2012 VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

Nice interior but engine performance is ok

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 2 Value Rating: 2

What I like the most my Tiguan S with Full Option is the interior. Once I get in a car, it makes me feel relax and smile. Wide open sunroof is very nice. My driver seat is ok. However, on the passenger seat, my wife always complains it is not comfortable. She has a trouble adjusting the seat position. My wife often change her seat position, especially for a long drive. I taught her several times how to adjust the manual passenger seat position, which she never figure it out. Sometimes, my co-worker sits on the passenger seat, when we go out for lunch, and he/she has a trouble too. The entertainment system is poor. It does not have USB connector to play music or charge my phone. It has an old special iPhone connector with the cable, but no use. (I have an Android phone.) Engine shakes with a slow steady speed around 30 to 35 mph. Despite of 2.0L turbo, I cannot enjoy the acceleration. I heard APR offers ECU update and upgrade turbo. In order to enjoy Tiguan's acceleration, we need an aftermarket equipment. Even without any upgrade, my Tiguan suffers mpg. Overall, it is ok...

Great performance with a few trade-offs...

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

I LOVE this car's performance, when it's in Sport mode. However, regular drive mode shift way too early and the car feels slow and at times a little jerky. The brakes are responsive, but feel like they are grinding. Twice technicians confirmed there was nothing wrong, though. It beats the heck out of the Nissan Rogue I was driving, but this car is in the shop EVERY 3,000 miles on the dot because something is always breaking. Thank goodness it's covered under warranty, but that leads me to believe my out-of-pocket costs will be sky-high once the vehicle exits the warranty period. Just bought it in April (7 months ago)with only 25,000 miles on it, and it has had every window motor replaced, a couple of them twice, and the latest issue was the cooling fan died. The 40,000 mile service costs $650 just to have the car examined and the oil changed, so I will be scoping out other options.

Great car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

I have not had any problems as I have seen others report . Makes me think they bought a used one that has been in a wreck. The Tiquan Handles very well. I have the 6 speed manual transmission and it makes it more fun for me. I think they have quit making the Tiguan with a manual transmiision in newer models now. 4 years and still running great. Wife has the passat and she is always wanting to drive the Tiquan.

Disaster Tiguan Experience

Performance: 3 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

I am kissing VW brand good bye. It has been 2 years with Tiguan. It reminded me of my old 15 years old Honda accord and even that had fewer service visits. I am waiting anxiously to dump the vehicle after my lease expires. I am so lucky to not own one.

Fantastic Upgrade from Manual Economy car

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

I was in need of something with more cargo space & towing capacity, but could still be an everyday commuter. I liked the control of manual transmission vehicle, and it was VERY hard to give that up. I found the Tiguan to have far superior handling, power, and responsiveness (when I compared to other CUVs) that I was willing to give up my manual . I still feel in control. It has the extra cargo space & towing I was looking for, fun and easy to drive on a daily basis, and the luxury interior I didn't know I wanted until I have & love it! With a good pair of winter tires, front wheel drive is all you need. Drives great in WI winters & MO ice storms!

My VW Tijuan is a nightmare

Performance: 1 Comfort: 1 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 1 Exterior Design: 1 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 1

I purchased my VW Tijuan in 2012. Brand new. Right off the lot. It has been nothing but a nightmare. Some but not all of the problems: The driver door screw fell off. Yes, you heard that right. The door was hanging with one screw. The breaks fell on at least two occasions. The rest of the times the breaks are very noisy. The ABS breaks go on - by them self. The sun visor fell on my face twice. The first time while I was driving on the FWY, The second time while I was driving in my neighborhood, Scratching my face, poking me right under my eye, then my nose, then lending on my wrist. The heater is very noisy. VW blames me for all of the problems.I will write more later.

One year and 20k mile Tiguan SE Review

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Bought my 2012 Tiguan SE late in 2012 as a leftover with 0% financing. I now have driven it for one year and just over 20,000 miles and still love it. I traded in a Jetta TDI because I wanted to go back to AWD. I am averaging about 25 mpg on the Tiguan, with the majority on highways. Better than I expected. Can get 30 mpg on highway if you work at it. Very comfortable seats and smooth ride. Handles well for a small SUV but don't expect golf-like handling. Has decent power, once the turbo gets going. The transmission does shift a lot as others have said. Brakes are great. Love the sound system including Sirius and iPod. Very few issues and free VW service for 36k

Love the car, hate the MPG!

