 is a dumbed down version. Comfortline 2009 had more standard options than 2013. The price reflects it too.

[redman]

FiL walked away from a Tiguan solely based on the combined freight and "mandatory" fees which he claimed combined was over $2,000, I forget the exact figure he was quoted but for some reason $2,400 comes to mind. He actually cross-shopped with a QX50 b/c he has an Altima he is trading in and found that the QX50 base with premium was close enough in price to the Tiguan he was looking at.

Shouldn't your friend check with the other dealers? The "mandatory" fees are not mandatory at all. I consider the freight to be outrageous for RAV4 since it is build in Ontario. Tiguan is build in Germany.

Agreed but is Buffalo N.Y. closer to Germany ? Just a thought since if you buy a Tiguan there you pay $865 for frieght.

[Noto]

Agreed but is Buffalo N.Y. closer to Germany ? Just a thought since if you buy a Tiguan there you pay $865 for frieght.

You can't hate on manufacturers for freight charges, though PDI is another story.

Freight:
-freight is calculated as an average within a country.  Hence, even if you live in Cambridge, ON, you will not be able to pick up a Toyota from their factory.  The actual freight cost is certainly lower to Cambridge, ON than it would be to Yellowknife, but paying actual cost would be prohibitive for remote locales.  Imagine living in Edmonton and paying $2k for Delivery, versus $100 for Cambridge...Toyota's sales would suffer for every location farther from the plant.  Instead, the average charge is about $900 per unit, and the other charge is a ridiculous PDI fee (more on that soon).
-Because the US has a higher population density than Canada, there are more people per unit area to split the cost of freight.  That, and areas are not nearly as remote (for the most part).  Freight charges are therefore valid, even if there is something of a mark-up to be had.  Imagine having to set up and coordinate your own shipping for your vehicle, and then having to pay for insurance on top of that?!  No thank you.  South Park got it right (see attached pic)

PDI, on the other hand, is a ridiculous charge.  It includes your first tank of gas (and all other fluids), which is fair (and worth a couple hundred bucks, maybe, depending on the type and amount of fluids used (synthetic oil, premium fuel, etc)), but to charge the consumer for "inspection?"  You've got to be kidding me.  If I buy a coffee-maker at Canuck Tire, do they explicitly charge me a price on top of the listed sales price to "check that it wasn't damaged in transit"?  This is why we have warranties - if there's something wrong with my car, the dealer deals with it.  I think dealers SHOULD check cars before delivery for paint imperfections, etc. to ensure that the car is, in fact, new - but any costs associated with inspection or repairs should be taken up with the insurers for the freight companies (if damaged during transit) or between dealership and manufacturer (for any defects in the manufacturing process).

I'm sure I'll get some sort of response from those who work for car dealers here (sorry, Tooscoops), but a charge for an inspection really is ridiculous.  I think it needs to be outlawed like the "System Access Fee" - again, eff you, Rogers, for screwing us all for so long.

[bensonc]

 "It also requires premium gasoline and synthetic oil, though only at 15,00 km intervals, but running costs will be relatively high for the segment"

I want to add that beside regular service, you going to need to add about 10 liter of synthetic oil between oil change.  That is from my experience with 2.0T passat for 1.5 years.  (It burns/loss about 1L/1000km and VW said this is normal)

Beside this, no power tailgate offered in the topline trims...

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Agreed but is Buffalo N.Y. closer to Germany ? Just a thought since if you buy a Tiguan there you pay $865 for frieght.

You can't hate on manufacturers for freight charges, though PDI is another story.

Freight:
-freight is calculated as an average within a country.  Hence, even if you live in Cambridge, ON, you will not be able to pick up a Toyota from their factory.  The actual freight cost is certainly lower to Cambridge, ON than it would be to Yellowknife, but paying actual cost would be prohibitive for remote locales.  Imagine living in Edmonton and paying $2k for Delivery, versus $100 for Cambridge...Toyota's sales would suffer for every location farther from the plant.  Instead, the average charge is about $900 per unit, and the other charge is a ridiculous PDI fee (more on that soon).
-Because the US has a higher population density than Canada, there are more people per unit area to split the cost of freight.  That, and areas are not nearly as remote (for the most part).  Freight charges are therefore valid, even if there is something of a mark-up to be had.  Imagine having to set up and coordinate your own shipping for your vehicle, and then having to pay for insurance on top of that?!  No thank you.  South Park got it right (see attached pic)

PDI, on the other hand, is a ridiculous charge.  It includes your first tank of gas (and all other fluids), which is fair (and worth a couple hundred bucks, maybe, depending on the type and amount of fluids used (synthetic oil, premium fuel, etc)), but to charge the consumer for "inspection?"  You've got to be kidding me.  If I buy a coffee-maker at Canuck Tire, do they explicitly charge me a price on top of the listed sales price to "check that it wasn't damaged in transit"?  This is why we have warranties - if there's something wrong with my car, the dealer deals with it.  I think dealers SHOULD check cars before delivery for paint imperfections, etc. to ensure that the car is, in fact, new - but any costs associated with inspection or repairs should be taken up with the insurers for the freight companies (if damaged during transit) or between dealership and manufacturer (for any defects in the manufacturing process).

