# Trying to decide is a new Tiguan is for me... but the "power"



## albert_m3 (Jan 23, 2017)

*Do you feel that power is adequate, particularly when commuting?*

I say when commuting because I assume the engine struggles when the car is loaded, but most of the time, it would be me commuting to and from work. Many reviews speak to the Tiguan being at best, just ok in terms of pep and I get it, it's heavy and the HP level isn't particularly high, though it does seem to fall in line with its competitors.

Thoughts from those of you who have been driving it work for a while?


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

I usually don't have a commute and work from home, but I've been commuting into Portland's heavy traffic for a conference this week. It performs very well. It has plenty of power down low in the rev band which is what you're typically hitting around town and in stop and go traffic. The problem is just that it falls on its face around 4k rpm. But most aren't revving above that when commuting. Feels like it accelerates a lot better with partial accelerator pressure that has it shifting sooner, than flooring it and letting it redline. If you've got a heavier foot you'll still be leaving 99% of people well behind at lights without even intending to.


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## Kazzz (Oct 11, 2018)

The reviews are mostly spot on. It is not the fastest SUV out there however during my search for a new SUV, I found most of them with the 4 banger engines are all under powered with some sort of turbo lag. If your looking for a race car SUV, your in the wrong category and hope you have more money to spend. My experience is comparing a 2013 Ford edge limited 3.5L V6 and I prefer the 2.0L turbo for commuting. I use 91 octane gas in the sport mode and it reduces the turbo lag some what and reading the burger tuning thread, a few hundred dollars will get you what you want. I do not like the CVT transmission on a few SUV we looked at. I will be doing its first highway drive this weekend into Montana, so I'm interested in seeing whats it like on the open road.


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## Savvv (Apr 22, 2009)

I’ve already let my contacts at Unitronic HQ know that as soon as a 1+ tune is ready for BETA they’ve got me for testing...if that answers your question.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

I just test drove a group of the compact crossovers and found the Tiguan to be on the upper end of them. I think Honda has the best overall engine in the crv. It felt a little faster than the Tiguan, with better gas mileage. None of them feel fast or especially fun to drive. They’re set up for comfort.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

Yeah most of the direct competition is similarly powered, but with the addition of being extra buzzy with a CVT transmission.


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## i_am_sam_i_am (Nov 2, 2017)

My daily commute begins with me driving through town to get the kids to school and then proceeding onto the freeway for my modest trek to work. All told, it's about a 50-50 city/highway split.
There has never been a time during my daily driving where I felt the power was inadequate. That includes both city and highway merging.

That's not to say that I don't think it could/should have more ooomf, just that for me and my driving patterns it does just fine.


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## Savvv (Apr 22, 2009)

The most annoying thing is that they went out of their way to redesign an engine that already exists in the GTI. “Hey let’s MQB the world but with different motors.” One step forward and one backward. Oh and what was wrong with the DSG?


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## __raj (Apr 28, 2018)

With 13k over 6 months it fine. Not fast but getting 29MPG average is great.


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## jojowasher (Apr 17, 2006)

I think its fine, on the weekend I had four adults and a small child in the car, with a costco load in the back and it was great, not going to win any races but I got 7.9L/100 KM on the highway on the way home.


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## sp4c3m4nsp1ff17 (Feb 6, 2008)

I really don't understand the complaints about power in this vehicle - its a compact SUV/crossover/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. Its not a sports car. Its not supposed to be a sports car. I've never felt that it was "under powered". Anyone who thinks the Tiguan is under powered needs to drive a Mercedes 240D....THAT car is what I would call under powered. But both these cars sacrifice speed in the name of MPG. I get 36 mpg on the highway in mine. I wouldn't want it to be any faster if that meant sacrificing mileage.


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## sp4c3m4nsp1ff17 (Feb 6, 2008)

Savvv said:


> Oh and what was wrong with the DSG?


The DSG is fantastic in cars like the GTI which are a blast to drive fast. The Tiguan was meant for getting families from point a to b and is offered at a low price point - its a tough sell when you tell someone they need a $300-$400 service every 40k miles for their family hauler when literally no other vehicle in this class needs that.


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## castlecraver (Feb 8, 2007)

Did my first commute today with my new Tiguan and I don’t think it’s underpowered at all. I drive a few miles through town, then 27 miles up an interstate, then another 15 up a 3 lane highway that’s usually very congested and full of lights. So a variety of driving conditions. I have been driving in normal mode and also testing out some settings in the custom mode and in all instances I don’t really feel the lack of power. It’s not as peppy as my wife’s mk7 Golf but it shouldn’t be. Like other members here I’m looking for a comfortable ride and good fuel economy. I think it also depends what car you’re coming from and what you’re used to. If you’re coming from something sportier or with a big engine you may feel the Tiguan is slow in comparison.


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## Savvv (Apr 22, 2009)

I don’t understand how you don’t understand the frustrations. 










Car and Driver’s report clearly shows that last year’s model was quicker than this year’s. Not only is this thread NOT about fuel mileage, but even if we had the GTI motor...30mpg would still be possible. I’m in an AWD version and drive in sport mode 24/7 and get 27-29 regularly. If you bought yours for the fuel mileage and don’t care about the power this isn’t the thread for you :laugh: ITS A DOG! A full size Acadia with AWD and the standard V6 can roll this thing from 50mph.


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

I think the power level it fine for what this car is, certainly for commuting. It's gotten me into and out of any situation I've needed or wanted it to. Would I like more power? Sure. But then who doesn't want more power from any car they've ever driven? I know people that have spent $50,000 on a Corvette and immediately go out looking for power upgrades. It's all a matter of perspective.

Best I can tell everyone complaining about speed/power is either comparing to the previous "limited" model or non-SUVs or looking at the lower HP number compared to the previous spec. Americans buy HP numbers and drive torque numbers. VW tuned the engine nicely for the NA market, in my opinion. It's not a sports car, it's not a Jaguare F-Pace or Posche MAcan or Range Roger Velar, but then we don't have a starting price of over $44,000.

People like to complain. IF the most they can complain about is that the car isn't as fast as they want/expect I think that's praise for the car. But ask them... what car did have enough power for you that you would never have thought of mods to it?


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## sp4c3m4nsp1ff17 (Feb 6, 2008)

This thread is about ADEQUATE power for commuting. An 8 second 0-60 is absolutely adequate. Fun fact - 8 seconds is exactly what a FERRARI 308 ran back in 1977. Do we need a family commuter to be as fast as a Ferrari? No. Clearly the new Tiguan is slower than its predecessor. Its also significantly larger, marketed to a different audience, and is also selling 2-3x more volume than its predecessor. They sacrificed a second or two of 0-60 times (which really aren't that important because who is doing max acceleration runs from stop lights taking their kids to soccer practice?) for more room, REGULAR gas (very important), and better fuel economy. 

Calling this car a "dog" is clearly an exaggeration. Like I said, drive a Merc 240 or an original beetle, step back in the new Tiguan and THEN tell me its a dog.


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## castlecraver (Feb 8, 2007)

The car is not fast but it’s perfectly adequate for commuting. That was the abridged version of my last post. I commute between 2-4 hours a day round trip depending on traffic. The one area where you may need to adjust a driving habit or driving mode is if you really need to get up to speed to merge onto a highway quickly.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

Savvv said:


> A full size Acadia with AWD and the standard V6 can roll this thing from 50mph.


The Acadia also gets worse mileage and starts at 48k for the AWD. It’s twice the price of a Tiguan. Why not compare it to a Porsche Cayenne while we’re at it? 

If you want a fast compact crossover you’re shopping in the wrong class. They’re all dogs when it comes to speed at this price range. 

It sucks you don’t like your car that much, but where else are you going to go? Go test drive the competition, a CX 5 or the new Forester, put your foot to the floor on an on-ramp and see how it goes. The new turbo CX 5 will likely be the fastest in the class when it comes out, but i bet it will be at or around $40k as well for that option.


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## Savvv (Apr 22, 2009)

TofuBoyz said:


> It sucks you don’t like your car that much, but where else are you going to go?


It sucks you probably didn’t take debate class bc now I have to justify how I actually really do love my Tiguan. I’m happier than pigs in sh*t to be driving it, especially since my employer paid for it! It’s exactly what I wanted to order.










That being said, if I wanted something faster I would have ordered a Golf R. It still doesn’t negate the fact that the stock Tiguan is a slug. Now, I’ve also driven quite a few very fast cars, and I’ve driven for years bigger SUVs with more power than this. More than one person ever in the history of the 2018 Tiguan has complained about the performance. Get over it. We aren’t complaining about fuel mileage, or interior fit/finish, or how much better it looks than the competition. As soon as I have a Unitronic 1+ tune installed I’ll love the car even more. Don’t sit there and tell me I hate my car just bc I find it slow.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

It's all perspective though right? The whole class is "underpowered". Especially now that the Forester XT is dead. We came from an 09 V6 RAV4 that was a rocket in comparison. But compared to an '18 RAV4 the difference is minimal.


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## Pearlex86 (Sep 28, 2018)

We had a 4 door golf 1.8t manual kinda like a unbadged gti in the 2000’s, it was so slow stock but once tuned would get 30+ on hwy and would pick on anything out there at the time kinda was funny how fast! +1 for Unitronics tune can’t wait this motor runs well just is a corked up


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

Savvv said:


> It sucks you probably didn’t take debate class bc now I have to justify how I actually really do love my Tiguan. I’m happier than pigs in sh*t to be driving it, especially since my employer paid for it! It’s exactly what I wanted to order.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wasn’t trying to offend you. You were calling it a dog and only negative things in that post, so I figured you didn’t like it. It’s ok if you like it or don’t like it, I don’t mind! 

We’re in agreement that the car is slow (and that it looks good while doing it), my point was it doesn’t make sense to complain about its speed in comparison to cars not even in the same class. It’s on par with its competition. If someone wants faster they need to get a different class of car, or wait for a tune


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## scirockalot8v (Sep 16, 2006)

I just drove my wifes 2016 cx5 for the first time since getting the tiguan. It was like like I was back in my old GTI... well not really. But the cx5 definitely has more "off the line" go. I'd take my tiguan any day over it. My wifes mother has a 2018 rogue and it feels about the same as the cx5. The tiguan is way more for comfort. 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

There's something wrong with the transmission programing. I think the car is fine for commuting in sport mode. In "drive" it's absolutely terrible. When I wanna merge it takes forever to downshift and get in the powerband. And sometimes pulling out onto the road it upshifts and i lose momentum until it figures out that it needs to drop a gear instead so the car can accelerate. Quite dangerous actually. That's why i make sure i'm always in sport mode when pulling out onto roads.

Like others have said - it's an SUV. But there's no reason they couldn't have given it a bigger motor. The Japanese CUV competition is similar to the Tiguan's hp, but when you look at the american marques - they offer upgraded engines for more money if you want it. My friend has a 2017 Escape with the 2.0t ecoboost and it is much better than the tiguan's powertrain. 

