# Tiguan - Thoughts From a First-Time Volkswagen Owner



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Relatively new here, but have already learned a ton from this great community. Thought I'd chime in as a first-time VW owner. As reference, I've owned vehicles from Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Mazda, Acura, and Volvo. I have no specific brand allegiance, so I'd like to think this is a fair assessment.

I'll do it in 4 parts:
*
What Made Us Choose the Tiguan*

The size was about perfect. We don't need a full-size SUV, and the rear seating (2nd row) is massive relative to other vehicles.
The interior layout is elegantly simple. Some vehicles overwhelm you with status lights, buttons, clutter.
Dedicated buttons for HVAC. Some vehicles still have these as on-screen-only, with delays as you start the car.
The electronic interface is top-class. Some other vehicles still mount a "tablet" above the dash. It's 2019, they need to figure out how to integrate a multimedia screen.
The features in the Highline (effectively SEL-P in Canada) were above the competition, namely digital cockpit, AFS, LED lighting, pano roof, auto-closing hatch.
Some competition, like from Mazda offer a more car-like shape, but this gives up a lot of space in the rear. The Tiguan's "boxiness" really gives a lot more room.
Styling is understated - we love it. (Honda seems to be going insane in this regard.)
No need for premium gas.
*What Made Us [Almost Not] Choose the Tiguan*

The engine is a bit buzzy on acceleration (fine at speed), but in line with several others in the segment. Sounds a bit like a diesel.
The get-up-and-go was a bit lacking, however that was on a 2018 demo. Our 2019 feels like a different vehicle!
The 3rd row seating is really just for children, and really just for children you dislike. (We didn't need it anyway.)
US gets a 6-year warranty, while Canada gets screwed with just 4 years.
Having owned this for a couple of weeks (months) now, here's what I like and dislike about the vehicle, that I would only find out by owning it:

*Likes*

The proximity (parking) warning is more discrete, and less twitchy than our Volvo. (The Volvo would warn you if there's something in the next county!)
The fog lights stay on (for next drive), and this is done simply by a mechanical switch. Very smart, seems very German.
Visibility is top-notch.
The safety kit, spare, and "trunk" layout is all well thought out, including bag hooks.
The lighting touches (**albeit no door sill lights in Canada) are well done, and not overdone.
Gas mileage is better than estimated so far.
Seems to be a great community around mods (homelink mirror, rear fog, LED upgrades, interior lighting, mods via connected reader).
Added: The OEM phone integration is solid.
Added: No need for a separate gas door release - it is locked/unlocked via central locking.
Added: Ability to close the rear hatch via the button, from the driver's seat. (Switch must be held, and this will NOT work in the 3rd row seat versions.)
Added: Rear hatch cover is nicely stowed under the floor.
Added: Two convenient storage spots on either side of the rear hatch.
Added: Hockey stick quick stowage. See post 38.
Added: Wipers will complete the cycle, and return to down position, even if ignition turn off mid-way. (To be confirmed.)
Added: No need for separate (and expensive) tire pressure sensors - the system works without them.
*Dislikes*

Seems that if another finger grazes the door handle, it won't lock. You have to be more conscious of this process than you should have to be. Can lock/unlock repeated in rain, when washing car.
Auto Stop/Start. All cars have this, so not a VW thing, but I hate it. (I believe I can disable via a connect reader, which is good.)
No ability to add a clock to the digital cockpit, yet drive mode (which you don't need to keep checking) is there.
No apparent difference between "Auto" and "Classic" cockpit modes. (They are the first 2 prominent choices, so should do something.)
Added: A front cupholder is partially blocked by the center console.
Added: Cubby with 2 X USB slots is a bit tight for a Samsung S8 (not the biggest phone out there) when connected via USB.
Added: Even though we have leather seating, there's a strip of cloth on the bottom rear of the front seats. Would prefer these kids-feet-contact-areas to be fully leather for easier cleaning.
Added: Rather unique oil (0W20 with 508 00 and 509 00 VW spec), which is hard to find, and expensive if/when you do.
Added: Navigation system seems to get lost sometimes, i.e. advises you to u-turn in the middle of a 100km straight highway section.
Added: Easy to hit "Media" on the touch screen when using the volume knob. Both adjustment knobs are rather small, and may be difficult to manipulate in winter with gloves.