I'm sure I'll get some sort of response from those who work for car dealers here (sorry, Tooscoops), but a charge for an inspection really is ridiculous.  I think it needs to be outlawed like the "System Access Fee" - again, eff you, Rogers, for screwing us all for so long.

If I buy a ratchet set at Canadian Tire, they don't tack on a shipping charge. It's included in the price, as it should be for everything else. It's just part of the cost of doing business.

What manufacturers have been doing is keeping pricing stable, while increasing the shipping charges to boost profit.
I shipped my car across Canada for ~ $2k. There's no reason why it should cost that much for GM or Toyota to bulk ship their cars.

This could be fixed easily is the feds would change the monroney sticker to be "on the road price", all fees and taxes included. Then comparing car a to car b is much easier and would help keep the overall prices down.

[Fobroader]

Agreed but is Buffalo N.Y. closer to Germany ? Just a thought since if you buy a Tiguan there you pay $865 for frieght.

You can't hate on manufacturers for freight charges, though PDI is another story.

Freight:
-freight is calculated as an average within a country.  Hence, even if you live in Cambridge, ON, you will not be able to pick up a Toyota from their factory.  The actual freight cost is certainly lower to Cambridge, ON than it would be to Yellowknife, but paying actual cost would be prohibitive for remote locales.  Imagine living in Edmonton and paying $2k for Delivery, versus $100 for Cambridge...Toyota's sales would suffer for every location farther from the plant.  Instead, the average charge is about $900 per unit, and the other charge is a ridiculous PDI fee (more on that soon).
-Because the US has a higher population density than Canada, there are more people per unit area to split the cost of freight.  That, and areas are not nearly as remote (for the most part).  Freight charges are therefore valid, even if there is something of a mark-up to be had.  Imagine having to set up and coordinate your own shipping for your vehicle, and then having to pay for insurance on top of that?!  No thank you.  South Park got it right (see attached pic)

PDI, on the other hand, is a ridiculous charge.  It includes your first tank of gas (and all other fluids), which is fair (and worth a couple hundred bucks, maybe, depending on the type and amount of fluids used (synthetic oil, premium fuel, etc)), but to charge the consumer for "inspection?"  You've got to be kidding me.  If I buy a coffee-maker at Canuck Tire, do they explicitly charge me a price on top of the listed sales price to "check that it wasn't damaged in transit"?  This is why we have warranties - if there's something wrong with my car, the dealer deals with it.  I think dealers SHOULD check cars before delivery for paint imperfections, etc. to ensure that the car is, in fact, new - but any costs associated with inspection or repairs should be taken up with the insurers for the freight companies (if damaged during transit) or between dealership and manufacturer (for any defects in the manufacturing process).

I'm sure I'll get some sort of response from those who work for car dealers here (sorry, Tooscoops), but a charge for an inspection really is ridiculous.  I think it needs to be outlawed like the "System Access Fee" - again, eff you, Rogers, for screwing us all for so long.

If I buy a ratchet set at Canadian Tire, they don't tack on a shipping charge. It's included in the price, as it should be for everything else. It's just part of the cost of doing business.

What manufacturers have been doing is keeping pricing stable, while increasing the shipping charges to boost profit.
I shipped my car across Canada for ~ $2k. There's no reason why it should cost that much for GM or Toyota to bulk ship their cars.

This could be fixed easily is the feds would change the monroney sticker to be "on the road price", all fees and taxes included. Then comparing car a to car b is much easier and would help keep the overall prices down.

Charging $2K for shipping is ridiculous, I shipped my Audi from Edmonton to Barrie for a little over $1K....Im one guy, using the service once....you would think shipping tens of thousands of cars per year might garner you some sort of discount....

[Black Hatch]

Speaking of freight.
Why do some models cost more freight than others?
Seems like the more expensive the car is, the more the freight charge.

This would be for same manufacturer.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Charging $2K for shipping is ridiculous, I shipped my Audi from Edmonton to Barrie for a little over $1K....Im one guy, using the service once....you would think shipping tens of thousands of cars per year might garner you some sort of discount....

That was for the 2008 Outback, which the shipping company classified as an SUV, which of course had a higher rate. They had to truck it from Fredericton to the rail dock in Moncton. It landed in Saskatoon and was trucked to Regina. A fair bit of handling, but it arrived none the worse for wear.

[Fobroader]

Charging $2K for shipping is ridiculous, I shipped my Audi from Edmonton to Barrie for a little over $1K....Im one guy, using the service once....you would think shipping tens of thousands of cars per year might garner you some sort of discount....

That was for the 2008 Outback, which the shipping company classified as an SUV, which of course had a higher rate. They had to truck it from Fredericton to the rail dock in Moncton. It landed in Saskatoon and was trucked to Regina. A fair bit of handling, but it arrived none the worse for wear.

Mine arrived in perfect condition in less than 7 days. My dad dropped it off at the railway here and they trucked it to the base.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Oh a couple of years ago we looked into getting an accessible Transit Connect from a company in Moncton. The Transit would have been shipped to the dealer there for modification. I asked what would be the best way to get it out here, and the Ford commercial vehicle guy said they'd ship it in their system, it would only cost an extra $200.

I'm not sure if the shipping was discounted because of what it would be used for, of if the $200 was closer to the actual cost of a manufacturer to move a car around the country.