Check out these engine options that you can get on American CUVs:

Ford Escape 2.0 Ecoboost: 245hp/275tq 

Jeep Cherokee 2.0 Turbo: 270hp/295tq

Chevy Equinox 2.0 Turbo: 252hp/260tq


Personally, i think VW should offer an upgraded engine option. Possibly the atlas 2.0t at 235hp/258tq. This engine would move the Tiguan along nicely while still getting good fuel economy

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## JODZ (Feb 16, 1999)

I'm coming from a 2017 Golf R that I loved, but for personal and family reasons, I decided to get my 2018 SEL Premium R-Line Tiguan. I really thought I was going to be upset with the loss of over 100hp. I love this vehicle! If a tune comes out I might try one, but it's a crossover truck, not a car or even sports car at that. I think if you're going to chase more power then you'll also really need to think about upgrading a lot of other components as well. Suspension would be absolute, followed by brakes, and a good set of tires. I picked mine up 8/3/18 and have about 2300 miles on it. Knock on wood not 1 issue yet, and hopefully it stays that way. When I got my R, I was amazed at what that little car could do out of the box performance wise. But for what it is, I personally think it packs enough power. There are others in the category with more power, but the trade off is fit and trim. Mike


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## Pearlex86 (Sep 28, 2018)

D3Audi said:


> There's something wrong with the transmission programing. I think the car is fine for commuting in sport mode. In "drive" it's absolutely terrible. When I wanna merge it takes forever to downshift and get in the powerband. And sometimes pulling out onto the road it upshifts and i lose momentum until it figures out that it needs to drop a gear instead so the car can accelerate. Quite dangerous actually. That's why i make sure i'm always in sport mode when pulling out onto roads.
> 
> Like others have said - it's an SUV. But there's no reason they couldn't have given it a bigger motor. The Japanese CUV competition is similar to the Tiguan's hp, but when you look at the american marques - they offer upgraded engines for more money if you want it. My friend has a 2017 Escape with the 2.0t ecoboost and it is much better than the tiguan's powertrain.
> 
> ...



Tbh there really isn’t to much that we are missing in our tiggy segment but for the lack of grunt. But honest this motor feels more corked up than any Vw I’ve ever driven. If we get a tune to by-pass butt cycle with mode selection I’d be happy I mean low throttle accel is choppy at best during transitions.


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## tpm1234 (Aug 3, 2018)

I have had my SE now for just over 3 months now and about 4500 miles. The only time I find the power band and transmission to be an issue is when taking off from a stop and say a red light. Even then its only a problem if I am not paying attention and mash the peddle down, which then brings on the turbo lag. My daily drive is 25 miles each way on back, hilly roads and the highway. I set the car the in sport drive mode and mostly leave the shifter in drive. I have absolutely no issues with power in those settings. I cruise up 2 big back road hills and hit the highway at around 70-75 mph and have no issues and passing is a breeze even at that speed. On the highway I usually put the shifter into sport when I want to pass or if getting into stop and go traffic. I also find the car to be a beast if I put the transmission into manual mode and maintain the car in 4th or 5th gear, its a blast on the backroads when I do that. So would I love more power, sure, but I don't find this to be a problem at all. If I want more power and umph, then I hop in my wife's Forester 2.0XT for my power rush.


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## ypark (Oct 6, 2018)

Is the power adequate for commuting? Probably. But the transmission definitely feels unrefined. There's plenty of Ooomph when you step on the pedal but when just accelerating slowly from a stop, the car feels powerless as it shifts through certain gears.

With that said, I've only had my Tiguan for 2 weeks and so far, a happy owner overall. I am hoping VW will address this issue sometime in the future with an ECU update or something.


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## EVANGELIONHD (May 9, 2012)

Not sport car is what we want but an upgrade... try driving a 2016 VW Tiguan and you all will feel the "power and quickness".

Higher revs with a 6 speed transmission was more than enough. .. oh yeah I probably miss the memo where VW stated that getting newer cars wasn't an upgrade anymore and more likely a Downgrade... 

I have a 2008 Passat all stock and this 9 month old can't keep up with me on the turnpike, where now we commute from NJ into NY, maybe it ok for an in city commute but not for the morning rat race around here.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

I guess I tend to drive slower than most.. I usually just go with traffic. After a couple days with the car and one long road trip already down, in my opinion the power complaints seem overstated, maybe from people more used to a different type of car?This seems like a pretty normal compact CUV engine. I know it’s slower than the old Tiguan, but VW must figure bigger, more mpg, and regular gas trump quickness.

I’ve been babying the engine for the break in period and have no issues passing.. I don’t even bother using sport mode yet. I passed someone on a backroad highway today without even needing to bring the engine past 4K rpm. So for commuting? Of course it’s more than adequate. It’s a commuter car, not a sporty car. 

There would be circumstances where you don’t have the power to pass someone though.. a full car, going uphill, and another car coming quick the opposite way, I wouldn’t do it in this car.. but then again I tend to not pass in those situations in any car. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling it sporty and fast.. I’m definitely interested to see what a tune can do for it. But to claim it’s dangerously slow or unsuitable for the typical driving most people are using it for is a bit dramatic.


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## tpm1234 (Aug 3, 2018)

EVANGELIONHD said:


> Not sport car is what we want but an upgrade... try driving a 2016 VW Tiguan and you all will feel the "power and quickness".
> 
> Higher revs with a 6 speed transmission was more than enough. .. oh yeah I probably miss the memo where VW stated that getting newer cars wasn't an upgrade anymore and more likely a Downgrade...
> 
> ...


I had a 2008 Passat Kumfort 2 cars ago and loved how it drove. Drop it into sport at 70 and you felt let turbo blasters came on. But I hated the repairs that were mounting up and got rid of it at 99K miles for a 15 Passat.


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## Ali B (Feb 17, 1999)

*Is there a specific reason Tiguan engine is fuel inefficient for its output level?*

I know the mediocre power and acceleration of the 2018 Tiguan has already been addressed on this forum before. It's sad to see VW lower the power of its mainstream models with each new redesign (Jetta, Tiguan, Golf) in the interest of cost cutting or increased fuel economy. In the case of the 2018 Tiguan, I'm not sure the new 2.0T with 184 hp and 221 lb-ft is any more efficient than the old Tiguan's 200-hp, 207 lb-ft 2.0T engine. 

I could see VW using this new lower output 2.0T if it meant gaining some fuel efficiency in exchange for loss in performance, but as far as I can see, this Tiguan trails nearly all other comparably priced (or somewhat higher priced) competitors in both power and fule efficiency.

Here's my data:

2018 Tiguan AWD: 184 hp, 221 lb-ft, 21/27 EPA city/highway
2018 Acura RDX AWD: 272 hp, 280 lb-ft, 21/27 EPA city/highway
2018 Audi Q5 2.0T quattro: 252 hp, 273 lb-ft, 23/27 EPA city/highway
2018 BMW X3 Xdrive30i: 248 hp, 258 lb-ft, 22/29 EPA city/highway
2018 Mazda CX-55 2.5 AWD: 187 hp, 186 lb-ft, 24/30 EPA city/highway
2018 Honda CRV AWD: 184 hp, 184 lb-ft, 25/34 EPA city/highway

So with more expensive models from Acura, BMW, and Audi, you get 40-50% more power or torque for the same gas mileage and with cheaper direct competitors like Mazda and Honda which offer the same hp levels, you get far inferior mileage with the Tiguan. Is this just a low tech engine or is the Tiguan so much heavier that the mass of the car is responsible for the poor efficiency?

I noticed that the 2019 Audi Q3 is being introduced with 2 different 2.0T engines. The base lower output engine seems to be the same one as the Tiguan, but there's a more powerful 228 hp/258 lb-ft engine option which seems to match the 2019 GTI engine specs. Is there a chance the Tiguan will get this same more powerful engine later in 2019 or 2020? I really like how the Tiguan SEL Premium R-line looks with the 20" wheels and the R-line body kit but the lackluster engine is a letdown for a $41K MSRP vehicle.


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

Short answer: it's about the minimum required octane they designed for.

Long answer:

You're comparing engine power vs vehicle fuel efficiency which factors in coefficient of drag, rolling resistance, weight, gearing, etc. So the larger question is actually quite complex.

To limit looking at jus the engine portion, you need three things to generate power from an engine: air/oxygen, fuel, pressure/compression.

The more air/fuel mixture you force in to the cylinder the more power you generate with ignition of the mixture. But gasoline has a nasty habit of self-igniting under high pressure and the associated heat of compression. We rate the ability of gasoline to resist self-ignition as octane.
To get more power from an engine by increasing the pressures to put more fuel/air in to the same space you need to require higher octane fuel.
The 2018 Tiguan in the US only requires 87octane while the more powerful engines you're writing about require 91 octane.
You can pull a LOT more power out if the same displacement with 110-112 octane racing fuel if you wanted to modify the engine to run at higher pressures by changing the compression ratio or adding more boost (turbo or supercharger). The geometry of an engine at 2.0L can also be changed (bore & stroke, headroom) to increase the compression ratio. The displacement of the engine is only one of the indicators of power output.
Running at higher boost or compression ratio is also more stressful and will require changes to oil, service intervals, and a host of other variables. 

This gets more confusing when some cars say "89 octane minimum, 91 recommended". This happens because the engine has detectors to diagnose self-ignition and derate the engine to lower output when running on lower quality fuel.



(note all of this is not an issue for diesels since you're relying on self ignition for the fundamental operation, you just keep adding fuel, air, pressure until you either get the power you want or the engine blows itself apart).


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

Well the MK2 does indeed get better mpg than then MK1 despite being much bigger/heavier. Remember it's now a borderline mid-size. And real world numbers have been higher than the official estimates in many of our experiences. VW does have a history of sandbagging hp and mileage ratings...and emissions :facepalm:


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## 91beater (Jan 4, 2005)

Ali B said:


> I noticed that the 2019 Audi Q3 is being introduced with 2 different 2.0T engines. The base lower output engine seems to be the same one as the Tiguan, but there's a more powerful 228 hp/258 lb-ft engine option which seems to match the 2019 GTI engine specs. Is there a chance the Tiguan will get this same more powerful engine later in 2019 or 2020? I really like how the Tiguan SEL Premium R-line looks with the 20" wheels and the R-line body kit but the lackluster engine is a letdown for a $41K MSRP vehicle.


I seriously doubt the Tiguan will be getting anything other than Gen3b engine as ot would increase model competition. For instance, the Atlas will be getting the high output 2.0T engine (in FWD only) as an option. As you stated, the Q3 also gets that engine (with the option of the Gen3B). The profit margin on the Q3 and Atlas is far higher than the Tiguan. Offering a less expensive car with the same specs wouldn't make sense. I think the only way it would be feasible is if the price point matched the Q3, and at that point, you would just buy the Q3 instead.