**[Edit] - Turns out the driver's side door sill light strip was DOA, and not working. The passenger works great. Dealer lied/guessed saying "no door sill lights" in Canada, which is BS.


----------



## low_n_slow_6 (Feb 9, 2012)

Best thing I did was coding out the start stop “feature”. You still get the icon on your dash, but I can live with that. 

It’s also interesting that you think the 2019 drives different than the 2018. I’d be curious to compare both first hand. You’re not the first to make that statement. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## jjwinters (May 2, 2019)

*We agree with all your statements*

We are first time VW owners too. I actually came to the dealership to look at a used Chevy! It was so rough on the inside, I thought at only 20k, even if we take care of the chevy, it will look bad at 80k! The salesguy showed me the Tiguan and I was like, whoa, I thought these were little. It was love at first site! I love the community here too. I bought a homelink mirror and plan to install next week. I am about to get a coding device and disable the auto stop. Can't wait to see what others do next!


----------



## TypeSH (Jul 11, 2013)

You're so right about that the rear seats and the huge rear door opening. This is basically the perfect compact/mid SUV for anyone that needs to deal with a car seat, especially an infant one. It's a huge advantage over the Tucson, CX-5 or even Santa Fe (other SUVs we were considering).

As for the engine note, it reminds me of a tractor. Not at all like the 2.0T in my Turbo Bug or GTI's past or present. At least its torquey though and moves decently especially in Sport mode at least as a 2019 (haven't driven a 2018 myself).


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Added a couple of "dislikes" (really minor things), around the cupholder and phone cubby. Just trying to be balanced as I think I still have too many "likes". 




low_n_slow_6 said:


> Best thing I did was coding out the start stop “feature”. You still get the icon on your dash, but I can live with that.
> 
> It’s also interesting that you think the 2019 drives different than the 2018. I’d be curious to compare both first hand. You’re not the first to make that statement.


We would have bought the Tiguan anyway after the 2018 test drive, but it was a nice "bonus" to have it feel peppier after the transmission re-mapping.




jjwinters said:


> We are first time VW owners too. I actually came to the dealership to look at a used Chevy! It was so rough on the inside, I thought at only 20k, even if we take care of the chevy, it will look bad at 80k! The salesguy showed me the Tiguan and I was like, whoa, I thought these were little. It was love at first site! I love the community here too. I bought a homelink mirror and plan to install next week. I am about to get a coding device and disable the auto stop. Can't wait to see what others do next!


We found the fit and finish to be better than the competition for sure. As I mention in the OP, it really irks me when so many vehicles have a screen that sticks up from the dash.




TypeSH said:


> You're so right about that the rear seats and the huge rear door opening. This is basically the perfect compact/mid SUV for anyone that needs to deal with a car seat, especially an infant one. It's a huge advantage over the Tucson, CX-5 or even Santa Fe (other SUVs we were considering).
> 
> As for the engine note, it reminds me of a tractor. Not at all like the 2.0T in my Turbo Bug or GTI's past or present. At least its torquey though and moves decently especially in Sport mode at least as a 2019 (haven't driven a 2018 myself).


Not a fan of the acceleration engine note either. Agree with you on the torque, which is apparently the whole point of the "B cycle" implementation.


----------



## dragonpalm (May 9, 2016)

Thanks for the good assessment and I agree with every reason why you chose the Tiguan. My top reasons are perfect size (3-row compact SUV), great tech features (on SEL-P), handsome conservative styling (will age well), and price (large discount off MSRP).

I also mostly agree with your dislikes but I'm not too annoyed by auto start-stop (I live in the city and I like the quietness/smoothness when engine is off) and I think the 3rd row is usable as long as the second row is moved forward and the people back there are around my height or shorter (5'8").


----------



## Piscoot (Dec 26, 2011)

low_n_slow_6 said:


> It’s also interesting that you think the 2019 drives different than the 2018. I’d be curious to compare both first hand. You’re not the first to make that statement.


