2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SE

Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SE last week reminded me of the fable about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SE
2014 Volkwagen Tiguan (Courtesy of Volkswagen)
4/28/2014
Updated:
4/28/2014

Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan SE last week reminded me of the fable about Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You will remember that when Goldilocks entered the bears’ abode she found the first bowl of porridge too hot, the second too cold, and the third bowl just right! That’s the way I felt about the Tiguan. 

For my purposes, this CUV is exactly the right size—not too big and bulky to park in tight urban spaces, and not so small that larger vehicles like 18-wheelers are terrifying when they pass with a whoosh. The Tiguan seats five comfortably, and has more power than expected including plenty of acceleration when needed. It had a lot to offer for such a reasonably priced vehicle. 

The interior was really nice, with the leatherette seats adding a nice touch. I picked up some friends for lunch, and the two who rode in the back seat said they had plenty of leg room. My passengers all wanted to know more about the Tiguan, especially how much it cost and what kind of mileage it offered.

While the Tiguan comes in several different models, including all-wheel drive, I liked the front wheel drive and 6-speed automatic transmission combination to go with the the 2.0 liter turbo-charged inline-4 engine. This CUV drives like a much sportier vehicle. It performed well both on the highway and in town, and was extremely easy to manipulate.

It’s true that VWs have long been a favorite brand, starting with the first car purchased with my own money (or more accurately, with a loan from the credit union), a white VW Beetle convertible. Maybe I’m a little prejudiced about Volkswagens, but the Deep Black Metallic Tiguan with black leatherette interior looked very sharp. The Tiguan also provides a lot of quality for a fairly low price, with an MSRP of $26,995 for the SE model.

Mileage was not the greatest in the VW Tiguan, achieving 21 mpg in town and 26 on the highway for an average of 23 mpg and an annual fuel cost of $2,450. The Tiguan also prefers premium gas, which costs more at the pump. Other models of the Tiguan, such as their 6-speed manual transmission vehicle, can achieve better mileage. 

The Tiguan models that feature the company’s new R-line trim are priced higher, starting at $35,406. The 4-door S all-wheel drive model starts at $26,193; the front wheel drive S model starts at $22,373; and the SE all-wheel drive 4MOTION model starts at $28,123. The SEL 4-door all-wheel drive 4MOTION is at the top of their price list, and starts at $33,553. The SEL front-wheel drive is slightly less, at $31,675.

Jo Ann Holt is a journalist and car columnist based in Dallas and a member of the Texas Automobile Writers Association (TAWA).