How much more would you pay for that engine?


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## EPilot (Jul 27, 1999)

Ali B said:


> Is there a chance the Tiguan will get this same more powerful engine later in 2019 or 2020?


Nope VW won't make any change like that until the next model refresh so in like 4-5 years. You will only maybe see incremental power increases of like 2-3 hp a year.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

I think it also got a particularly bad EPA estimate. From what I’ve seen most are getting over 30 on highway driving. My first highway trip just got me 31.2 mpg (hand calculated, awd model). In real word numbers I think it’s right there with its competitors.


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

EPilot said:


> Nope VW won't make any change like that until the next model refresh so in like 4-5 years. You will only maybe see incremental power increases of like 2-3 hp a year.


I would say your prediction is likely, but certainly not guaranteed.


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## Ali B (Feb 17, 1999)

EPilot said:


> Nope VW won't make any change like that until the next model refresh so in like 4-5 years. You will only maybe see incremental power increases of like 2-3 hp a year.


If they do a refresh or facelift, I would think it would be no later than the 4th year of this generation being on sale. So I would guess the 2021 model year. I also don't think they will make incremental 2-3 hp increases every year. 

Is this Tiguan engine a version of the Miller cycle 2.0T used in the Audi A4 Ultra FWD models? The hp rating is similar but the torque is a bit lower. I think the A4 Ultra is rated at 186 hp and 236 lb-ft. My guess is No, since the Miller cycle engine is designed to be extra fuel efficient and this Tiguan engine is definitely not that.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

Ali B said:


> Is this Tiguan engine a version of the Miller cycle 2.0T used in the Audi A4 Ultra FWD models? The hp rating is similar but the torque is a bit lower. I think the A4 Ultra is rated at 186 hp and 236 lb-ft. My guess is No, since the Miller cycle engine is designed to be extra fuel efficient and this Tiguan engine is definitely not that.


It is.


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## Bawlti (Apr 22, 2015)

OP what are you talking about? The 2018 Tiguan IS fuel efficient.


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

*Is there a specific reason Tiguan engine is fuel inefficient for its output level?*

The EPA numbers are definitely misleading. Per Fuelly, 2018 Tiguan owners on average are getting 3 MPG less than 2018 CR-V owners (25.4 vs 28.3). Factor in owner demographics (CR-V owners I wager skew older on average, and likely drive like it, and haul fewer passengers) and the difference is probably even less. Also consider the additional 400 lbs of the Tiguan plus the fact at times they may be carrying 7 passengers (not possible in the CR-V) and I’d suspect their engine efficiency is essentially even (if not tilted in the Tiguan’s favor - see the VW’s additional 40 lb/ft of torque) based on all factors. Certainly not “far inferior.”


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

Ali B said:


> I'm not sure the new 2.0T with 184 hp and 221 lb-ft is any more efficient than the old Tiguan's 200-hp, 207 lb-ft 2.0T engine.


To this point, 2017 Tiguan owners on Fuelly report an average of 22.6 MPG vs the 25.6 MPG reported for the 2018 model, with the 2018 model being 300 lbs heavier and larger in every dimension.


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## Ace Deprave (Jun 8, 2012)

Check out Car and Driver's fuel economy tests:



> We’ve devised our own fuel-economy test in an attempt to replicate how most people drive on the highway. Our procedure entails a 200-mile out-and-back loop on Michigan’s I-94 highway. We maintain a GPS-verified 75 mph and use the cruise control as much as possible to mimic the way many drivers behave during long trips.
> 
> The Tiguan—in both front- and all-wheel-drive guise—vastly outperformed our expectations in our real-world highway test. Not only did both models crack 30 mpg, but they either matched or bettered the efforts of every other vehicle in this set, despite having the lowest ratings from the EPA. This is just one test, and we can’t interpolate how the Tiguan would perform in a city commute, for instance, but it’s certainly good news for drivers who spend most of their time on the open road.



https://www.caranddriver.com/review...uan-fuel-economy-review-car-and-driver-page-3


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## Ali B (Feb 17, 1999)

Bawlti said:


> OP what are you talking about? The 2018 Tiguan IS fuel efficient.


I was basing my assertion on EPA mileage rating compared to SUVs I have listed in my original post up top. Now, if the EPA numbers are low and misleading, that's a different story. If there's an error, VW should submit to a new round of testing to get the numbers up. My understanding is that most manufacturers do their own mileage testing these days, not the EPA. official mileage ratings do matter. My younger brother test drove the new RDX and was seriosuly considering getting an AWD A-spec version but was turned off by the 21/27 EPA numbers. He went with the more efficient X3 Sdrive30i which gets 23/30.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

Ali B said:


> I was basing my assertion on EPA mileage rating compared to SUVs I have listed in my original post up top. Now, if the EPA numbers are low and misleading, that's a different story. If there's an error, VW should submit to a new round of testing to get the numbers up. My understanding is that most manufacturers do their own mileage testing these days, not the EPA. official mileage ratings do matter. My younger brother test drove the new RDX and was seriosuly considering getting an AWD A-spec version but was turned off by the 21/27 EPA numbers. He went with the more efficient X3 Sdrive30i which gets 23/30.


Yeah I’m not sure what all goes in to this, but I’d imagine if VW was able to they would absolutely get the numbers rechecked. That mpg number is one of if not the most important number to most car buyers in this class. I’m curious to see if the 2019 sticker epa rating matches closer to what people are actually getting.


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## Passatsquared (Oct 26, 2014)

my sel-p rline 4motion gets between 33 and 35 usually on my way to work (the time I drive for mileage.) 
I don't drive slow, I drive really smooth.

my trip home only yields 27 or so because I am usually driving 80+ and am impatient.

the tank average and the overall life span average is just under 27 on the dash lie-o-meter. I calculate 26.6 on paper. 

I can do much better if I try. 29 to 30 is not inconceivable. 

every modern vw I have owned has exceeded its EPA rated mileage.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

Under rate and over deliver has been VW's shtick for a long time now with both mpg and hp figures. They will often dyno at the wheels what VW claims at the crank.


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## PATVW (Jul 27, 2016)

Bawlti said:


> OP what are you talking about? The 2018 Tiguan IS fuel efficient.


yes It is







. average 31.3 and i was happy to pass the 800 km on one tank 


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## i_am_sam_i_am (Nov 2, 2017)

PATVW said:


>


https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Microfiber-Cleaning-Cloth-24-Pack/dp/B009FUF6DM


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

socialD said:


> Under rate and over deliver has been VW's shtick for a long time now with both mpg and hp figures. They will often dyno at the wheels what VW claims at the crank.


Seems like a dumb way to try to sell automobiles when shoppers are surely comparing the MPG numbers on the window sticker to those of the other brands they’re shopping. 

But then, since when has VW America been smart about marketing and sales? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


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## southpawboston (Feb 3, 2018)

VW must really understate their fuel efficiency (which makes sense since they understate their emissions ). My 2017 GSW is EPA rated 34 highway but I've gotten 41 hand calculated, and routinely hit 38-39 hand calculated tank to tank if I'm doing all highway miles. Even with a family of four and the dog packed in, fully loaded, with a Thule box on the roof, it'll get 35-36, beating the EPA highway rating.


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## EPilot (Jul 27, 1999)

RedHotFuzz said:


> Seems like a dumb way to try to sell automobiles when shoppers are surely comparing the MPG numbers on the window sticker to those of the other brands they’re shopping.
> 
> But then, since when has VW America been smart about marketing and sales? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


You do understand that VW doesn't make up the numbers that go on the sticker. The EPA makes that part of the sticker.
The MPG testing was changed a few years ago and the numbers all dropped.
More about that here https://www.cars.com/articles/epa-recalculates-mpg-ratings-for-2017-1420690830380/


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## RedHotFuzz (Nov 16, 2015)

EPilot said:


> You do understand that VW doesn't make up the numbers that go on the sticker. The EPA makes that part of the sticker.


Yes, and if I were VW and my products were being incorrectly underrated compared to the competition, provable in real-world testing, I would be demanding the EPA revise their numbers.


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## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

> Is there a specific reason Tiguan engine is fuel inefficient for its output level?


To answer the OP's original question, the simple answer is no. There is no one specific reason. What there is, is many specific reasons. When designing a complex system (like an engine or a car), it is all about compromises. Power vs. fuel economy, premium vs. regular gas, meeting differing emissions standards around the world, bigger vs. smaller, steel vs aluminum, and lots of other considerations.

Add to this the whole EPA economy testing debate and the waters get even muddier. Looking for a simple answer to a complex question is often a fools errand. For whatever reasons, it is what it is.

Have Fun!

Don


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## EPilot (Jul 27, 1999)

RedHotFuzz said:


> Yes, and if I were VW and my products were being incorrectly underrated compared to the competition, provable in real-world testing, I would be demanding the EPA revise their numbers.


They can't demand the EPA to change numbers. The EPA does their testing their way. VW does their testing their way. Then there is real world customers which you can see on http://www.fuelly.com.
Fuelly is giving and average of 25.4 mpg with 799,151 miles tracked.

The window sticker on this SEL premium 4 Motion. The numbers are low but it looks like they leaning more towards city driving than highway use. 









If anyone researching a new vehicle only trusts the window sticker than that's their fault there are plenty of places to get real world MPG information that will sell cars.


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## Ali B (Feb 17, 1999)

EPilot said:


> They can't demand the EPA to change numbers. The EPA does their testing their way. VW does their testing their way. Then there is real world customers which you can see on http://www.fuelly.com.
> Fuelly is giving and average of 25.4 mpg with 799,151 miles tracked.
> 
> 
> If anyone researching a new vehicle only trusts the window sticker than that's their fault there are plenty of places to get real world MPG information that will sell cars.


My understanding is that the EPA has delegated most of the mileage testing to the manufacturers. Thats' why there have been several instances of manufacturers having to revise (lower) their mileage ratings when they were caught cheating. I don't know if the Tiguan numbers are measured by the EPA or VWoA, but they are low compared to the competition.

By the way, Mazda just announced a 2.5 turbo engine for the CX-5 with the same 227-hp, 310 lb-ft engine 2.5 engine used on the CX-9 SUV and Mazda6 sedan. I believe the 227 hp rating is based on 87 octane fuel. It will be interesting what mileage numbers this optional CX-5 model gets. It comes with AWD standard and the top line trim comes with ventilated seats, real wood trim and some other features not currently offered on the Tiguan SEL Premium.


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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

EPA specifies the test protocol. Manufacturers actually do the testing.
https://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/heres-why-real-world-mpg-doesnt-match-epa-ratings.html


> The EPA establishes the tests that yield the fuel economy figures, but for the most part it doesn't conduct the tests itself. It doesn't have the budget, equipment or manpower to test the hundreds of individual models with unique engine and transmission combinations that automakers produce each year.
> 
> Instead, the agency gives its test protocols to the auto companies and lets each test its own cars and trucks.