I can chime in on the driving comparison. Just came out of our 18 SEL which we had for 15,000mi. We just picked up our 19 SEL-P last night and already have 300 hi-way/ city miles on it (haha). In normal mode yes there’s quite a difference between the 2 model years. Even in normal mode as I’m sure you experience the 18 still short shifts like it was in economy. This is non-existent in the 19. The 19 drives like it should holding the gear at the proper throttle input. No more mashing the pedal and waiting for the transmission to shift down a few gears. No longer is there the pull out from a stop sign and the Tiguan falls on its face. 
Now using the economy mode for both 18 and 19 is almost fairly the same. The 19 seems even more drastic in the short shifts then our 18. But, this could be a feel by the pants impression since the 19 in normal drive mode is so much better! 
Hope that all made sense!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## sanndennis (Jul 24, 2018)

*Interesting*

We will likely purchase a new vehicle soon (coming from a 2009 Mazda 5 GT - 5 sp) and the Tiguan is a likely candidate for us. I appreciate your comments and wholeheartedly agree about the utter dorkiness of tablets sticking out of the dash. I, too, appreciate understated design. Good to know about some of the other "lived in" impressions regarding the cup holder being blocked by the console. 

One thing that stood out for me when I checked out the Tiguan was the 40-20-40 split middle (or rear, depending on config) seat -- this is huge if you need to transport 4 humans and long gear a great distance. No one wants the middle of the back bench, ever. Sliding rear seat is an excellent feature as well. Coming from the Mazda 5, this is a feature I absolutely have grown to love!!!

Fully agree about the skimpy warranty in Canada. Where abouts are you in the country? Were you able to negotiate well on the sticker price?

I think the +2 seating is good as an option -- people who want it can add it. We rarely use our emergency seats in the Mazda 5, but when we do require it, it's great to have. And, I would probably get it again.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

sanndennis said:


> We will likely purchase a new vehicle soon (coming from a 2009 Mazda 5 GT - 5 sp) and the Tiguan is a likely candidate for us. I appreciate your comments and wholeheartedly agree about the utter dorkiness of tablets sticking out of the dash. I, too, appreciate understated design. Good to know about some of the other "lived in" impressions regarding the cup holder being blocked by the console.
> 
> One thing that stood out for me when I checked out the Tiguan was the 40-20-40 split middle (or rear, depending on config) seat -- this is huge if you need to transport 4 humans and long gear a great distance. No one wants the middle of the back bench, ever. Sliding rear seat is an excellent feature as well. Coming from the Mazda 5, this is a feature I absolutely have grown to love!!!
> 
> ...


Good point on the rear seat split. Our previous vehicles had passthrough openings, but lowering the middle gives you way more options.

We're NW of the GTA. You should be able to get a Highline for $2K under MSRP, plus removal of several sketchy fees, plus rubber "Monster" mats thrown in. (We opted for Weathertech after the fact, including the hatch area, which cover far more, so selling the Monster mats.) We did not opt for the Driver Assist package as the only thing in it that I wanted was Homelink, and you can swap out the mirror yourself if you wish. 

Thinking about it now, I found it odd that Homelink was not included. It was in our last 2 vehicles, which weren't even the highest trim, although it was the older version in the sun visor.

The only other oddity is that the halogen fog lights look out of place with LED everywhere else. I guess there's some debate as to the best approach, but I just bought a deAuto LED kit - you'll see a thread on it here.


----------



## [email protected] (Aug 9, 2018)

phlegm said:


> The only other oddity is that the halogen fog lights look out of place with LED everywhere else. I guess there's some debate as to the best approach, but I just bought a deAuto LED kit - you'll see a thread on it here.


Look forward to seeing that thread. That is one upgrade I am seriously considering.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

I might have been unclear. There is a thread here already, but I've been looking for some pics around the procedure.

It amounts to removing 3 screws from inside the wheel well cover, and 1 underneath. However I think it's still a pretty tight fit to get your hand in there, and you also have to secure a driver box somehow.

