The stiffest competition for Volkswagen's bestselling Tiguan may be ... another VW. That one being the VW introduced last year as the newest VW:
The Taos.
It is smaller than the Tiggy by about 10 inches in length. But it has almost the same inches in terms of first- and second-row legroom. It also has about the same total space — for cargo.
And it costs about $3,000 less to start.
But it doesn't offer a third row, which comes standard in the Tiggy. That (plus a stronger standard engine) may make the latter worth the price for those who need the additional seats — and want the extra power.
You also get some other things that either cost extra in the Taos or aren't available in that model.
What It Is
The Tiguan is VW's compact-size crossover, distinct from the subcompact Taos, which slots in underneath it in size as well as price — and seats.
It is longer, as described above, and comes standard with seven-passenger seating, which can also be skipped in favor of a five-passenger/two-row layout that expands the space for cargo behind the second row to 37.5 cubic feet — about 10 more cubic feet of cargo space than behind the second row in the Taos.
It also comes standard with a six-speaker stereo, heated front seats, keyless ignition and a digital main instrument cluster — equipment that's available but extra-cost in the Taos.
Some available Tiggy features, including voice-controlled Climatronic air conditioning (and heat), aren't available in the Taos at all.
Prices start at $26,490 for the front-wheel-drive S trim. VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system can be added as a stand-alone upgrade, raising the MSRP to $27,990.
There are also SE, SE R-Line Black and top-of-the-line SEL R-Line trims, the latter coming standard with VW's 4-Motion AWD, a 20-inch wheel/tire package, a larger 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster, power folding outside rearview mirrors, adaptive LED headlights that turn with the steering wheel and a premium Fender audio system.
It stickers for $37,320.
What's New
The Tiggy gets a few minor styling tweaks and new tech, including the voice-activated Climatronic system described above and an available 30-color ambient interior lighting system.
What's Good
Two, or three, rows of seats put the Tiggy in a class by itself.
Enough power to pull a small (1,500-pound) trailer.
Much more cargo room than Taos behind its second row.
What's Not So Good
Space is tight behind its third row (12 cubic feet).
No optional engine.
Three-row rivals like the Kia Sorento and Mitsubishi Outlander are both rated to pull a heavier (2,000-pound) trailer.
Under The Hood
Every Tiggy trim comes with the same engine — a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that makes 184 horsepower. It splits the difference between the 2.5-liter, 191 horsepower engine that's standard in the Kia Sorento and the 2.5-liter, 181 horsepower engine that's standard in the Mitsubishi Outlander.
But the VW's engine has the advantage when it comes to torque, courtesy of the fact that it is turbocharged, while its rivals' engines aren't — which is why its smaller-than-theirs engine develops 221 foot-pounds at 1,900 RPM versus just 181 foot-pounds at 3,600 RPM for the Outlander's four, and the same 181 foot-pounds — but not until 4,000 RPM — for the Sorento's four.
What that means is that while these engines make about the same power, the VW's feels stronger sooner because of the additional torque, which leverages the available power. In plainer language, the VW's engine doesn't have to rev as much to get the Tiggy going. The turbo makes its smaller four feel bigger than the actually larger displacement engines that power its primary rivals.
On The Road
There is also something to be said for the non-CVT automatic transmissions in this rig, even if VW doesn't want to rate this thing to pull as much as its CVT-equipped rivals. It feels more natural to shift up through gears (even if you aren't doing any shifting yourself) than to move through ranges, as CVTs do — though some may prefer the "shiftless" character of CVTs.
However, the Tiggy is only rated to pull 1,500 pounds versus 2,000 pounds for both the Sorento and the Outlander. (The Taos isn't rated by VW to tow anything.)
At The Curb
The Tiggy, uniquely, is the only small crossover that comes standard with three rows of seats, and the option to dial that back to two rows. The advantage to these layouts is being able to go with the third row if you need the additional seats at the cost of some room (for cargo).
Or forgo the row and gain a lot of room for cargo.
The three-row Tiggy has just 12 cubic feet of space for stuff behind its third row, which is about the same as the Sorento (12.6 cubic feet) and Outlander have (11.7 cubic feet). But the two-row Tiggy more than triples that (37.6 cubic feet).
Fold the second row down and that more than doubles again — to 73.4 cubic feet.
The Rest
An unusually high-end feature for the class is the Tiggy's available voice-activated climate control system that lets you make adjustments by asking the car to make them. Just a few years ago, you would've had to buy an Audi or a Mercedes to get that.
The Bottom Line
If you'd like a third row without more crossover, the Tiggy's just one of three that has it. And it's one of one that lets you skip that row, if it's not something you need.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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