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## Ace Deprave (Jun 8, 2012)

socialD said:


> EPA specifies the test protocol. Manufacturers actually do the testing.
> https://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/heres-why-real-world-mpg-doesnt-match-epa-ratings.html


I'm guessing they're being conservative so that they are not fined for overstating the rated MPG like Hyundai/Kia were, especially after the diesel scandal and fines.

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-hyundai-kia-epa-fine-20141103-story.html


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

The Audi A4 Ultra FWD with a similar engine punches a smaller hole through the air, gets 27 city and 37 highway.

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## Jbages23 (Jul 31, 2018)

True, with almost 3 months ownership and 6400 miles on my SE 4motion withn3rd.row avg speed 34 mph and 29.7 mpg. And a recent 700 mile.trip with 3 adults, loaded.with gear and 3 bikes.on the hitch.. Avg 31.9 mpg


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## tig11 (Dec 20, 2015)

*More horsepower optional*

I ve posted a similar thread. Many of the Tiguan s competitors have optional higher horsepower engines.!! It s been stated by many including myself!!!.: the GTI plus Atlas 2.0 t put out 220 to 235 hp plus 258 torque with great gas mileage. Personally , I think these engines should be stock, not optional, but at least give buyers the choice. I really wish VW offered the SWB version here with the 235/258 combo...now that would be a perfect replacement for my 2011 FWD Tig!!


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

Does anyone else think VW got rid of the "TSI" trunk badging on 2019 Tiguans to create less attention to the powertrain in this car? 

They know this car is severely underpowered 

Picture from Autotrader of a 2019 Tig Sel R-Line:









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## PZ (May 9, 2002)

I test drove one this week and expect to be buying one within 6 months to replace my B5 Passat wagon. It seemed much quicker than expected after reading all of the complaints. It is not fast and certainly would be better with the GTI/Atlas 2.0 but is it adequate.


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## EVANGELIONHD (May 9, 2012)

D3Audi said:


> Does anyone else think VW got rid of the "TSI" trunk badging on 2019 Tiguans to create less attention to the powertrain in this car?
> 
> They know this car is severely underpowered
> 
> ...


TSI used to be a synonymous of power...

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## tig11 (Dec 20, 2015)

To move this all forward on a positive note; I believe VW made a proper decision to offer a lwb Tiguan to North America ..great niche and right up against a Nissan Rogue which has been selling beyond expectations. Dealers in particular would be grateful after "Dieselgate fiasco /fallout" sales hit.
The eco tsi also makes sense , but more so in fwd/5 seater (less weight). 

What seems to be generating/compounding the situation /negative reviews are when trans is in eco mode or people are not using sport mode or tiptronic. The problem of course is that most folks put in "drive" and go. 
I m seeing talk of trans reprogramming coming up..will probably help some.Also seeing this engine with more torque in Audi Q3 for example..

I still firmly believe that there is no logical reason to not offer higher horsepower tsi..I ve read recently that Atlas 2.0 tsi sales have been lower than unexpected...well send a few extra engines that arent being used to Puebla/Tig factory!!!

Hey VW...no more excuses right??!!!


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## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

tig11 said:


> The eco tsi also makes sense , but more so in fwd/5 seater (less weight).


The problem with this is that in the US there is no such thing as a 5 seat FWD Tiguan. The third row is optional in a 4Motion Tiggy, but it is required by law in the front wheel drive version. Getting a fwd 5 seater would require new rules from our law makers (good luck on that one).

Have Fun!

Don


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## buzzindsm (Sep 2, 2017)

My wife drives the Tiguan 90% of the time so not a big concern but IMO it's dreadfully slow. She went from an 2013 RDX with a V6 and the power was so much better and only got about 2mpg worse. I'm sure if you really get into it, there is enough power but it sounds so crude compared to the RDX's V6 that you don't want to. The 8 speed is great though and I bet if you put that 8 speed in the RDX the MPG numbers would be similar. Out cruising on the interstate I don't notice it as much and it does a good job.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

Sure the RDX is way better, it’s a different class of car. Mid range Tiguans are listed $30k, mid range RDX is $40k.

It’s the same for all these compact SUVs, if you want it to be fast you have to pay up. If you want a faster Tiguan, get the Audi. 

Previously the Forester gave an engine choice in this class, but nobody bought the higher one. Mazda is now the one giving it a shot.. I think they will probably do better with theirs. Even then, you’re going to be starting in the mid-upper $30k range to get it. It will compete well against the Tiguan SEL Premium for sure.. but I have a feeling VW won’t care enough to go through the trouble of matching it. The top trims are lower sales volume. They’d rather crank out SE’s that more people are willing to buy.


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## buzzindsm (Sep 2, 2017)

TofuBoyz said:


> Sure the RDX is way better, it’s a different class of car. Mid range Tiguans are listed $30k, mid range RDX is $40k.
> 
> It’s the same for all these compact SUVs, if you want it to be fast you have to pay up. If you want a faster Tiguan, get the Audi.
> 
> Previously the Forester gave an engine choice in this class, but nobody bought the higher one. Mazda is now the one giving it a shot.. I think they will probably do better with theirs. Even then, you’re going to be starting in the mid-upper $30k range to get it. It will compete well against the Tiguan SEL Premium for sure.. but I have a feeling VW won’t care enough to go through the trouble of matching it. The top trims are lower sales volume. They’d rather crank out SE’s that more people are willing to buy.


Yeah, unfortunately the RDX has jumped up about $5k since we bought our 2013. If I had to do it over I would have happily paid $5k more for the RDX over the SEL-P but it wasn't out yet. It's too bad about the engine and the few bugs because I really like certain things about the Tiguan.


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## davempls (Jan 23, 2018)

*Still not hitting 20 mpg...*

I don't get this at all. It's true, I do almost all city driving (maybe 90 percent), but I consistently hover, depressingly, around 18mpg.


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## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

davempls said:


> I don't get this at all. It's true, I do almost all city driving (maybe 90 percent), but I consistently hover, depressingly, around 18mpg.


I do almost all city driving also and my long term average is over 27 mpg and it will improve a little now that A/C is not required all the time. 
Anyway, if you can't get over 20 mpg, it almost has to be one of two things:
1) There is something wrong with your car.
2) Your car does not like the way you drive it.

I can't help you with #1 but #2 might be an issue. First, short trips kill mileage numbers. To get good mileage the engine has to warm up and some time for the mileage to "settle out'. My commute would be about 6 miles if I took the shortest route my mileage would probably be about what yours is. I'm almost never in a hurry so I usually take the "scenic" route and meander through back roads. With a 20 mile commute my mileage driving to work is sometimes over 30mpg and I rarely get much over about 40 mph. As I drive my mileage slowly climbs. Therefore, my advice would be to try to avoid short trips and don't be in a hurry. A heavy right foot burns gas and it usually doesn't get you where you want to go noticeably quicker.

Have Fun!

Don


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## Karat (Nov 1, 2018)

What if acceleration issue related to 4Motion AWD vs Non-AWD?
The ECU will have different programing. AWD Tiguans have an Off-Road knob to easy switch from Eco to Normal.
Since Non-AWD don't have a knob, how to switch from Eco to Normal mode?


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## bkshuffle (Nov 4, 2018)

Wanted to chime in and say I've found our FWD SE to be absolutely fine for commuting throughout the NYC metro area. While it's certainly not the fastest, the Tiguan has always been up to task anytime I've needed a fast merge or aggressive pass, both of which can be necessary on the roads here. It certainly has never felt dangerously slow like the Prius I used as a rental car this summer. 

I will say that I keep it in sport mode 100% of the time, and that the FWD version has been reported as being a bit faster based on reports from Car & Driver, etc. The engine can sound coarse when pushed, going up hills and backroads etc, but it's done a fine job for what it is. That being said, I wouldn't never complain about a little more power haha!


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## Ace Deprave (Jun 8, 2012)

We bought a Tiguan for my wife just over a week ago. Her first tank was about average, all city driving. We took it on a road trip to Austin this weekend and I am really impressed with the MPGs. I certainly wouldn't call this vehicle inefficient!

First tank with all city driving done by my wife was 21.13 mpg. With me driving from Lake Charles to Austin, with about an hour delay in Houston construction traffic, we averaged 31.32 and from Austin back to Lake Charles and no slowdowns, we averaged 34.19 driving mostly 70 to 75 mph.

These are all hand calculated via Fuelly, and the MFD was about 1 MPG optimistic with each fuel up.


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## TofuBoyz (Jul 10, 2018)

34 at those speeds is great.. best I’ve gotten is about 32. Do you have 4Mo or front wheel drive?


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## Ace Deprave (Jun 8, 2012)

TofuBoyz said:


> 34 at those speeds is great.. best I’ve gotten is about 32. Do you have 4Mo or front wheel drive?


Just front wheel drive.


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## Ace Deprave (Jun 8, 2012)

I see that the 2019 model is now rated 22 city, 29 highway. I don't think anything has changed to warrant the increase, so maybe they're being less conservative with the ratings now.


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## tpm1234 (Aug 3, 2018)

I just got back from an Ohio to Colorado trip, just over 3000 miles, with probably about 200lbs of in back. I don't think I ever drove under 75mph each way, except for when I was in the city. I averaged just about 32mpg the whole time. So I didn't have any complaints. Our previous Outback 2.5 was lucky to hit 28 mpg on the highway. So far I have just about 8000 miles after 4 months of mixed driving and have been having a combined average of 27 mpg...so not too bad.


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## Jim2019 (May 18, 2019)

I currently have a 2016 Passat SEL and it moves around very well. My wife thinks we should get a SUV and the Tiguan was the first thing we looked at. When I test drove one, it seemed sluggish enough to the point I didn't think it's what I wanted. Certainly more sluggish than the Passat.

When my wife test drove one, she came to the same conclusion.

Three questions for the experts:

1) Why would a car with a 2.0L turbo feel so different than one with a 1.8L turbo? The weights are not that different.
2) Is what we were perceiving about the vehicle's power "real"?
3) I saw a thread about potential aftermarket (?) tunes coming out for the Tiguan. Is this likely? Would it make a big difference? Anything I should know about downsides to doing this? BTW I often put premium fuel in the Passat so that's not a barrier.

Lastly, only 4Motion Tiguans are available anywhere around me. Would that have made a difference in perceived power vs FWD versions?

Many thanks in advance.


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

The Tiguan is tuned for fuel economy. That's why it's sluggish. 

Keep in mind with FWD you lose custom drivers profiles. Some sources claim FWD is faster 0-60 but honestly i don't believe it's that big of a difference - plus having the 4motion engaged on acceleration can help quite a bit in a way also. 