I'm going to see if you can change the fogs from the front, similar to the Atlas. It looks like there's a screw hole just below the light itself, so maybe the trim can be removed easily enough.


----------



## Triple6 (Jan 2, 2019)

phlegm said:


> I might have been unclear. There is a thread here already, but I've been looking for some pics around the procedure.
> 
> It amounts to removing 3 screws from inside the wheel well cover, and 1 underneath. However I think it's still a pretty tight fit to get your hand in there, and you also have to secure a driver box somehow.
> 
> I'm going to see if you can change the fogs from the front, similar to the Atlas. It looks like there's a screw hole just below the light itself, so maybe the trim can be removed easily enough.


That screw hole is for the up and down adjustment of the fogs. You have to go thru the wheel well splash shield. I did mine and it wasn't bad at all.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Triple6 said:


> That screw hole is for the up and down adjustment of the fogs. You have to go thru the wheel well splash shield. I did mine and it wasn't bad at all.


Ah, thanks, good to know.


----------



## MParr (May 4, 2019)

We bought our new 2019 Tiguan SE in early April. We got a white one with black leatherette interior. This car is my wife’s daily driver. I took the lead in shopping for a new vehicle. Overall, the Tiguan met all of our requirements. I like the simple and clean dash layout. The engine is a bit noisy. Road and wind noise has been addressed very well by VW. I wonder about the oil requirements for the car. The 0W20 oil is a little pricey. That’s just something we will have to deal with.


----------



## matrix187 (Jan 3, 2019)

I still do not regret my purchase at all given how nice the car is overall but am slightly disappointed at all the rattles that have appeared after driving it ~2000 miles. Hopefully you have a good dealership nearby that is willing to fix them should they appear. I have resorted to fixing them myself...


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

*Spill Warning!*

An update, and a (Canadian) Spill Warning.

We have these milkshake bottle here (pic below), which have a unique shape. The bottom of it initially expands the flexible tabs in the cupholders, then as it lowers, the skinnier part of the bottle allows the tabs to quickly snap back, and it slams the bottle down. A full bottle easily spills and reinforces the "why can't we keep anything nice" adage.

I think this format may be unique to Canada. Also, please don't judge me for drinking it. 

Definitely falls in the something-I-wouldn't-know-unless-I-bought-it category.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Added a "dislike" about the strip of cloth on the bottom rear of the front seats, even with leather. If you have kids, you know the back of the front seats get touched by feet all the time, and it's especially bad in winter. We've had good experience with leather in this regard, so was disappointing to see a bit of cloth in that spot, when the rest of the seat is leather.




[email protected] said:


> Look forward to seeing that thread. That is one upgrade I am seriously considering.


Just did this today, and I'll post more in the LED thread.


----------



## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

After coming from a 2016 CX5-GT (retired after 90K miles) and completing a 1600 mile road trip through CO, WY and UT with my new '19 SE, I wanted to add some of my impressions. I believed my former CX5 would be a tough act to follow and was cautious about making any judgements, pro or con but here I go...

*Pros:*

* Numero uno is how well this car drives on the open hwy. Superior quietness, visibility, ample passing power. In each of these areas, the VW is superior.
* Superb radio-infotainment system for sound quality, clear user-friendly display and controls makes passing the miles a breeze, esp. with the SAT and HD radio. To my ears the sound quality is cleaner, less compressed and has more natural bass than my previous Bose system on the CX5 esp. using the SAT radio.
* Comfort is above average for seats, AC, heat, heated seats (they get warm fast). Climate controls and functions are superior to Mazda's.
* Fuel economy averaged 28.7mpg in all weather conditions including wind, rain, snow and all different speeds ;-)
One stretch of hwy between Rawlins, WY and Denver (260 miles) I averaged 34mpg. No wind, all hwy driving 75-80mph, slight elevation drop. The MPG displayed data is very accurate compared to my manual calculations. These numbers have been a pleasant surprise and roughly 7% better than my CX-5's and I only ran regular fuel (85 octane) in the Tig.

