The front of the Tiguan R-Line is easily the most aggressive aspect of the crossover so far.
Volkswagen
Over the span of a decade, the Volkswagen Tiguan has gone from obscurity to become the rather desirable SUV, with global production figures reaching just 1 million units in 2019. It is very popular in Europe, and its latest generation has expanded greatly their US footprint too. Now Volkswagen has prepared a mid-cycle update that aims to improve those sales numbers.
Volkswagen on Tuesday unveiled the revamped 2022 Tiguan crossover. The exterior keeps the overall shape the same, but the front end has been overhauled with standard LED headlights that look much more like those of the upcoming eighth-generation Golf. The usual mid-cycle cutouts are here, like new wheels, new paint colors, and new bumpers.
The interior of the Tiguan really speeds up, pointing to the kind of flashy things we’ll see in other new VWs like the Golf and Arteon as well. Each trim has new interior trim options, plus a new multi-function touchscreen steering wheel. A Fender audio system is available, as well as 15-color ambient lighting and a touch module for climate control. Heated fabric seats are standard on the S finish, while SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line trims move to leatherette and leather.
On the tech front, every Tiguan will come with VW’s Digital Cockpit Meter Display, which measures 8 inches at the bottom trim and 10 inches at the top. Complementing that screen is a dashboard infotainment setup running VW’s new MIB 3 system, which includes wireless connection Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 6.5-inch screen hangs from the base trims, growing to 8 inches beyond the SE.
Speaking of embellishments, each brings its own unique complement of features. The basic Tiguan S includes 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and LED headlights and taillights. The SE has 18-inch wheels, an electric tailgate, tactile-style climate controls, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assistance, while the SE R-Line Black balances even bigger wheels and blackened details. At the top of the lineup is the SEL R-Line, which uses 20-inch rollers and contains the largest Digital Cockpit display, plus ambient lighting, predictive adaptive cruise control, and traffic signal recognition.
The interior of the Tiguan has come a long way since its first iteration.
Volkswagen
All four versions are based on the same 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, which produces 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but buyers can add all-wheel drive and third-row seats (as a combo pack) in every finish except the base. As with the previous new Arteon, Europe is getting the best end of this deal; In addition to the more pedestrian variants, the EU has access to a 315-hp Tiguan R and a plug-in hybrid variant. Journal.
The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan should land at dealerships in October 2021, so you have time to count the pennies under your mattress. Pricing will be announced closer to launch in the US, so I hope you are patient.