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## BrutaleGLADIO (Apr 9, 2019)

Its sluggish, I always have mine in sport mode still getting 25 mpg... my tech says apt downpipe and cat delete will throw about 40 hp at it

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## BrutaleGLADIO (Apr 9, 2019)

* apr downpipe

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## Rtdave87 (May 14, 2019)

I got an Rline 4motion and it is sluggish but I bought a JB4 and it made a huge difference,with a couple of mods it can be a fun little SUV. I drive thru a canyon everyday for work and back and it handles pretty well stock

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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

"On VW.com the 2016 Jetta and Golf models that are equipped with the 1.8T engine now have a note that premium fuel is required to achieve the peak 170 hp rating."


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## wachu (Jun 13, 2018)

With Jb4 is OK. Big difference


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

Jim2019 said:


> I currently have a 2016 Passat SEL and it moves around very well. My wife thinks we should get a SUV and the Tiguan was the first thing we looked at. When I test drove one, it seemed sluggish enough to the point I didn't think it's what I wanted. Certainly more sluggish than the Passat.
> 
> When my wife test drove one, she came to the same conclusion.
> 
> ...


1. As others have said, it is tuned for economy. Sport mode helps, but it is still terrible.
2. Absolutely it is real. The crappy power delivery sucks all the fun out of driving the vehicle.
3. As tempting as it is to boost the Tigs power, a large part of the decision to purchase the Tig was the long bumper to bumper warranty and I'll do nothing to jeopardize that. It is unethical to modify the engine and then try to make warranty claims when something goes wrong. Once the Tig is out of warranty, we'll see... The other negative with gasoline engine power adders, the costs vs the gains is dismal compared to the diesel world where huge power gains can be had with just a tune. Gasoline engine power adders usually require premium fuel which means you pay again and again for that mediocre power adder every time you fill up. Hardly seems worth it imo.

Test drive a fwd and 4 motion back to back to see. We were thinking about getting another Tig and entertained a fwd if it felt peppier, but after more seat time in our 4motion I wouldn't be happy with the little tractor engine that could for daily commuting.


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

I may have a different view.

Our other vehicle is a 2012 Volvo XC70 with a Polestar tune, giving 325HP. It's a heavy beast of a vehicle, and would need better suspension to drive it seriously. It feels very slow off the line, but definitely starts to surge later in the range, and is a great highway vehicle.

We didn't really notice how heavy the Volvo felt until we got the Tiguan. By contrast it feels quick off the line, and more responsive for in-town, and non-highway commuting. We're very pleased with the performance, and it works for us.

A few things I'd mention:
-We test drove a 2018 demo before buying, and it did feel sluggish. Not enough to put us off the vehicle, but it didn't feel great. Turns out the 2019s have a different transmission mapping, and it makes a difference. When testing a 2019 it felt completely different. If by chance you tested a 2018 that definitely would contribute.
-I've heard of hesitation off the line - we've not experienced it ourselves, but that could certainly contribute to a poor driving experience. Unsure if that's an early-build issue as well.
-I dislike the acceleration sound of the engine - very tractor-like. They should have done something about that.


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## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

If power is the primary priority for your new SUV, I don't think you should get the the Tiguan, hoping to find a tune to "fix" it.

For me, tooling down the highway, driving 30K per year, it's superior to every competitive SUV in the $25-30K price range. My SE-4MO was $26K OTD.
I challenge you to drive the CRV, CX5 (NA), RAV4 and to be impressed by their power.

For truly superior power you need to jump 10K in price to $35-40K for the CX5-Turbo or the Equinox 2.0L Turbo and then you'll lose the fuel economy of the VW.


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## CTGeoff (Feb 24, 2015)

Lack of power was my #1 concern with this vehicle but really it's a non-issue.The thing handles great, the ride is excellent, the acceleration has never been an issue for my wife or myself, it get great MPG for what it is and it's a joy to drive. 

It's not quick like my '16 GTI was, by any means, but it's not supposed to be.

If you need some extra oomph, people seem to like the JB4 or Neuspeed Power Module add ons.


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## n0thing (Mar 30, 2014)

Supposedly the 2019s are a little better thanks to the transmission tuning. I nearly got t-boned the other day in our 2018 because I attempted to pull out into traffic between a small gap of cars but the stupid thing short shifted into second almost immediately and bogged. There I am, floored and screaming at it to get going as it struggles to go faster than 5mph. I had forgotten to put it into sport mode. Big mistake. My fault for trying to shoot the gap but there's no reason for it to short shift as quickly as it does as you get moving.

This vehicle drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes but for the money we paid for it (we bought CPO used) there's nothing out there that offers what it does. There's no way in hell I'd buy a brand new one given what they cost, the sometimes pathetic performance, and the amount of depreciation these things have.


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

n0thing said:


> Supposedly the 2019s are a little better thanks to the transmission tuning. I nearly got t-boned the other day in our 2018 because I attempted to pull out into traffic between a small gap of cars but the stupid thing short shifted into second almost immediately and bogged. There I am, floored and screaming at it to get going as it struggles to go faster than 5mph. I had forgotten to put it into sport mode. Big mistake. My fault for trying to shoot the gap but there's no reason for it to short shift as quickly as it does as you get moving.
> 
> This vehicle drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes but for the money we paid for it (we bought CPO used) there's nothing out there that offers what it does. There's no way in hell I'd buy a brand new one given what they cost, the sometimes pathetic performance, and the amount of depreciation these things have.


Noticeable difference with the 2019 transmission mapping. VW should be updating 2018 vehicles, especially if it verges on a safety issue at some point.


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

phlegm said:


> Noticeable difference with the 2019 transmission mapping. VW should be updating 2018 vehicles, especially if it verges on a safety issue at some point.


They should, but they won't. 2020 model year is fast approaching and 2018 owners are still left in the dark. 

Dealerships can't do anything without VW corporate. So this one is fully on VW. If they don't reflash 2018 transmissions this will for sure be my last new VAG vehicle. (And I freaking love my Tiguan).. This shows how much VW cares about the customer as a car company. 

I think VW is just hoping that many people don't find out about the reflash changes on 2019+ models so they can sweep it under the rug and forget about. That's why it's a good thing to post about it in forums like these, on VW Facebook posts, groups, etc. It's ridiculous. 

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## socialD (Sep 19, 2011)

Acceleration is fine around town, has some nice low end grunt. You'll still easily out accelerate your typical day to day traffic without really trying. It's just when you are really punching it and you get revs above 4500 or so that it falls on its face. Kind of feels like driving a diesel in that sense. But it's more than capable of doing everything you need it to do...except race. Pass people in the mountains on short uphill passing zones no problem.

But yeah if you don't need the 4motion the FWD is a bit quicker and less complicated down the line if you keep it long term maintenance/reliability wise.


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## PZ (May 9, 2002)

We are very happy with the power on our 2019 SE. Had it loaded down with 3 people and 3 weeks of supplies on our road trip an it was fine, even up in the mountains with a lot of time above 8K and all the way up to 12K on one pass. It jumps off the line in 1st and does not upshift too quickly. Did multiple stops and pullouts driving on Big Sur, never felt under-powered pulling out across oncoming traffic. Before buying, I thought we would have to chip it, but there is really no need.


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## smg64ct203 (Jan 26, 2003)

phlegm said:


> Noticeable difference with the 2019 transmission mapping. VW should be updating 2018 vehicles, especially if it verges on a safety issue at some point.


I just test drove a 2019 Tiguan and to me it drove exactly like my 2018.


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## Chris_GTI (Feb 2, 2001)

For me, changing the throttle response setting made a noticeable difference. That and sport mode. 


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## WISVW (Aug 25, 2003)

phlegm said:


> Noticeable difference with the 2019 transmission mapping. VW should be updating 2018 vehicles, especially if it verges on a safety issue at some point.


Agreed. I drove a 2018 when they first came out. I didn't like it at all. I drove a 2019 after reading the comments in this forum, and bought one! Completely different driving experience.


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

smg64ct203 said:


> I just test drove a 2019 Tiguan and to me it drove exactly like my 2018.


That's interesting. A few of us here have tried both, and noticed a distinct difference.


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

smg64ct203 said:


> I just test drove a 2019 Tiguan and to me it drove exactly like my 2018.


The power numbers are the same. It's still a dog after 40 mph. 

The 2019s fix that 0-40 acceleration for around town. Holds the gears a little longer. 

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## sebasEuRo (Feb 26, 2006)

I find that the Tiguan has better gearing with the 8spd transmission, sure the Passat felt different AFTER you got going because from a dead stop it felt really sluggish. Also the Tiguan 4motion weighs 3700lbs. I do miss the way the Turbo delivered power in the Passat, especially in 3rd or 4th gear at partial throttle but with the Tiguan's 8spd, it never feels like it is in the wrong RPM to me. Also keep in mind that dealers use 87 gas and you might use Premium 93, big difference in power for Turbo engines.
We've also noticed a difference between 2 different 2018 Tiguan loaners we had and our 2019, the 2018s didn't drive so well, the transmission felt different.


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## VW2667 (May 24, 2018)

D3Audi said:


> I think VW is just hoping that many people don't find out about the reflash changes on 2019+ models so they can sweep it under the rug and forget about.


So where do people find out about this alledged ”reflash” for 19s? All I’ve seen is the same couple of people here mention it repeatedly based on some driving observations, unless I missed the thread where evidence was provided. I too, drove a 19 as a loaner and noticed no difference to my 18 (which has the throttle response settting changed to direct).


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## oscillat0r (Jun 29, 2007)

*Trying to decide is a new Tiguan is for me... but the &quot;power&quot;*



sebasEuRo said:


> Also keep in mind that dealers use 87 gas and you might use Premium 93, big difference in power for Turbo engines.


I’ve run both and never noticed a difference on the Tig. If it’s not tuned for it, the engine isn’t going to take advantage of the reduced engine knock afaik.

Or are you talking about the Passat?


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

VW2667 said:


> So where do people find out about this alledged ”reflash” for 19s? All I’ve seen is the same couple of people here mention it repeatedly based on some driving observations, unless I missed the thread where evidence was provided. I too, drove a 19 as a loaner and noticed no difference to my 18 (which has the throttle response settting changed to direct).


There's a thread floating around here something with transmission scans and there is a difference. 

Hmmm weird you didn't notice a difference. It was a very clear difference to me

So on the 2018s, even with the direct throttle tweak, the car shifts way too soon. You could be accelerating from a stop and it will shift out of first at around 1500 to 2000rpm... Then shift out of second at the same, etc etc... It shifts way too early, but this is to maximize fuel economy. If it upshifts and bogs down so you give it more gas, it will downshift and throw you back in your seat and surge the RPMs. It's really annoying to drive. You have to learn to drive it.

On the 2019s when accelerating from a stop, it will hold first gear until 2500 - 3000 rpm. And same for other gears. It holds the gears longer to get most of the power down, and also so it doesn't bog down. I bet this new programming combined with the direct throttle tweak is great to drive. 

Even sport mode felt better, more agressive. 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk


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## qrooklyN (Sep 12, 2017)

I know people have nuespeed power modules installed, how is that treating y’all so far?