*Cons:*

* Where's the "Blind Spot Monitors?" Are the dim LED's in the mirrors as good as it gets??? My Mazda had audible warnings and I felt safer with that setup, so I've been super careful checking my mirrors when I change lanes.
* I wish the SE came with fog lights, but I knew that going in. I still miss them.
* If I chose this model again, I probably would've opted out of the third row seating as I feel a little robbed of a flatter, larger cargo area. Minor annoyance.
* A taller, adjustable center counsel would be on my wish list too.
* This car is bigger and longer than the CX5 so it's taken some getting used to for turning radius (much longer) Not a huge deal, just different. Hard to call this a con.

***That's about it. Not much to complain about***

*Some notes:*

* Some people don't like the sound of the engine, but I barely notice it, esp when up to hwy speed. 
* The cumulative mpg displays automatically resets at about 3500 miles. 
* At 80mph (legal in parts of WY) the tach is only pulling about 2200rpm. Amazing!
* Moving shifter to manual mode, the speed of the shifting response is quite quick and more flexible than any other previous automatic I've owned. I really like the transmission/drivetrain so far.
* I had minor concerns about these "Giti" tires but they remind me of the Continental Pro Contacts on previous VW's. Handling, noise, traction are all decent for an OEM tire. Just a funny name.
* Being a larger, mid-range price car, the SE doesn't handle quite as sharply as the Mazda Miata (or CX-5) but it's still a safe and fun to drive car. One of my biggest safety concerns on the CX-5 were the huge A-Pilars that created dangerous blind-spots for me when encountering pedestrians at intersections. That's been addressed on the new Tiguan with thinner A-Pilars and larger windows.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Thought I'd add another pro.

The "stock" phone interface has been pretty good, and I had a very good experience with it reading back, and sending text messages. In fact, a better experience that my limited use of Android Auto for that purpose.

Well done!


----------



## repguymn (Oct 29, 2016)

phlegm,
thanks for posting your pros and cons on the 19 Tiguan! Very helpful! I am a long time VW owner and I have had pretty much every model (some multiple times) and currently have a 17 Passat 1.8T SEL Premium w/Technology and want to go to a SUV. I haul demo gear and I tired of pulling it out of the truck or back seat. The Passat is very economical to operate so I wanted to get something larger without loosing mpg if possible. This has lead me to RAV4 Hybrid. Some on this thread point out one glaring con I have seen in looking at vehicles in this segment, a tablet on the dash!
Reading of the better than expecting mpg is very helpful! I like VWs and was not considering the Tiguan based on the mpg of older models. I have been driving a 2011 Tig and mid 20s is as good as I can get. 
I now have the 19 Tig SEL Premium R-Line at the top of the list!
Thanks:beer:
KM


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

repguymn said:


> phlegm,
> thanks for posting your pros and cons on the 19 Tiguan! Very helpful! I am a long time VW owner and I have had pretty much every model (some multiple times) and currently have a 17 Passat 1.8T SEL Premium w/Technology and want to go to a SUV. I haul demo gear and I tired of pulling it out of the truck or back seat. The Passat is very economical to operate so I wanted to get something larger without loosing mpg if possible. This has lead me to RAV4 Hybrid. Some on this thread point out one glaring con I have seen in looking at vehicles in this segment, a tablet on the dash!
> Reading of the better than expecting mpg is very helpful! I like VWs and was not considering the Tiguan based on the mpg of older models. I have been driving a 2011 Tig and mid 20s is as good as I can get.
> I now have the 19 Tig SEL Premium R-Line at the top of the list!
> ...


Hey, glad you've found it helpful! There's been so much great support in this forum that it's nice to give back somehow.

As we approach a month of ownership, really just 2 things continue to bug me, and they're just minor annoyances that I called out initially:

I keep looking for a clock in the cockpit. All my other cars have had them, and older versions of the VW digital cockpit have it. I wish VW would allow it to be configured. While it is indicated on the multimedia screen, I don't want to look away. Also, if you're using a connected interface (Apple/Android), the location of the time differs a bit, so you have to search for it.
The door locking via the handle works perfectly, so long as you ensure a finger doesn't come into contact elsewhere. This differs from other implementations where a separate button exists on the handle. In those implementations incidental contact does not affect the locking process. I still find myself doing this without thinking about it, and it fails to lock. I just wish it was designed a bit differently. 

