2014 VW Tiguan SE - TestDriveNow.com Quick Takes

2014 VW Tiguan SE – Quick Takes

The 2014 Tiguan focuses on the successful design aesthetics, driving dynamics, safety features, premium content, and precision German engineering which have positioned the model as a favorite in the midsized CUV segment.

New for 2014

The Tiguan sees select changes for the 2014 model year with a refined trim portfolio and high value content, such as the available Fender® Premium Audio System, brought down to lower trims than before. The addition of the R-Line Model on the 2014 Tiguan brings it into the R-Line family along with Beetle, Beetle Convertible, CC, and Touareg.

Lastly, Volkswagen will introduce its VW Car-Net™ connected services this fall on the Tiguan SE trim and above. VW Car-Net—which has a six-month no-charge trial period—offers a wealth of security and convenience features, including Automatic Crash Notification, Roadside Assistance, and stolen vehicle location assistance. In addition, VW Car-Net adds: remote vehicle access; boundary and speed alerts; a vehicle health report; and an enhanced POI service on vehicles equipped with a navigation system. Most of the features can be administered through a handy smartphone app for iPhone® and Android® devices.

Exterior

The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan combines the style and sophistication of a sporty, urban compact SUV that caters to an active lifestyle. At 174.3 inches nose-to-tail, 71.2 inches wide and 66.3 inches tall, it’s the perfect size for city dwelling and country living.

In profile, the 2014 Tiguan is distinguished by its raked-back windscreen, rising waistline, large side windows, and an unmistakable, trademark C-pillar at the rear. On SE with Appearance and above trims trims, a distinctive ring of chrome around the side windows, coupled with black-painted window frames, works to visually enhance the car. The R-Line model features R-Line specific features such as a roof spoiler, body-color side skirts, and R-Line badging.

Engineered to accommodate 4Motion® all-wheel drive, the Tiguan’s design reflects its ability to conquer practically all weather conditions. The squared-off wheelarches feature plastic surrounds to help protect the paintwork, while the short overhang at the front allows a 28-degree approach angle.

Always ready for an active lifestyle, the 2014 Tiguan is designed to be a carry-all for fun gear. The robust roof rails can accommodate an array of accessories such as bike racks, or kayak and surfboard carriers. The available towing hitch accepts an attachment to carry up to four bikes, or can be used to pull up to 2,200 pounds of jet skis, dirt bikes or ATVs when properly equipped.

Interior

Cabin designs don’t come much more flexible than the 2014 Tiguan’s. There is spacious seating for five adults, easy step-in through the wide-opening doors, and generous legroom and headroom.

But the versatility of the Tiguan’s seating sets it apart and makes it the perfect lifestyle vehicle. The rear seat has a 40/20/40 split to fit an owner’s load-carrying needs. Fold down the wide center section and it can accommodate skis, or fishing gear, or rugs, while still having space for passengers on either side. With the rear seats in place, there is still an impressive 23.8 cubic feet of space in the load area. Fold the second row seats forward and it increases to no less than 56.1 cubic feet. And for the ultimate in load carrying, the available folding front passenger seatback also folds forward and flat to accommodate loads up to 98 inches long. The rear seat can also slide forward six inches to increase luggage space in the back, and for a little extra comfort on road trips, each of the rear seatbacks can be adjusted.

The high-lifting rear door can be opened wide to accommodate large objects. In the cargo area, there are tie-down hooks to help keep stuff in place and a12-volt outlet to power coolers or air pumps. In models equipped with the newly available Fender Premium Audio System, the sub-woofer is hidden in the spare tire area, not sacrificing cargo space.

To let the outside into the Tiguan’s cabin, there’s an available huge panoramic glass tilt/slide sunroof. This aerodynamically and acoustically optimized panoramic roof comprises one glass segment for opening, and one fixed glass panel at the rear. It features pinch protection and an electrically-operated sunshade that covers the inside of the entire glass area. The sunroof comes standard on the 2.0T SEL and as part of the long list of standard equipment on the Tiguan R-Line® model.