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## VW2667 (May 24, 2018)

D3Audi said:


> There's a thread floating around here something with transmission scans and there is a difference.


I agree with your assessment of the Tiguan shifting in general. It just wasn't significantly better on the '19 I drove. It would be interesting to see the scan report and send a print-out to VW for a response. 

Shifting and acceleration have been a common complaint from the beginning so it still doesn't make sense that VW would do a effective reflash and keep quiet about it - or even take measures to conceal it (on paper, "officially" the two model years are the same engine/trans). Why not market the "new improved, peppier 2019 Tiguan" or whatever? That could have helped silence the main criticism of the new model.


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## gads1 (Mar 1, 2015)

I suggest a low miles 2017 Tig. the 2018+ platform of more platform with less power is awful strategy. unfortunately, I don't see VW changing this (how about the AUDI 3.0 supercharged motor .. woudl be epic??)

avoid the R-line for either platform -- just lipstick chrome/badges and suspension/wheels (complete with free terrible ride as a grocery getter). If I could drive up curvy canyon on road with good surface everyday ... the R-line would be my car. 

these are the things I've looked into for my 2016 4-motion.. the downpipe is import but 4motion inserts prob for pipe routing (all require intake upgrade). 

down tube @ $575 (the price keeps dropping ...hurrah!!)
http://www.42draftdesigns.com/vw-tiguan-4motion-3-downpipe/


APR

ECU only
https://www.goapr.com/products/ecu_upgrade_20tsi_trans.html

ECU+K04 kit specifically for Tiguan
https://www.goapr.com/products/turbo_trans_20_tsi_k04.html


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## dragonpalm (May 9, 2016)

Jim2019 said:


> 2) Is what we were perceiving about the vehicle's power "real"?
> 
> Lastly, only 4Motion Tiguans are available anywhere around me. Would that have made a difference in perceived power vs FWD versions?
> 
> Many thanks in advance.


2019 SEL-P 4Motion here with 2016 GTI as my second car (for comparison). Honestly, the Tiguan does feel slow in Normal Mode most of the time but Sport Mode makes acceleration more responsive and makes it feels faster, although more jerky. I put it in Sport mode most of the time. And even in normal mode, sometimes it can feel decently quick when pressing hard on the pedal. It's kinda hit or miss but is consistent with vw turbos (same with my GTI). Overall, it doesn't bother me at all. This is just my opinion and I have no times or data to back this up.

From reading reviews, the FWD version should be slightly quicker than the 4Motion.


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## crazyaboutrocs (Nov 23, 2005)

My wife bought a 2018 Tiguan SEL last year to replace her winter Durango when it's transmission went. Her summer daily is a Challenger RT, mine is an '08 GTI and we love the Tiguan. Yes, it's more sluggish than our dailies, but it's not supposed to be like them either. My only complaints (minor) are with the radio-you must put in the address to the GPS, as it can't search names of places and the satellite radio has no "buffer" to account for trees and what not blocking the signal. Yes these are minor, but it's a freaking 2018 and vehicles ten years older don't even do this. Anyway...The Tiguan is roomy, reliable, uses 87 octane gas and is comfortable, but not a performance vehicle.


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## Zabes64 (Aug 29, 2018)

Honestly everything you get for the price really makes this an amazing car, plus the warranty. The gas mileage is 7-10mpg more than my JGC and it has the same cargo space. It's more comfortable than my Jeep and has more toys. Only thing missing that I hate isn't an option is the cross traffic alert, They cheaped out on that, really wonder if we could drill in an extra sensor and code that in.


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## zackdawley (Oct 4, 2011)

If it's falling on it's face over 4500 rpms, remove the snow damn in the intake box...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk


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## Smokebomb1! (Mar 12, 2019)

*The tiguan's power*

I went from a Mazda cx-9,with a 6 cyl.At first before brake in period,it was a bit sluggish. I use sport mode,if I need a bit more get up and go.It is extremely competent as a suv type vehicle.I am really happy on my interstate travels.It keeps up,easily with all trafic,very comfortable,but also easily beats the window sticker for mileage.A great car,I'm very happy and I believe you will be too!


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## Zabes64 (Aug 29, 2018)

D3Audi said:


> VW2667 said:
> 
> 
> > So where do people find out about this alledged ”reflash” for 19s? All I’ve seen is the same couple of people here mention it repeatedly based on some driving observations, unless I missed the thread where evidence was provided. I too, drove a 19 as a loaner and noticed no difference to my 18 (which has the throttle response settting changed to direct).
> ...


I just got my new 19 SEL-P R line and the shift points are awful.

I understand wanting to wait to shift until 2500 when hard acceleration, but on a slow acceleration the car is sitting near 1900 rpm and not shifting up.

You feel the pull of the engine in the car, lugging it backwards, it truly feels like you're in manual and you forgot to upshift.


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## B95P (Dec 24, 2001)

We test drove a 2018, and I thought the transmission was awful. I was depressed by how sluggish it felt compared to 2016 GTI w/ DSG. I figured it was the transmission starting in 2nd and racing to 8th as quick as possible for MPGs. Then we drove, and bought, a 2019 and to me it was a 180. 2019 feels a lot better off the line, and overall more peppy. I doubt it'll happen, but I'd like to see a TCU come out.

Going to try and convince The Wife Unit to let me slap a JB4 on it. Sadly my OG JB1 from the GTI won't work on it.


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## jfedele22 (Jun 25, 2019)

*Wasn't really noticeable for me?*

I drove a 2019 SE CPO my dealer had, then a 2018 SEL CPO and didn't really see a difference between the years. I mentioned this concern and the mapping issues to my sales guy, he said that he recalled a service bulletin to update the transmission software on the 2018. Anyone who works at a dealership, can you confirm if you've seen this or if he was full of crap? 

One thing I will say is that I currently have have 2 MK6.5 1.8 Jetta's and both received engine, and supposedly, transmission software updates at recent oil changes and I did actually notice a difference. Maybe they're full of BS and I'm just loosing it but things seemed a little sharper and the transmission seemed to be a little less "confused" at times.

On a side note, I drove the Tiguan and absolutely fell in love. I drove and Outback 3.6R that was really nice, the Mazda CX-5, almost put an offer in on a brand new Tucson Ultimate, but... At the end of the day I just couldn't get past that Tiguan. I pick it up tomorrow, fingers crossed.


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## mreg376 (Dec 15, 2019)

*Engine Power*

Hi.. New here.
I'm coming off a 2017 Jeep Cherokee lease in July and I am attracted to almost everything about the Tiguan. I say almost because the Youtube reviewers universally complain about the engine's lack of power for the size of the vehicle. I haven't taken a test drive yet, and I'd be interested in owners' opinions about the power of this 2.0T in actual usage.

Thanks!


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## D3Audi (Feb 18, 2016)

Which engine is in your Cherokee? If you’re coming from the 2.4 you’re gonna like the Tiguan. If you’re coming from a V6 Cherokee the Tiguan is going to feel like a slug lol. Overall the Tiguan is a great commuter. Just don’t expect to win any races with it. With the 2019+ they adjusted some things in the shift tuning and the car drives much better. 


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## WISVW (Aug 25, 2003)

I compare it to my Golf diesel I had. It can be strong off the line, and most around town driving. I'm also pleasantly surprised with it's passing power. There are times tho, that you can catch it off guard, and you will need to put your foot down to drop a few gears.


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## dareblue (Oct 19, 2019)

0-40mph great
40-70mph not so great
70-90mph surprisingly good


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## mreg376 (Dec 15, 2019)

D3Audi said:


> Which engine is in your Cherokee? If you’re coming from the 2.4 you’re gonna like the Tiguan. If you’re coming from a V6 Cherokee the Tiguan is going to feel like a slug lol. Overall the Tiguan is a great commuter. Just don’t expect to win any races with it. With the 2019+ they adjusted some things in the shift tuning and the car drives much better.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yeah the V6. I'll take it for a test drive.


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## Zabes64 (Aug 29, 2018)

I came off an 17 and 18 Grand Cherokee 3.6 overland to a Tiguan, use manual shift whenever you need power and seriously it's fine.


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## smg64ct203 (Jan 26, 2003)

I find my Tiguan way to slow. I had a Honda Pilot with a V6 which wasn’t fast but was better than the Tiguan. I’ve had mine for 2 years and I find that I can’t deal with the lack of power. I’ve also had a ton of problems. I’m currently shopping for a new vehicle with more power and reliability.


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## Passeetle (Jan 1, 2004)

I recently drove the 2020 SEL-P as we're planning on getting one. Have to say, I'm more impressed with the 2019. With VW moving the HP and torque later in the band it really doesn't feel the same. It is definitely better than the 2018 which is the one being traded in.


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## haunted reality (Apr 18, 2001)

I traded in a Cherokee for my Tiguan SE. My Cherokee though was the Sport model with the I-4. The things people complain about on the Tig, I find to be an upgrade. The engine has way more power than the Cherokee did. The headlights in the Cherokee were terrible, even these halogens are an improvement. The only thing I miss about the Cherokee was the heated steering wheel.


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## AkiraSieghart (Nov 20, 2019)

Coming from a modded Focus ST, I don't really see a problem with the power. It feels like you'd expect for an (almost) two ton car with 185/220 and an average automatic gearbox. I'm sure a tune will wake the engine up a bit, though once APR has everything finalized.


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## EVANGELIONHD (May 9, 2012)

sp4c3m4nsp1ff17 said:


> I really don't understand the complaints about power in this vehicle - its a compact SUV/crossover/whatever-you-want-to-call-it. Its not a sports car. Its not supposed to be a sports car. I've never felt that it was "under powered". Anyone who thinks the Tiguan is under powered needs to drive a Mercedes 240D....THAT car is what I would call under powered. But both these cars sacrifice speed in the name of MPG. I get 36 mpg on the highway in mine. I wouldn't want it to be any faster if that meant sacrificing mileage.


You never drove the previous tiguan model... that was powerful over 200hp and dsg transmission 

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## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

EVANGELIONHD said:


> You never drove the previous tiguan model... that was powerful over 200hp and dsg transmission
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


I had the prior gen, 2013 4-MO Tiguan. My sister has a 2014. For the first few months driving my new '19 SE, I thought "yeah, not as much power and less responsive off the line than the 2013."
Now, at 19K miles, no matter what mode I'm driving, I think, "wow, I cannot believe how much power this car has, both off the line and at any speed. The car is_ that_ responsive."
So, when I drove my sister's 2014 Tig it feels somewhat more powerful when up to speed but our current 8 speed transmission is more responsive and the MQB uses regular fuel.

Is it the fact that I'm now beyond a so-called break-in period?
Has the '19 SE learned or adapted to my driving style and the drop-in K&N filter?
I don't know but now I rarely feel the need for more power and I never feel that this car is underpowered.
Whatever throttle delay I experienced in the first 10K miles is gone. It's not there, period.