The only other peeve-in-waiting might be the specific oil demanded by VW. Looks like you can't buy it outside of the dealer, and that's a pain from a convenience and pricing (overpriced) standpoint.


----------



## IbsFt (Dec 15, 2018)

Others on the forum have posted a link to this oil change kit, which contains 6 qts oil, a filter element and a drain plug: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/oil-service-kit/g052577m2kt1/

Eventually other oil manufacturers will start offering 508 spec oil, if they haven't already. The Castrol is a funky green color. The dirty factory fill oil was brown and smelled like it was time for a change.

I bought the ECS kit and just changed the oil at 5800 miles. Easiest and cleanest oil change ever. I was a bit apprehensive about the plastic oil plug, but it is pretty fool resistant (nothing is fool proof), just turn it until the little locking tab is seated in its groove, no concerns of over torquing it.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

IbsFt said:


> Others on the forum have posted a link to this oil change kit, which contains 6 qts oil, a filter element and a drain plug: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/oil-service-kit/g052577m2kt1/
> 
> Eventually other oil manufacturers will start offering 508 spec oil, if they haven't already. The Castrol is a funky green color. The dirty factory fill oil was brown and smelled like it was time for a change.
> 
> I bought the ECS kit and just changed the oil at 5800 miles. Easiest and cleanest oil change ever. I was a bit apprehensive about the plastic oil plug, but it is pretty fool resistant (nothing is fool proof), just turn it until the little locking tab is seated in its groove, no concerns of over torquing it.


Thanks, but I can't find a Canadian source - those guys don't ship here. Have seen 6 qts on ebay, but shipping is $50-$70 added on.


----------



## JimGravelle (Nov 13, 2018)

phlegm said:


> Thanks, but I can't find a Canadian source - those guys don't ship here. Have seen 6 qts on ebay, but shipping is $50-$70 added on.


I too live in Ontario and don’t use Castrol oil in my Tiggy. I recently had an oil change and my garage put in Liqui Moly. As long as it meets the VW 508 spec, then you are fine. Apparently Castrol and VW made some special agreement which is why the Castrol advertisement is with your owners manual. Personally I think it’s unprofessional for VW to do such a thing. :what:


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

JimGravelle said:


> I too live in Ontario and don’t use Castrol oil in my Tiggy. I recently had an oil change and my garage put in Liqui Moly. As long as it meets the VW 508 spec, then you are fine. Apparently Castrol and VW made some special agreement which is why the Castrol advertisement is with your owners manual. Personally I think it’s unprofessional for VW to do such a thing. :what:


Thanks for this, found the Liqui Moly with those specs:
https://products.liqui-moly.com/top-tec-6200-0w-20-7.html

Napa has it in Ontario, but they list it as $129 for a 5L jug - ouch.


----------



## 937dytboi (Apr 3, 2012)

My wife just dumped her Volvo V60 for a Tiguan


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Added a few things to the list in the first post:

Like: That there's no special gas door lock/switch - it is tied to central locking.
Like: Ability to close the rear hatch from the driver's seat.

Dislike: Unique oil.


----------



## schagaphonic (Aug 24, 2008)

More likes...
* Driving data for "miles since refill" and "mpg since refill" resets automatically when you refill gas tank. 
* Just finished my first run across CO mtns. via i70. Effortless power for passing going up Vail and Loveland pass, over 11K ft elevation.
* Just discovered that making a quick, second reach inside the the front door handle unlocks all passenger doors.
* Powerful defrosters kept heavy snow off windshield.
(edit) ***I love the rear camera washer***


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

schagaphonic said:


> More likes...
> * Driving data for "miles since refill" and "mpg since refill" resets automatically when you refill gas tank.
> * Just finished my first run across CO mtns. via i70. Effortless power for passing going up Vail and Loveland pass, over 11K ft elevation.
> * Just discovered that making a quick, second reach inside the the front door handle unlocks all passenger doors.
> * Powerful defrosters kept heavy snow off windshield.


