2019 Volkswagen Tiguan review
Volkswagen Tiguan highlights
Customer rating
Pros
- Spacious interior
- Optional third row
- Easy-to-use multimedia interface
Cons
- Sluggish acceleration
- Trails competitors in EPA-estimated fuel economy
Mileage (EPA estimate)
21 city, 29 highway, 24 combined
Pricing for current inventory
(no current inventory)
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2019 Volkswagen Tiguan is an intriguing compact SUV
The 2019 Tiguan is Volkswagen's compact SUV and one of the few compact SUVs to offer an optional third row of seating. Overall, you'll find the Tiguan has an interior with premium materials and provides plenty of space for passengers and cargo. It also features easy-to-use technology. Within the Volkswagen lineup, the Tiguan is smaller than the Atlas midsize three-row SUV.
All Volkswagen Tiguan years
What is new for the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan?
- The Tiguan is available in a variety of new trims, including the SEL Premium R-Line, SEL R-Line, and SEL R-Line Jet Black.
- Tiguan trims have been upgraded with 20 Inch Plus Wheels as standard equipment this year.
- The SEL trim now comes with Parking Sensors as standard equipment.
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan trims
S
The base trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, the S trim includes standard features such as a rearview camera, a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatibility, a six-speaker audio system, and more.
SE
The SE trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan includes everything found on the S trim as well as heated front seats, an eight-inch touchscreen display, leatherette seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and more.
SEL
The SEL trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan includes everything found on the SE trim as well as front and rear parking sensors, a power liftgate, a built-in navigation system, adaptive cruise control, and more.
SEL R-Line
The SEL R-Line trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan includes everything found on the SEL trim as well as R-Line interior and exterior styling elements.
SEL Premium
The SEL Premium trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan includes everything found on the SEL trim as well as driver's seat memory, a heated steering wheel, leather seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and more.
SEL Premium R-Line
The SEL Premium R-Line trim of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan includes everything found on the SEL Premium trim as well as R-Line interior and exterior styling elements.
Volkswagen Tiguan photos
5 reasons to buy the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
1. Lots of space
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan is designed for people who need plenty of space, and as such, is one of the only compact SUVs that has third-row seating. In addition, the Tiguan has plenty of cargo space—2019 five-seater models have 37.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats, while seven-seater models have 33 cubic feet of cargo space when the third row is folded flat. Even when the third row is in use, you'll still have about 13 cubic feet of available cargo space.
2. Driver-assist feature
The Volkswagen Tiguan is a great SUV if you're looking for driver-assist features. Emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear traffic alerts are available on all trims of the 2019 Tiguan. They're standard in most trims, but in the base trim (S) you'll need to opt for the Driver Assist Package to get these features. In addition, adaptive cruise control is standard on trims SEL and higher, while lane-keep assist is standard on Premium trims.
3. Smartphone integration
All models of the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan come standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Volkswagen Car-Net® App-Connect. That makes it easy for you to connect your smartphone to the Tiguan's infotainment system without distraction, and you'll be able to control your apps using the car's touchscreen. The Tiguan comes standard with a 6.5-inch touchscreen on the S trim, while higher trim levels come with an eight-inch touchscreen.
4. Great gas mileage
The 2019 Tiguan comes standard with a 184-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine—the only engine available. The 2019 Tiguan with its 2.0L engine gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined in front-wheel drive and 24 mpg combined in all-wheel drive.
5. Upscale options
The base level of the Tiguan comes with cloth seats; however, all other trim levels come with leatherette upholstery, excluding Premium trims, which sport genuine leather. In addition, all trims except the S come with heated front seats and a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat. Going further, available options like a panoramic sunroof and premium sound system add to the Tiguan's upscale feel.
Similar vehicles
If you're interested in the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, you should also check out these similar vehicles from Previous generation years.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a very capable and spacious five-seater SUV. And while the CR-V has seating for five people, what really makes it stand out is its ample cargo space. The 2019 CR-V has 39.2 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seats—that increases to more than 75 cubic feet when the seats are folded flat. The 2019 CR-V comes with two engine options: a 184-horsepower 2.4L four-cylinder or a turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder that produces 190 horsepower. Both have outstanding gas mileage: for example, the 2019 CR-V with the base 184-horsepower engine and front-wheel drive gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined fuel economy.
Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is a compact SUV that seats five people. It's available in front-wheel and all-wheel drive and comes with a 203-horsepower four-cylinder engine. That gives the 2019 RAV4 with front-wheel drive an EPA-estimated 30 mpg combined fuel economy.
