Why The Distaste For The Tiguan?

[mightymousetech]

I’d like to know which Compact SUV is “better.”

A GMC Terrain? Chevy equinox? Ford Escape?

Toyota and Honda have better offerings than the domestics and the Tiguan doesn’t seem far off from those.

Nissan Rogue? Come on….

Subaru makes a couple good ones.

If I had to choose between a base model equinox and a Tiguan I’ll take the Tiguan every time (and I didn’t like it all that much).

Simple. Don’t buy a sport-cute.

 

[BLND1]

Simple. Don’t buy a sport-cute.

Why not?

With very few wagon offerings they offer the next equivalent functionality.

 

[mightymousetech]

Why not?

With very few wagon offerings they offer the next equivalent functionality.

Because they are just jacked up small cars.

“Let’s take a small car and ruin the handling”

 

[supton]

Because they are just jacked up small cars.

“Let’s take a small car and ruin the handling”

So what would you recommend instead?

Not sure if I should point out that a great deal of CUV's are prowling around and making it home every night, poor handling notwithstanding?

 

[BLND1]

So what would you recommend instead?

Not sure if I should point out that a great deal of CUV's are prowling around and making it home every night, poor handling notwithstanding?

They aren’t just raised cars. The height counts in other areas. Most of which benefit those with families small/children and/or pets.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to have a waist high workspace in the back of my suv, or not having to bend over to put a small kid in a car seat, or be able to fit 4 people and a wet dog in separate compartments, etc.

Lots of subtle utility that people gloss over.

I don’t care if my SUV handles on rails or not. It needs to be comfortable, quiet, safe, and roomy. The benefits of a higher vehicle outweigh any illusions I have about a midsize SUV getting used in the twisties.

Edit: and without more wagon options there really isn’t a duplicate in functionality till you go minivan.

 

[Ws6]

We test drove a LOT of vehicles earlier this year. The domestics (and Nissan) were a pure no-go. The CVT’s in a lot of the Japanese cars were not fun.

We narrowed things down to a Subaru Outback and VW Tiguan. Then my wife drove the VW Atlas and that ended the debate.

I would have been happy with either the Outback or Tiguan. The 2.5L/CVT was buzzy and equally underwhelming compared to the Budack 2.0TSI, but at least the Aisin 8 speed was really nice.

The VW MQB and Subaru global platform are same/same for ride quality and smoothness in comparable trim levels.

My point is that outside of the domestics, most of these vehicles are very similar. In most cases if you see a winner it’s likely because that brand likely refreshed more recently than others. Nothing happens in a vacuum.

Ive now owned a rav4 prime and a cx5 grand touring reserve. They are very different and offer different driving experiences and utility. I suspect the crv is equally different, but have not owned one.

 

[supton]

Lots of subtle utility that people gloss over.

No doubt, but my dig was to get mightymousetech to indicate what he thought was better.

When I look at paper it seems a CUV might fit my needs/wants but whenever I get into my CRV I simply shudder... Problem is, I might have to go CUV before long. All those ^%$&^%$ pickup trucks out there with their LED headlights are simply making night time driving a chore to be avoided. Can't see around them at intersection either.

 

[willbur]

Just from owning a 2003 Jetta and relatives having other VW models, I would never buy one new. Too many plastic parts that over time they become a hate relation to the wallet. They wiring is also a real pain where the sun never shines.

True. German cars have problems with disintegrating plastic because they are produced from biodegradable materials, meant to reduce landfill waste. The wiring insulation is soy based. Good for the environment but not for owners' wallets.

 

[Andrew1972]

Because they are just jacked up small cars.

“Let’s take a small car and ruin the handling”

No doubt, but my dig was to get mightymousetech to indicate what he thought was better.

When I look at paper it seems a CUV might fit my needs/wants but whenever I get into my CRV I simply shudder... Problem is, I might have to go CUV before long. All those ^%$&^%$ pickup trucks out there with their LED headlights are simply making night time driving a chore to be avoided. Can't see around them at intersection either.

He hates CUVs end of story which is fine as his point on small raised up cars and poorer handling is valid. He and no one can't offer anything better than a CUV for its everyday purpose of utility/comfort/ride height/cargo flexibility because it does not exist even wagons.

I can see why people hate the VW Tiguan however my wife happened to hate the Subaru/Honda/Toyota CUV offerings in 2018 and picked ours and so far at 95k trouble free.

 

[willbur]

I mean, go park one over uneven surfaces where 1 wheel is unspported. You cant even get the doors to close, lmao! It was the only CUV in its class to fail that.

had my Accord jacked up on the front driver side. Driver door barely closed because the car flexed so much. Put it back on ground and it was fine. I thought I had bent the car for good!

 

[BLND1]

True. German cars have problems with disintegrating plastic because they are produced from biodegradable materials, meant to reduce landfill waste. The wiring insulation is soy based. Good for the environment but not for owners' wallets.

Better not tell that to Toyota. Ask the 4Runner owners that lost brand new vehicles because animals ate the soy based insulation.

 

[BLND1]

He hates CUVs end of story which is fine as his point on small raised up cars and poorer handling is valid. He and no one can't offer anything better than a CUV for its everyday purpose of utility/comfort/ride height/cargo flexibility because it does not exist even wagons.

I can see why people hate the VW Tiguan however my wife happened to hate the Subaru/Honda/Toyota CUV offerings in 2018 and picked ours and so far at 95k trouble free.

Within classes and price points most vehicles are similar enough that it will be styling, brand stigma/loyalty, or other small details that win folks over.

 

[sk_pete]

None of four VW models — Jetta, Atlas, ID.4 and Tiguan — score above 50 points out of 100, but The Tiguan was the worst, at just 17 points.
From your favorite CR.........
What are the issues?

https://cdn-sk.volkswagen.at/media/Kwc_Basic_DownloadTag_Component/61215-paragraphs-742223-text-d1/default/47f83e3e/1638348421/tiguan-pa-01-12-2021.pdf

our eu prices, aaand eur is stronger..

 

[Ws6]

had my Accord jacked up on the front driver side. Driver door barely closed because the car flexed so much. Put it back on ground and it was fine. I thought I had bent the car for good!

Yup. I had a trans am like that back in the day. Im very big on chassis rigidity. Its what keeps a vehicle from rattling with age.

 

[CourierDriver]

Still looking for my 67 Beetle,,,ran well, never a problem,,,well, that was yesterday and u know the rest of the music,,,,

 

[Jetronic]

Better not tell that to Toyota. Ask the 4Runner owners that lost brand new vehicles because animals ate the soy based insulation.

I drive an italian and it's the only one in our street that hasn't had chewing damage. Some got insane quotes ($4000 in ABS equipment), other just have to replace the windscreen washer tubing.

 

[Al]

Everything I have seen puts its AWD in the same class as subaru if not better (pains me to say that)

 

[xgmad]

every car has failures, but I can't stand the stigma when it comes to volkswagen reliability.

They are so much easier to maintain than a Japanese car.

 

[easym]

VW commercial says Tiguan and Atlas has the lowest maintenance cost than any other SUVs. Do not how true is that!

 

[GMBoy]

In my opinion the Tiguan was just a basic looking little vehicle with nothing to make it stand out. Worked on a few, they didn't seem troublesome - just nothing special about them to warrant the price.