Good list - and totally agree with the gas mileage since refill - you don't have to reset the trip odo for consumption calculations. (Although I think a potential dislike related to this is it takes 3 steps on the multimedia screen to reset the trip odo - there might be an easier way I missed, and some older versions of the dash seem to have a dedicated button for it.)

Didn't know about the door handle, thanks!


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Few more recent things:

Minor, Nice Touches
-There is a felt-like covering on the back of the front seatbelt buckles. Noticed scratching on our older Volvos due to plastic-on-plastic contact, so nice to see VW making this smart move.
-When using Nav, you can get the next turns right in the cockpit, while the whole map stays on the larger screen. I'm very impressed with the implementation, and also the completeness of the database itself, which is sometimes lacking for Canadian addresses.

Minor Pain
-When calling my wife, I need to enter a 3 digit extension. I always have to dismiss a (safety) dialog before I can use the keypad. Irritating.

Minor Wish
-On our Volvos, it used to give a system message in the cockpit when rear belts were used, i.e. "left rear belt used". This is super handy with kids. There is almost too much info from cars these days, so would be great to see VW implement this important one.

Minor Breakage
-The front cup holder has spring-loaded knobs. Good idea, as it adjusts to cup size. However, one somehow got pushed inside, and the plastic knob dropped inside the console. Great. FYI, those pieces are held in place by just the spring pressure apparently.


----------



## Zabes64 (Aug 29, 2018)

phlegm said:


> Few more recent things:
> 
> Minor Wish
> -On our Volvos, it used to give a system message in the cockpit when rear belts were used, i.e. "left rear belt used". This is super handy with kids. There is almost too much info from cars these days, so would be great to see VW implement this important one.


Non US models have this feature, wonder if it can be coded.


----------



## dragonpalm (May 9, 2016)

phlegm said:


> Like: Ability to close the rear hatch from the driver's seat.


Tiguans with the 3rd row option can't close the rear hatch from the driver's seat. It's annoying.


----------



## Triple6 (Jan 2, 2019)

Minor Breakage
-The front cup holder has spring-loaded knobs. Good idea, as it adjusts to cup size. However, one somehow got pushed inside, and the plastic knob dropped inside the console. Great. FYI, those pieces are held in place by just the spring pressure apparently.[/QUOTE]

They are actually held in with a rubber band. 

Sent from the mobile. Don't text and drive.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

dragonpalm said:


> Tiguans with the 3rd row option can't close the rear hatch from the driver's seat. It's annoying.


That's strange, I wonder why that's the case?


----------



## Triple6 (Jan 2, 2019)

phlegm said:


> That's strange, I wonder why that's the case?


Because of the potential of a child reaching up and having their fingers pinched in the jamb of the rear lid. The rear seat sit just below the top jamb and can very easily have a finger caught in there. 

Sent from the mobile. Don't text and drive.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Added a couple of things to the first post:

Likes:
-Rear hatch cover is nicely stowed under the hatch floor.
-Rear hatch area has 2 convenient and deep storage areas on either side. It is great to put some awkward, potentially tippy things in there safely.

Dislikes:
-Random lock/unlock when washing car - key must be moved away from your person.
-The navigation system seems to get lost sometimes. In the middle of a long, straight part of the journey, it may temporarily ask me to do a u-turn. Sometimes when leaving a destination and heading home, it wants me to go back to the destination at first for a bit, until it figures out I selected "home".


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Have one more dislike, that has happened to both my wife and I.

It is pretty easy to accidentally hit "Media" on the touchscreen when you are adjusting the volume knob. For example, you'll want to boost the radio volume, but partially hit "Media" with the edge of your finger and change the input.

Both knobs on the multimedia screen are pretty tiny, so easy to miss, or have your finger overlap and touch the screen. Unsure how they'll fare in winter, with (capacitive) gloved hands.

