2012 VW Tiguan S Ride Report/Review
 

http://carrentingreviews.com/2012/06...2-vw-tiguan-s/

PROS:

- Easy egress for all seating positions
- Comfortable driver’s position, window sill ideal height for arm resting
- Surprisingly generous 2nd row passenger leg- and headroom, raised thigh cushions
- Interior dashboard seems well assembled
- Firm, composed suspension

CONS:

- Brake pedal has tangible pedal travel
- Steering too light, feels even lighter than Hyundai Sonata
- Interior material quality looks cheap, e.g. rearview mirror frame
- Sideview mirrors too small
- Noticeable turbo lag or rough transmission shifting
- No audio control buttons on steering wheel
- Comparatively poor fuel economy
- Rear seats difficult to fold flat due to front-mounted straps

CONCLUSION: Not a bad little SUV, but too bland. Falls short of the 2013 Ford Escape.

Can't quite tell from the pictures but the did transmission have a Sport mode? I find sport mode makes the turbo lag/transmission hesitation of the 2.0T a lot better.

It did have a sport mode and I drove it in such, but I thought it didn't entirely get rid of the hesitation/lag.

Just got a 2013 Tiguan S from LGA. The '13 S now comes standard with a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio/phone/trip computer controls and some chrome bits. I really hate the steering wheel in the Jetta and the '12 Tiguan S, it just looks and feels like it came from a dollar store.

A leather wrapped wheel makes a huge difference to me in the driving experience. Maybe that's why I actually liked the Tiguan quite a bit. The engine is a little weak compared to the Escape's 2.0 but I found back seat comfort and overall visibility to be better than the Escape. Handling wise, the two are a tie. Overall, the Escape and Tiguan are miles ahead of the CRV, RAV4, or Equinox.