Volkswagen's Tiguan SUV made its official U.S. debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2007, followed by its market launch in 2008. Slotting in several rungs below its big brother - the Touareg 2 - VW hails the small crossover as the "GTI of SUVs."
The base S model actually brings home the best highway fuel economy for the model thanks to the standard six-speed manual, giving it a rating of 26 on the highway, although the city mileage drops to 18 mpg. By contrast, the SE and SEL return 20 city and 25 highway thanks to the six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic, Sport mode, and Dynamic Shift Program (DSP).
Front-wheel drive will be standard with an all-wheel drive system available. Maximum towing capacity for the Touareg’s little brother is rated at 2,200 lbs. Other markets get a diesel engine option; the same 140 hp 2.0 liter unit the North American Jetta TDI will get in 2008.
The Tiguan is built on a modified Passat platform with some bits from the Rabbit thrown in on the ends. Interior space is maximized thanks to a car-like 60/40-split folding seat.
Pricing for the crossover starts at just under $24,000 and grows from there with a long list of available features, including a panoramic sunroof, 6.5-inch touch screen navigation system, rear-view camera, bi-Xenon headlights and even a parking assist program. The Tiguan is assembled at VW’s Wolfsburg facility in Germany.
The range-topping SEL starts just under $33,000, nearly 10 grand higher than the S. 4MOTION all-wheel drive is still only an option on the SEL.
VW says it will eventually add a small diesel for the North American market as well, but this engine is not yet available
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