Added to OP.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

A new "Like" and a clarification:

Like:
-Decidedly Canadian, and surely not designed for this, but the rear seats don't block the entire rear of the car. This means you can run a hockey stick (or any long, thin item) along either side of the vehicle, without having to drop a seatback. Also, the blade nicely fits in the storage area to either side. (Yes, the stick shaft will impede entry to one side of the rear seat, but is still handy in most passenger situations.)

Clarification:
-The closing of the rear hatch cannot be done from the driver's seat button in the 3rd row models.


----------



## dbrioso (Sep 10, 2019)

*7 out of 10?*

Very good list. I'm 6 weeks into a 2019 SEL P with 4motion. Last car was a 2016 Honda CRV EX-L.

My pros would match those listed in this thread and:


3rd row versatility. This is great for us. My kids are the right size and this will be useful for them and their friends for the next 3-5 years or so that we intend to keep the vehicle.
Infotainment, digital dash - these are executed a cut above the competition in my opinion. The new Honda, Toyota, Mazda versions do not impress
Overall roominess - especially middle row.
Styling. I like how VW allows you to make decisions for style that I feel Honda just doesn't even permit. You want 19 or 20 inch wheels, go for it. 
Premium features like power folding mirrors, multiple drive modes, panoramic roof with power shade, puddle lights, and with some "Carista" tweaking, the ability to remote open windows, and sunroof, etc.
Rarity. Its nice that it's not the car everyone has and in the fiery Habanero color I have, I can actually find mine in a parking lot.

My Cons:


Lack of power is a real bummer and by far my biggest disappointment. I think this prevents this car from fully outpointing its competition. In city driving it feels comparable to my old Honda, fine if not great, but in hilly areas its shocking how poor the power is. Again, in about 85% of my driving its no worse than the competition but in more challenging highway and hilly situations I feel its worse than the competition. My old Honda had a sport mode that really paid dividends when you needed to hold a gear and get moving - I'd pull up to 5500 RPM in certain situations. In the Tiguan the sport mode cannot overcome the lack of power and turbo lag. 
Far less important but annoying nonetheless, I also hate the lack of a clock on the dash, 
I think there should be a "lights on" indicator on the dash (if my left hand is on the wheel at the 9 position, I cannot see the light cluster to know if the lights are on or not)
I also think some of the chrome finished and plastic trim pieces have too much flex and aren't the highest quality. 
The driver's side door panel is hard - my left elbow never finds a comfortable location to rest on. This should have been softer.
I hated auto stop/start but thankfully that was easily disabled with Carista

Overall I'm happy with the car. 3rd row is really the clincher for our family. Without it I'm not sure where I'd end up. The style is a strong factor but not sure it would be enough. I'm really hoping the next generation offers a higher output option. If the R Line package provided a performance boost I would be all over it but if the next generation has the same modest power output I think I'd honestly have to reassess the competition particularly since the 3rd row which is such an advantage today will be less so once my kids get bigger and the space is less useable for them.


----------



## jwvetere (May 12, 2019)

Most Canadian post ever. facepalm.

=P


----------



## samuelrh (Feb 4, 2017)

Adding my two cents here. Had a '18 Tiguan that I traded in for an Atlas.

The Tiguan's passing power was a real issue for me - when fully loaded with people and gear, it's horrendously slow. And since kids grow so fast, the third row was becoming too small for us.

However, it absolutely was the perfect size for city driving. The Atlas in comparison feels like a full-size truck, despite its short turning radius. Gas mileage wasn't stellar in the city, but the Tiguan was brilliant on the highway.
Furthermore, it did *great* in the snow - I distinctly remember the time I got unstuck in the same snowbank where a Subaru Forester just couldn't. Used to just park it just about anywhere after a snowstorm by basically crashing it in a snowbank.


----------



## phlegm (Apr 24, 2019)

Have 2 more "Likes", but would be good if someone could confirm the first:

1. Turned off the ignition, when the windshield wipers were in the middle of the windshield, but they completed the cycle, and went down again. (Some cars will leave the wiper up.)

Unsure if was just fluke timing, but a nice touch if this was purposely designed in.


2. You don't need tire pressure sensors, which saves some money if you have a separate set of rims for winter tires. The system works without them.


----------