Inside, the speedometer and tachometer are oversized and have clear markings that can be read at a glance. Between them is a multi-function trip computer that monitors everything from fuel consumption, to trip distance, to setting the clock.

The 2014 Tiguan also features standard Bluetooth® connectivity, aux-in for portable audio players, and an eight-speaker audio system with an MP3 and WMA-compatible in-dash CD player—all easily controlled with the standard leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. The Media Device Interface (MDI) with an iPod® cable is incorporated into the SE trim and above. The Premium VIII touchscreen audio system with a six-disc CD changer and SD memory-card reader is featured on the mid-range SE with Appearance model and above,.

For a so-called utility vehicle, there is little that’s plain-old utilitarian about the 2014 Tiguan. The interior features rich, soft-touch plastics on the fascia, beautifully-stitched cloth on the seats, and crisp, brushed-metal-style trim surrounding the eight dash-mounted air vents and shift lever.

The Tiguan S offers high-quality cloth seating surfaces in black; the Tiguan SE, SE with Appearance and SEL feature Volkswagen’s perforated V-Tex leatherette, available in black or beige; and the Tiguan R-Line offers rich leather seating surfaces in black or beige as well as a black headliner.

Engine and Transmission

The 2014 Tiguan comes with the soul of the iconic Volkswagen GTI—the award-winning 2.0-liter TSI® turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This technically-sophisticated powerplant features double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, direct fuel injection, and variable intake timing. Turbocharged and intercooled, the compact four-cylinder engine produces an impressive 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque from just 1700 rpm.

As in the GTI, the 2.0T is mated to a precise-shifting six-speed manual transmission, which is standard on the Tiguan S model. The rest of the Tiguan line-up comes standard with a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic® manual shifting, Sport mode, and Dynamic Shift Program (DSP). The new R-Line includes steering wheel mounted-paddle shifters for a sport focused driving experience.

The six-speed automatic transmission includes a second overdrive gear to reduce engine revs at cruising speeds. The transmission in non-Sport mode shifts at slightly lower revs, making greater use of the turbo engine’s considerable torque.

To provide added traction for the 2014 Tiguan, Volkswagen’s 4Motion® all-wheel-drive system is offered on all models with the six-speed automatic transmission. The electro-hydraulic system delivers drive to all four wheels without any buttons to press or levers to pull. A Haldex® center differential can continuously vary the driveforce between the front and rear axles, depending on the traction available.

In most driving conditions, 90 percent of the drive goes to the front wheels, which helps save fuel. But when accelerating from standstill, for example, front-wheel slip is controlled by the Haldex® coupling’s ability to progressively direct nearly 100 percent of the drive torque to the rear wheels.

The 4Motion system also helps to provide sure-footed traction over virtually all surfaces—that rough road to the lake or a snow-covered driveway in winter—as well as optimum straight-line stability, even in crosswinds.

Suspension

Mounted in a lightweight, one-piece aluminum subframe, the Tiguan’s strut-type front suspension has lower control arms and long-travel coil springs. At the rear, the robust four-link system was designed to cope with the rigors of off-roading and to accommodate the Tiguan’s available 4Motion all-wheel drive. So it is mounted in a high-strength steel subframe and features a broad lower control arm on each side, located by a trailing link, with the coil spring bearing directly on the trailing link and the damper on the wheel hub assembly. Among the benefits of this almost neutral layout are excellent straight-running stability on highly-uneven surfaces and reduced tire wear.

For the driver looking for even sportier handling, the Tiguan R-Line® model features a sport-tuned suspension with firmer settings together with 19-inch “Mallory” wheels shod with lower-profile 255/40 R19 all-season tires.

Electro-mechanical power steering with variable assistance contributes to the Tiguan’s fun-to-drive character. At highway speeds, the steering becomes firm and direct, increasing its assistance at parking speeds. Between curbs, the Tiguan has a turning diameter of 39 feet with 2.7 turns lock to lock.

