Volkswagen SUV
SUV Reviewer
The Volkswagen SUV maintains the standards of the VW name while offering a new and different choice among the SUV crowd. With attention to detail, styling, and even an upscale version of the luxury SUV, the VW has become an impressive contender among many of the manufacturers. For a true Volkswagen SUV experience the company has produced three different lines, each with its own attributes and drawbacks.
The Volkswagen SUV Tiguan looks bolder and was intentionally styled to have a more rugged and aggressive look. It is also considerably more classy than many of the class competitors. The base model offers manual transmission as well as an automatic version. VW designers have recognized that many VW drivers prefer the manual transmission. The six speed offers nice, smooth transitions. The standard features are rather numerous. With the inclusion of stability control, traction control, antilock disc brakes, MP3 input line, towing package, full length curtain airbags down the side, a 60/40 split rear seat, panoramic sunroof, and a navigation system the Tiguan is loaded up with all that one would expect from a Volkswagen SUV.
Driving a Volkswagen SUV is a unique experience. The designers used the same technology as it does for the driving experience of the cars VW releases with modifications that made it more compatible with the SUV body. Handling and road responsiveness are excellent and the off road experience is impressive. Priced against other compact sport utility vehicles the Tiguan requires more from an owner than budget mindedness. With a higher price tag there are certainly quality expectations that have been met, but with only a maximum 56.1 cubic feet of cargo space this Volkswagen SUV might be a bit overpriced.
The Touareg and the Touareg 2 are not as diverse from each other as one might expect. With some restyling and some upgrades, the Touareg 2 is the luxury Volkswagen SUV that offers a lot for the picky driver. The responsive handling on the road translates well into the off road experience. Developed alongside Porsche designers the platform was specially created to ensure that the Touareg would be more than capable of driving performance.
One of the main drawbacks with the Touareg was poor performance at the fuel pump. The overall gas guzzling appeal of the SUV was dying out when the Volkswagen SUV hit the market. The V6 turbo diesel offered an alternative at a hefty price tag, but delivered 221 horsepower and 407 pounds of torque.
The Volkswagen SUV is far from a failure but also lacks the enthusiastic following that is received by other VW vehicles. The Jetta, the Golf, and the New Beetle are all developed for a specialty group of drivers. The Touareg and the Tiguan remain unappreciated by avid VW drivers and too expensive for most of the mid size to compact SUV enthusiasts. Without a true niche market the upper scale well performing SUV class often doesn't find its proper following. The effort to produce an SUV was met with some rather inquisitive raised eyebrows by the consumer as well as the critics.
The Volkswagen SUV Tiguan looks bolder and was intentionally styled to have a more rugged and aggressive look. It is also considerably more classy than many of the class competitors. The base model offers manual transmission as well as an automatic version. VW designers have recognized that many VW drivers prefer the manual transmission. The six speed offers nice, smooth transitions. The standard features are rather numerous. With the inclusion of stability control, traction control, antilock disc brakes, MP3 input line, towing package, full length curtain airbags down the side, a 60/40 split rear seat, panoramic sunroof, and a navigation system the Tiguan is loaded up with all that one would expect from a Volkswagen SUV.
Driving a Volkswagen SUV is a unique experience. The designers used the same technology as it does for the driving experience of the cars VW releases with modifications that made it more compatible with the SUV body. Handling and road responsiveness are excellent and the off road experience is impressive. Priced against other compact sport utility vehicles the Tiguan requires more from an owner than budget mindedness. With a higher price tag there are certainly quality expectations that have been met, but with only a maximum 56.1 cubic feet of cargo space this Volkswagen SUV might be a bit overpriced.
The Touareg and the Touareg 2 are not as diverse from each other as one might expect. With some restyling and some upgrades, the Touareg 2 is the luxury Volkswagen SUV that offers a lot for the picky driver. The responsive handling on the road translates well into the off road experience. Developed alongside Porsche designers the platform was specially created to ensure that the Touareg would be more than capable of driving performance.
One of the main drawbacks with the Touareg was poor performance at the fuel pump. The overall gas guzzling appeal of the SUV was dying out when the Volkswagen SUV hit the market. The V6 turbo diesel offered an alternative at a hefty price tag, but delivered 221 horsepower and 407 pounds of torque.
The Volkswagen SUV is far from a failure but also lacks the enthusiastic following that is received by other VW vehicles. The Jetta, the Golf, and the New Beetle are all developed for a specialty group of drivers. The Touareg and the Tiguan remain unappreciated by avid VW drivers and too expensive for most of the mid size to compact SUV enthusiasts. Without a true niche market the upper scale well performing SUV class often doesn't find its proper following. The effort to produce an SUV was met with some rather inquisitive raised eyebrows by the consumer as well as the critics.
