Under the hood, all US-bound Tiguans are powered by an updated version of VW's venerable E888 2.0-liter, turbocharged, inline-four-cylinder engine. The motor has been updated to improve efficiency and torque delivery. In addition, the old Tiguan's 6-speed automatic has been replaced by a new 8-speed unit.
However, the overall output of the engine is down 16 horsepower to just 184 — all while it's gained more than 200 pounds in weight.
Even though peak power and torque are more accessible than the gen-one Tiguan, the new car lacks the pep and enthusiasm of the outgoing model. According to Car and Driver, the sprint to 60 mph takes a leisurely 9.1 seconds. Not good, considering the old car could do it in around 8 seconds.
For me, the Tiguan driving experience was solid, but not spectacular. The steering was responsive albeit a bit numb (common for crossovers) while the ride was compliant and comfortable. On the highway, the Tiguan's lack of power is apparent. The engine and transmission combo feel overwhelmed and winded during high-speed passing maneuvers. The Tiguan will summon up some power and speed, but there is a delay and you will have to put the transmission into sport mode.
Matt DeBord also complained of some roughness in the drivetrain and juddering at low-speeds. However, I couldn't replicate those symptoms on our test car.
These are all issues that, we believe, can be solved with a more powerful version of the E888 engine. The 235 horsepower unit found in the entry-level Atlas should do the trick.
One major area of improvement is fuel economy. The old Tiguan's fuel economy was appallingly poor for a four-cylinder compact crossover.
My personal vehicle routinely struggles to reach the 19 mpg mark. Loaded with people, groceries, and a large cache of apples fresh from a trip to the orchard, our all-wheel-drive test car managed to return about 24 mpg in mixed city and highway driving. Further, a front-wheel-drive Tiguan we tested earlier this year managed to deliver a stellar 31 mpg on the highway.