At some point we need to start posting 0-60 and quarter-mile times for true comparisons. I'm sure there's an app for that.
I hope to be able to get some 0-60 times that shows quicker times than what was recorded on Motortrend and CR.

I'm _sooo glad_ I didn't buy an Outback or a new CRV !


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## AkiraSieghart (Nov 20, 2019)

schagaphonic said:


> I had the prior gen, 2013 4-MO Tiguan. My sister has a 2014. For the first few months driving my new '19 SE, I thought "yeah, not as much power and less responsive off the line than the 2013."
> Now, at 19K miles, no matter what mode I'm driving, I think, "wow, I cannot believe how much power this car has, both off the line and at any speed. The car is_ that_ responsive."
> So, when I drove my sister's 2014 Tig it feels somewhat more powerful when up to speed but our current 8 speed transmission is more responsive and the MQB uses regular fuel.
> 
> ...


Probably a little break-in period but I think a lot of the people that complain about the Tiguan's power are in eco mode and/or have a 2018 with the old throttle/transmission tunes.


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## dareblue (Oct 19, 2019)

schagaphonic said:


> I had the prior gen, 2013 4-MO Tiguan. My sister has a 2014. For the first few months driving my new '19 SE, I thought "yeah, not as much power and less responsive off the line than the 2013."
> Now, at 19K miles, no matter what mode I'm driving, I think, "wow, I cannot believe how much power this car has, both off the line and at any speed. The car is_ that_ responsive."
> So, when I drove my sister's 2014 Tig it feels somewhat more powerful when up to speed but our current 8 speed transmission is more responsive and the MQB uses regular fuel.
> 
> ...


I feel the exact same way. I’m only at about 12k miles, plan to do some 0-60, 1/4 mile timing. I use an app that I measured my ‘06 Pathfinder with. That was a 4.0L V6 with decent 0-60 about 7.5sec. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I’m hoping for as good or better numbers.


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

AkiraSieghart said:


> Probably a little break-in period but I think a lot of the people that complain about the Tiguan's power are in eco mode and/or have a 2018 with the old throttle/transmission tunes.


2019 in sport mode. 11K miles so its broken in. To be fair, the power is adequate, not great, but adequate. The real issue is how the power is delivered. The combination of the small displacement turbocharged engine, 8 speed transmission and bizarre gas pedal mapping takes some getting used to and the acceleration isn't always what is expected. Just when you are lulled into thinking you have the thing figured out, it gives you lackluster acceleration, usually at the worst of times, like pulling out into traffic. Very frustrating. My daily driver is a turbo diesel with noticeable turbo lag, but it is consistent in its behavior and therefore easy to adjust to. Maybe I expected too much from the 2.0 and it _is_ a marvel of engineering, but I don't care, I just want consistency, which it doesn't have. Too many electronic nannies and/or the software tries to decide what the driver wants and then decides what it is willing to give, instead of just doing what its told. The engine sounds like its out of a tractor, which is a bit embarrassing when making it work to get moving. We drove a Passat GT with the VR6 and the VR6 would be an awesome engine for the Tig instead of its overburdened and over-managed 2.0.



mreg376 said:


> Yeah the V6.* I'll take it for a test drive.


Make sure it is an extended test drive. Some of the quirks are not readily apparent when just going around the block. It is a very good vehicle, if you can learn to live with the engine/drive train and all the electronic nannies that are on cars now a days. VW takes some of those nannies too far, such as automatic door re-locking which apparently can't be turned off.


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## CC'ed (Dec 1, 2009)

The MQB Tiguan and the Atlas are 2 of the vehicles listed in CRs top 10 least reliable vehicles...….


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

That’s what the 6yr 72K warranty is for.

One has to be careful not to read too much meaning into the CR ratings. Their priorities might not match yours. Things like paint and trim factor in to their ratings. For example CR rates the 2018 Tig as worse than average for overall reliability, but in all the major areas, like engine, transmission, and electrical it rates excellent or very good. The only poor or worse than average rating is in “power equipment”. The silly pano roof leaking and it’s lighting failures will negatively impact the overall “reliability” rating of the vehicle. While they may matter, imo they are not reliability issues per se, they are quality control issues. Anything that stops the vehicle from being able to perform its MAIN FUNCTION, which contrary to popular belief, is NOT to be an entertainment center or a mobile phone, but is to safely transport people from point A to B, is a reliability issue. It would be a shame to exclude a vehicle from consideration if a specific option, like the pano roof, is a major factor in a poor overall reliability rating, especially so if you are looking at getting that vehicle without the particular "unreliable" option!


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## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

dareblue said:


> I feel the exact same way. I’m only at about 12k miles, plan to do some 0-60, 1/4 mile timing. I use an app that I measured my ‘06 Pathfinder with. That was a 4.0L V6 with decent 0-60 about 7.5sec. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I’m hoping for as good or better numbers.


 CR lists 10.3 seconds 0 to 60 mph for 2019 Tig


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## smg64ct203 (Jan 26, 2003)

IbsFt said:


> That’s what the 6yr 72K warranty is for.
> 
> One has to be careful not to read too much meaning into the CR ratings. Their priorities might not match yours. Things like paint and trim factor in to their ratings. For example CR rates the 2018 Tig as worse than average for overall reliability, but in all the major areas, like engine, transmission, and electrical it rates excellent or very good. The only poor or worse than average rating is in “power equipment”. The silly pano roof leaking and it’s lighting failures will negatively impact the overall “reliability” rating of the vehicle. While they may matter, imo they are not reliability issues per se, they are quality control issues. Anything that stops the vehicle from being able to perform its MAIN FUNCTION, which contrary to popular belief, is NOT to be an entertainment center or a mobile phone, but is to safely transport people from point A to B, is a reliability issue. It would be a shame to exclude a vehicle from consideration if a specific option, like the pano roof, is a major factor in a poor overall reliability rating, especially so if you are looking at getting that vehicle without the particular "unreliable" option!


Yes the warranty is great, but who wants to run to the dealer all the time. I’ve had 3 unscheduled stops and each time it was in the shop for a week. I’ve talked to others who had issues with theirs . I really don’t trust mine and I’m at 32k and it will be gone before the warranty runs out. I’ve been loyal to VW and been driving them since 1980 and this is my last one.


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## zackdawley (Oct 4, 2011)

Look mine going into the shop for an airbag module was bad, but at no point has it not functioned as a car and been safely driving down the road... I think that was the point.

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## AA1 (Mar 29, 2016)

Just my two cents as we recently got a 2019 Tiguan after test driving a CR-V, Santa Fe, and Kia Sorreto, and even an Audi Q5. We did not drive Mazdas as my wife who is the primary driver on the Tiguan doesn't like the styling. The Tiguan is a compact suv, not a gti. Is it quick vehicle? No. Is it comparable to the other vehicles we test drove? Yes. Will it be as snappy as a gti, of course not. Do I find it lacking in power on a daily basis driving in the city and highway, not at all. Note I also have a 2018 Golf R, which let's be honest daily driving I never use any where near what it is capable of. In City traffic, and commuting on the highway, the power of Tiguan is more than fine. Is the engine as smooth as a v-6, now of course not.


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## blueimp (Sep 5, 2019)

dareblue said:


> 0-40mph great
> 40-70mph not so great
> 70-90mph surprisingly good


this. 

i'd say power is adequate overall.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Tiguan engine vs. GTI vs. Atlas Cross Sport*

Hi all,

We own a 2016 Tiguan R-line, and quite happy with it, but just had a baby  and now need a bigger car for all the junk we have to carry with our baby!

Test drove a newer Tiguan, I generally liked it, the size is a significant upgrade, and new safety features are good for a baby car... BUT, the DAMN ENGINE!!! WTF were they thinking?! Like it's SERIOUSLY under powered! We bought the Tiguan as it was essentially the GTI in small SUV form, and specifically the R-line has some sporty suspension... now, with a much heavier car, the engine is a downgrade, WTF!

So, could someone EXPLAIN if the various 2.0T engines in Tiguan/GTI/ and new Atlas Cross sport are the same? or not?! They all have different HP, but if they same overall design, could someone essentially bolt-on GTI/Cross sport parts, and a tune (I know it's coming) and get it to the same HP levels?!

Thanks


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## dave00gt (Nov 11, 2016)

alexb75 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> We own a 2016 Tiguan R-line, and quite happy with it, but just had a baby  and now need a bigger car for all the junk we have to carry with our baby!
> 
> ...


I really doubt any other SUV will have the gti engine . 
I wish I did this research, as I like to modify cars. And I'm throwing for sure 26lbs boost from a hybrid Is38 turbo on this 2019 Tiguan and it's barely cracking 300whp to the wheels . I also thought this Tiguan had a very similar gti engine power wise. There are places that will tune them. Also the aisin tranny sucks , . Definitely not performance oriented. I can only speak performance wise . If I did this all over again I would not get this tiguan . I'm actually trying to get out and get into an mk7 Jetta gli Autobahn. I'll be able to get 400hp to the wheels with that platform. 

Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

dave00gt said:


> I really doubt any other SUV will have the gti engine .
> I wish I did this research, as I like to modify cars. And I'm throwing for sure 26lbs boost from a hybrid Is38 turbo on this 2019 Tiguan and it's barely cracking 300whp to the wheels . I also thought this Tiguan had a very similar gti engine power wise. There are places that will tune them. Also the aisin tranny sucks , . Definitely not performance oriented. I can only speak performance wise . If I did this all over again I would not get this tiguan . I'm actually trying to get out and get into an mk7 Jetta gli Autobahn. I'll be able to get 400hp to the wheels with that platform.
> 
> Sent from my GM1915 using Tapatalk


Thanks, I am NOT looking for massive power, BUT, decent power for the weight of this car! Like 0-60 below 7 seconds! I believe the Atlas Cross engine (235HP) would be enough... but main question is, ARE THESE 2.0T ARE THE SAME?! or actually different?


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## Rhodyvr6 (Sep 9, 2009)

alexb75 said:


> Thanks, I am NOT looking for massive power, BUT, decent power for the weight of this car! Like 0-60 below 7 seconds! I believe the Atlas Cross engine (235HP) would be enough... but main question is, ARE THESE 2.0T ARE THE SAME?! or actually different?


No the engines are not the same. The Tiguan has e888 3b its a b cycle engine designed for efficiency etc. with a tune, coming... you’ll be looking at 250-270hp from what’s been shown so far and a close to 300ftlbs of torque. 

We drove a 2019 and ended up buying a 2020 sel premium. To be honest I don’t have an issue w the power as I thought I would. 

We also have a supercharged mk4 r32 and a 2019 golf R for comparison...

We loaded the car up with 5 passengers and a ton of crap to take on our trip for this weekend, averaged 29-30mpg on mountain back roads... and it was fine. I have made some changes w obdeleven which really helped w throttle input etc and basically made the car “feel” faster as it is way more responsive now. 