To match the Tiguan’s athletic performance is an impressive braking system. At the front there are 12.3-inch vented discs, with 11.3-inch solid discs at the rear. The system features a brake disc drying feature to help remove water from the rotors to optimize wet-weather braking, as well as Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD), and Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA). All Tiguan models also feature an electronic parking brake.

Safety and Security

Safety and security in the 2014 Tiguan starts with a strong, rigid laser-seam-welded bodyshell, crash-optimized, energy-absorbing front end, and features like heat-formed steel center B-pillars for added roll-over protection.

The driver and front-seat passenger are protected by front, and side-thorax airbags, while must-have Side Curtain Protection® head airbags help protect those in the front and rear seats. And pyrotechnic safety belt pretensions cinch-tight the safety belts of the front-seat and rear-outboard-seat occupants in a collision.

Electronic assistance includes Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Tire Pressure Monitor (TPS).

And all Tiguan models features the advanced Volkswagen Intelligent Crash Response System that automatically shuts off the fuel pump, unlocks the doors, and even switches on the hazard warning lights if the vehicle is involved in certain types of collision.

Scheduled Maintenance

For real peace of mind, the Tiguan, like every 2014 Volkswagen, is covered under the Carefree Maintenance® Program at no additional charge. Scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Model Line-up

There are five models in the 2014 Tiguan model line-up, powered by the 2.0 TSI® turbocharged four-cylinder engine. All models that are equipped with an automatic transmission have the option of 4Motion all-wheel drive. The six-speed manual transmission is only offered on the front-wheel drive Tiguan S.

With a starting MSRP of $23,305, the 2.0T Tiguan S provides entry to the Tiguan range. Key standard features include a six-speed manual transmission; 16-inch wheels (“Portland” aluminum-alloys with 215/65 R16 98H all-season tires for the automatic model and steel wheels for the manual model); electronic parking brake; power-adjustable, heated side mirrors; Bluetooth® technology; trailer hitch prep; cloth seating; front manual lumbar support and height adjustment; split-folding rear seats with recline and center armrest; carpeted floor mats; cruise control; leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel; leather shift knob; speed-sensitive power steering; multi-function display; Climatic air conditioning; intermittent front windshield wipers; 40/20/40-split folding rear seat; and an eight-speaker sound system with in-dash CD player.

Priced from $27,285, the SE takes the S automatic features and adds 17-inch “Philadelphia” alloy wheels with 235/50 R17 97H all-season tires; V-Tex leatherette seating; heatable front seats; power driver seat recline; privacy glass; VW Car-Net™ connected services with a six-month, no-charge trial period; heated front washer nozzles; and MDI with iPod® adapter.

SE with Appearance

Priced from $29,965, it adds passenger seat power recline; 18-inch “New York” alloy wheels; silver roof rails; chrome trim; front fog and cornering lights; rearview camera; Keyless entry with push-button start; Premium VIII radio with auxiliary input and satellite radio.

SEL

Priced from $32,995, this well-equipped trim adds a panoramic, power sunroof; dual-zone Climatronic® climate control; the acclaimed Fender® Premium Audio System; and the RNS-315 touchscreen navigation system.

R-Line®

The most dynamic and sport-focused of the Tiguan line-up has a starting MSRP of $36,880. Its comprehensive list of standard features includes, in addition to the SEL: 19-inch “Mallory” aluminum-alloy wheels with 255/40 R19 96H all-season tires; black wheelarch extensions; sport suspension; leather seating surfaces; power adjustable front seats with power lumbar and memory on the driver’s side; R-Line roof spoiler and aluminum sill kickplates, body-color side skirts and R-Line badging; flat bottomed leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters for the automatic transmission; stainless-steel pedal cluster; decorative inserts on door trim panels; Titanium black headliner; interior light in footwell; intermittent front windshield wipers with rain sensor; power foldable/adjustable/heated exterior mirrors with surround lighting and curb view; auto-dimming rearview mirror; Bi-Xenon headlights with AFS and LED daytime running lights, low-beam assist and “coming home” function.

2014 VW Tiguan SE – TestDriveNow.com Quick Takes MSRP as shown: $27,860.00.