Volkswagen Atlas
The Volkswagen Atlas is a midsize SUV that has seating for seven people. Since its third-row seats have great legroom (37.6 inches in 2019 models), it's a good option if you plan to regularly use the third row—even adult passengers can sit comfortably. The Atlas offers the option of second-row captain's chairs for even easier access to the third row, but this option also means the Atlas will only seat six people. The 2019 Volkswagen Atlas comes with two engine option—the standard turbocharged four-cylinder produces 235 horsepower and gets an EPA-estimated 22 mpg combined, while the 276-horsepower V6 gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive.
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Ratings & reliability
RepairPal gave the Volkswagen Tiguan an overall reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks Volkswagen Tiguan 27th out of 29 among Compact SUVs.
View RepairPal's full rating of the Volkswagen TiguanVolkswagen Tiguan features and specs
SEL R-Line Jet Black 2WD 4D Sport Utility
Standard Features
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- Alloy Wheels
- AM/FM Stereo
- Android Auto
- Apple CarPlay
- Automated Cruise Control
- Automatic Transmission
- Auxiliary Audio Input
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Bluetooth Technology
- CD Audio
- Fold-Away Third Row
- Front Seat Heaters
- Leatherette Seats
- Navigation System
- Overhead Airbags
- Panoramic Sunroof
- Parking Sensors
- Power Hatch/Deck Lid
- Power Locks
- Power Mirrors
- Power Seat(s)
- Power Windows
- Rear Defroster
- Rear View Camera
- Remote Start
- Satellite Radio Ready
- Side Airbags
- Smart Key
- Third Row Seat
- Traction Control
- Turbo Charged Engine
- Full Roof Rack
- Running Boards
- Tow Hitch
Drive Wheels
Front Wheel Drive (2WD)
Engine size
2.0L
Horsepower
184
Torque (ft-lbs)
221
Engine type
Turbo Gas
Fuel capacity
15.3
Wheelbase
109.8"
Overall length
185.1"
Width
72.4"
Height
66.3"
Leg room
F 40.2"/M 36.5"/R 27.9"
Head room
F 39.6"/M 39.1"/R 33.8"
Front tires
P235/50HR19
Rear tires
P235/50HR19
Seating capacity
7
Max towing capacity
150/1500 lbs.
Transmission
Automatic
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan FAQ
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan comes equipped with a 184 hp turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine.
Yes. The 2019 Tiguan offers VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan gets an EPA estimated 25 MPG combined city/highway when equipped with a 2.0L four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. Fuel economy figures are based on EPA estimates for when the vehicle sold as new. Fuel economy may vary for reasons like driving conditions and vehicle history. Unless specified, figures are for vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. See fueleconomy.gov.
More about the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
Color options
Exterior colors:
Cardinal Red Metallic
Dark Moss Green Metallic
Deep Black Pearl
Habanero Orange Metallic
Platinum Gray Metallic
Pure White
Silk Blue Metallic
White Silver Metallic
Interior details
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan features a spacious and stylish interior that is every bit as comfortable as it is attractive. Depending on the trim configuration that you choose, the 2019 Tiguan comes equipped with black cloth seats, gray cloth seats, black leatherette seats, gray leatherette seats, golden oak/black leatherette seats, black leather seats, gray leather seats, or saffrano orange/black leather seats. In terms of interior space, the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan comes available as both a three-row, seven-seat model, or a two-row, five-seat model. In general, front-wheel-drive Tiguans come with seating for seven, while all-wheel-drive Tiguans come with seating for five; however, the all-wheel-drive models are available with optional seating for seven passengers as well. The two-row 2019 Tiguan provides 73.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the second row folded down while the three-row model provides 65.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third row folded down.
Child seat details
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan is able to fit two car seats in its second row and can easily accommodate all types of car seats, including latch car seats, rear-facing convertible car seats, forward-facing convertible car seats, and booster car seats. With seating for up to seven depending on the model that you choose, the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan is certainly a fine choice to consider if you are looking for a roomy family vehicle.
Performance
The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan can tow up to 1,500 pounds, when properly equipped, and can accelerate from 0-60 MPH in 9.7 seconds.
Emissions
According to EPA estimates, the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan’s tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions are 355 grams per mile.
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Statements of fuel economy or EV range are based on EPA and other third-party estimates for vehicles when new. Fuel economy and EV range will degrade with time and vary based on age, driving conditions, vehicle history, and other conditions. See fueleconomy.gov for more info.
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