I hate the atlas and the cross sport, drove both. The 3.6 is horrific on gas and nothing special, traded our 14 touareg R line in for the Tiguan. The 235hp engine in the atlas may be slightly more power etc but also in an even larger car. 


Once tunes are released the Tiguan should be more then enough for family duty as that is also what we use ours for. If you want the gti engine, you’ll need a gti. 

We still use the R for family stuff too 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

alexb75 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> ...
> 
> Test drove a newer Tiguan, I generally liked it, the size is a significant upgrade, and new safety features are good for a baby car... BUT, the DAMN ENGINE!!! WTF were they thinking?! ...


By any chance did you test a 2018?


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## JDHRNC (Jun 17, 2006)

Allow me to throw my 2 cents in on this topic. I have a 2020 Tiguan Highline R-Line (SEL Premium R-Line to you folks in the US) that I have been modifying. Through VCDS I changed the throttle response from incremental to direct and I noticed a definite improvement. Without tuning the vehicle this is the best you can hope to accomplish. I am currently in the process of buying a 2020 Atlas Cross Sport Execline R-Line 4Motion V6 (SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion to you folks in the US). The dealer is waiting for my vehicle to be delivered from port. To gauge size, they lent me a 2.0T non R-Line for a day. Considering the difference in size between the Tiguan and Cross Sport, I was most impressed with the Atlas engine. In sport mode I found the CS to be quite a lot snappier than my Tiguan. According to the dealership the Atlas engine is based upon the GTI and is not a b cycle like the Tiguan. There are a number of other features I prefer on the Atlas that are sadly lacking on the Tiguan. I hope this helps.


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## christophe15 (Nov 12, 2018)

alexb75 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> We own a 2016 Tiguan R-line, and quite happy with it, but just had a baby  and now need a bigger car for all the junk we have to carry with our baby!
> 
> ...


Lot's of threads already.. I will state again (I OWN BOTH A 2018 GTI AND 2018 TIGUAN RLINE SEL-P).

The Tiguan, will not and I mean will not put a smile on your face like a GTI period. 
With some investment in a tune, at a minimum it will make it at best ON PAR with other SUVs in its class. The motor is a turd... but my wife loves the aesthetics so we are keeping it, fixing the broke stuff like throttle response, the sunroof LED lighting, if APR ever stops investing their time in Porsche 1/4 mile times maybe some day a tune, coils, whatever I can find... 

all this cost is just to make the dog of a motor at least bearable. 

Unless you are (like my wife and I) and just going to "deal with it" then I would not buy one...

If you want performance SUV, you are going to need to pay some money for it.

SQ5
RSQ8
SQ7
Explorer ST
Quadrifoglio
Macan
XC60 or XC90 T6 (polestar) - my personal favorite
Cayenne
Range Rover Sport SVR
Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S

Other option:
Move to EU and then you can get ROW Tiguan or maybe to Tiguan R I hear will be coming to EU (again, US gets screwed)


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## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

For $26K new my stock 2019 SE "feels like" the best performing SUV at altitude period!

* I always have ample power when passing on the hwy and going up long mountain grades.
* I'm at 5600 ft. altitude and every other NA SUV and the Honda CRV (1.5L turbo with CV) that I've tested, felt lame.
* I had the 2013 Tiguan SE for 90K miles and I would not go back even though it was a good car. Monthly fuel bill was 40% greater with the 2013.
* If someone else knows of a better SUV, _*under $30K*_ that has more features, comfort and power_ at altitude_, please let us know.
* These complaints about "lack of power" seem way over blown for a daily whip. You'll need to spend close to $40K to do better.

My sister traded her 2014 Tig on a new 2020 SEL 2 months ago. I was afraid she would not be happy because she's pickier than I am!
She could not be happier! Ironically, the power and the 8 speed transmission are her favorite features! She leaves it in SPORT mode.
She also loves the superior MPGs.


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## mattchatr (Jan 26, 2018)

I've done a lot to mine if you want to check my build thread for ways to improve handling and power but at the end of the day, a piggy back like a Neuspeed Power Module will do wonders to make it acceptable. Its still limited by the transmission as others have said though. Its not fast with the Power Module, but with that and some OBD11 tweaks its enjoyable now. Tunes are coming, and will greatly improve but if you want a sportier option you need to pay more money, period. We are getting the short end of the stick in NA for engine options but it is what it is. 

As far as the Cross Sport goes, I'm a bit of snob and find it kinda meh. I really wanted to like it. The engine options, sure are better, but to me the whole Atlas model isn't quite there yet for me in its first generation form. It seems too american and in some ways the interior is cheaper than the european designed Tiguan (some cheaper plastics in the interior, some short cuts here and there). A lot is the same as the Tiguan and share some parts but its just generally bigger so not everything transfers over and those parts are the ones that seem cheap feeling to me. The new Atlas and Cross sport also have I would say downgraded headlights...the turn signals are now halogen bulbs instead of LEDs like the prior post facelift so I like the new cross sport and kinda don't too....

Lastly, the Tiguan R line you drove has the same suspension in all Tiguan models no matter if its 4Motion, entry model, R-line or not. The R-Line has lower profile tires so that will likely be the reason you felt better "handling", just less wobble than the beefier rubber on the smaller rims. R-line is a design package only, no performance benefit whatsoever.


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## christophe15 (Nov 12, 2018)

mattchatr said:


> As far as the Cross Sport goes, I'm a bit of snob and find it kinda meh. I really wanted to like it. The engine options, sure are better, but to me the whole Atlas model isn't quite there yet for me in its first generation form. It seems too american and in some ways the interior is cheaper than the european designed Tiguan (some cheaper plastics in the interior, some short cuts here and there). A lot is the same as the Tiguan and share some parts but its just generally bigger so not everything transfers over and those parts are the ones that seem cheap feeling to me. The new Atlas and Cross sport also have I would say downgraded headlights...the turn signals are now halogen bulbs instead of LEDs like the prior post facelift so I like the new cross sport and kinda don't too.....


For the most part I agree with this; other than Atlas compared to its American rivals will probably seem pretty luxurious. Those are almost crazy covered in cheap plastic, cheap materials used throughout... lot's without digital dash, stuff you would expect to get with a 50K car... Also, remember the audience for these cars..

I don't understand a few things:

Who cared enough to think there was a need for the Cross sport.. I mean ... large SUV - Atlas, Small/Midsized - Tiguan... is there REALLY a market for something in between? Then a smaller Tiguan? 
Why not put that R&D money into making the lineup better. Where is the ID lineup, why still no Volkswagen Van in USA? 
Why develop the Arteon when massive decline in Sedan sales? Could'nt they have just made the Passat better (bring back 4motion model) and call it good?

I just don't get VW's product lineup sometimes... I really think they could scale back a lot of the models they offer and focus on just making the one's they already have MUCH better..


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

christophe15 said:


> Lot's of threads already.. I will state again (I OWN BOTH A 2018 GTI AND 2018 TIGUAN RLINE SEL-P).
> 
> The Tiguan, will not and I mean will not put a smile on your face like a GTI period.
> With some investment in a tune, at a minimum it will make it at best ON PAR with other SUVs in its class. The motor is a turd... but my wife loves the aesthetics so we are keeping it, fixing the broke stuff like throttle response, the sunroof LED lighting, if APR ever stops investing their time in Porsche 1/4 mile times maybe some day a tune, coils, whatever I can find...
> ...


I am NOT looking for "performance SUV, like SQ5", BUT a German SUV that can actually have AVERAGE performance for the money and this new Tiguan absolutely does NOT! Currently OWNING the OLD gen Tiguan, it's SHOCKING to find the latest and greatest Tiguan is actually not only slower, but also handles worse than the model from 4yrs ago! All this car needs is 30-40 more HP to feel NIMBLE! Essentially the GTI/Q5/Atlas Cross engine!

What I do NOT get is WHY couldn't VW made two maps for the engine? Have an Eco/Normal mode with low power and high MPG, then a SPORT map for sportier drives! Best of both worlds! Driving around town, you use Eco mode, then on a road trip or to pass, put it into Sport and enjoy what the engine could offer.

As I said before, NOT looking for high performance SUV, but to have a "sporty R-line" VW that isn't shamed by Honda CR-V! :banghead:


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

mattchatr said:


> As far as the Cross Sport goes, I'm a bit of snob and find it kinda meh. I really wanted to like it. The engine options, sure are better, but to me the whole Atlas model isn't quite there yet for me in its first generation form. It seems too american and in some ways the interior is cheaper than the european designed Tiguan (some cheaper plastics in the interior, some short cuts here and there). A lot is the same as the Tiguan and share some parts but its just generally bigger so not everything transfers over and those parts are the ones that seem cheap feeling to me. The new Atlas and Cross sport also have I would say downgraded headlights...the turn signals are now halogen bulbs instead of LEDs like the prior post facelift so I like the new cross sport and kinda don't too....
> 
> Lastly, the Tiguan R line you drove has the same suspension in all Tiguan models no matter if its 4Motion, entry model, R-line or not. The R-Line has lower profile tires so that will likely be the reason you felt better "handling", just less wobble than the beefier rubber on the smaller rims. R-line is a design package only, no performance benefit whatsoever.


I agree with you on Cross sport, didn't like it one bit... APART FROM the engine choice of PROPER 2.0T! 

The OLD gen Tiguan has a tighter suspension, NOT the new ones, it's only cosmetic/wheels.


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## upthewazzu (Nov 4, 2020)

Just wanted to add my two cents as a new 2020 Tiguan SE owner...

I test drove a used 2018 SEL and almost immediately took it off my list because of the weird acceleration bog that happens at ~2k RPM. I test drove a couple other used SUV's but ended up going back to the VW dealer and test driving a new 2020 SE. WOW, what a major difference in acceleration. It was much snappier and the bog-down was totally gone. There is definitely a difference between the engine/transmission mapping in the '18's to '20's. If you own an '18, I would definitely recommend a test drive on a later model year. Don't get me wrong, it's not going to win most races but the difference is very noticeable.


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## AkiraSieghart (Nov 20, 2019)

upthewazzu said:


> Just wanted to add my two cents as a new 2020 Tiguan SE owner...
> 
> I test drove a used 2018 SEL and almost immediately took it off my list because of the weird acceleration bog that happens at ~2k RPM. I test drove a couple other used SUV's but ended up going back to the VW dealer and test driving a new 2020 SE. WOW, what a major difference in acceleration. It was much snappier and the bog-down was totally gone. There is definitely a difference between the engine/transmission mapping in the '18's to '20's. If you own an '18, I would definitely recommend a test drive on a later model year. Don't get me wrong, it's not going to win most races but the difference is very noticeable.


There was a recent recall for the 2018s and 2019s for this specific issue.


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## Savvv (Apr 22, 2009)

Unitronic Stage 1+ /thread


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