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 5

Purchased the Tiguan because my elderly dad was finding the Jetta too low, so we decided to get a compact SUV. We love the VW's European styling and handling. My 2010 Jetta got about 20 MPG combined. Based on sticker I expected that I would get at least 20 maybe 21 MPG combined with the Tiguan, the dealer kept telling me after 'break in' period I would get better mileage, well it has been about 6000 miles, so is it broken in??? I like the car but if knew i was only going to get 18 MPG I would have purchased the CRV, Mazda, or any of the others. They are all fine.

Only thing good are the looks

Performance: 2 Comfort: 1 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1

It has gr8 looks ,acceleration is very sluggish and engine makes lot of sound while picking up speed .It has a electronic gas pedal which is very sluggish and stiff .

False Advertising Adds Large Unexpected Expense

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

The Tiguan sales brochure advertises "Trailer Hitch Preparation". After purchasing the car, I was told it would cost $1,000 for a hitch, five times the amount charged by other manufacturers. Non-dealer cost is not less expensive because of the cost of special parts and the labor needed to remove all the interior behind the rear seat to install the part. Complaints to VW about the cost and the implication that the claim is "Trailer Hitch Prepared" fall on deaf ears. After reviewing complaints from others, I realize that VW is poor on warranty work as well. Accordingly, I will never buy a VW again despite the fact they build excellent cars.

2012 Tiguan exceeds my expectations

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

I've owned VWs for over forty years and never really liked the Tiguan. I saw it as a too-small overweight, overpriced, gas-wasting SUV. However, my wife has always wanted a Tiguan and when a used 2012 white Tiguan SE with nav, pano roof and 6K miles showed up at a nearby Mazda Hyundai dealer, we traded her 2007 Passat 2.0T in on it. I'll have to admit that I'm really impressed with the Tiguan. It's much quieter and has a much smoother ride than the Passat. It handles well, has plenty of power and is a pleasure to drive. The automatic transmission has no problems...however, I think the transmission programming was fixed before we bought the Tiguan.

Love it now time will tell

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Just picked up our 2012 Tiguan SE 4Motion yesterday so clearly too soon to tell but so far we love it. The end of model year incentive made the deal quite attractive, we figured the 4motion-SE would be good for resale when the time comes. The ride is very smooth. Took test drives in the CR-V, Mazda CX5, Hyundai Santa Fe/Tuscon, Kia Sportage and Ford Escape. Any of them would be fine, but we just liked the styling and European ride of the Tiguan. 2nd choice would have been the Sportage.

17,000 miles on it and it could be a death trap

Performance: 2 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

The first 17,000 miles were pretty easy, nothing out of the ordinary to report. Since then I have been in 4 times, once was 20,000 mile service. One time for broken media cord, one time for car stalling at low speeds and currently for an air vent on the passenger side being stuck on causing cold air to constantly flood the cabin, for stalling again at low speeds and failing to rev past 4000 rpm's, which creates a "stalling" effect on the car. This is not good when you are accelerating to get on the freeway, which is when it has happened twice to me. I am really bummed, up till recently I loved my Tiguan. Thinking I want to get rid of it before the warranty expires.

Very satisfied!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I haven't owned a VW for some time, but after getting a fantastic deal on a new 2012 Tiguan (including 0% financing) and being blown away by its performance and quality, I turned around and bought a new GTI. As I had reviewed before purchasing the Tiguan, the statement "It's a GTI on steroids," is accurate. Get the base model, with the manual transmission, and you'll smile every time you think about it. We live in the mountains and still get on the throttle for fun, but we're getting 24 mpg in mixed driving. While I love the new GTI, I have to say that for an all-around family vehicle, you can't beat the Tiguan if it's the right size for you.

Only 48 hours in, but awesome so far

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

I just picked up my new 2012 LE model 2 days ago, so I haven't had a lot of experience with it and can't comment on its long term durability, but so far, it's been awesome. It's much more car than I thought I was getting - very quick, yet with a very solid feel, quite fast (it feels much faster in 0 to 60 than the official times for it), it has more than enough conveniences, a lot of room, and it looks great. And the gas mileage is good (roughly 24 round town, which I think is exactly what it's supposed to be). I love it.

Great fun to drive small SUV!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I wanted to write an honest review and not just a whining about negatives. You get what you expect for buying a Volkswagon. You get a very European trim inside and out, a sporty firm ride, and an engine that hands down kicks the crap out of most cars on the road yet getting a reasonably good mpg. The techie features are awesome and as a total package, it is well worth the money. There are a lot of small SUVs out there but you get the features that compete with those of the Audis and BMWs at a lower cost. 10 times the car that a CRV could dream to be. Now yes, like any car, there are quirks. They either are deal breakers or they aren't. The tranny is quirky, but still impressive.

2012 Tiguan Transmission Defect

Performance: 1 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1

I bought a new 2012 VW Tiguan SE 4 Motion Automatic and in Drive (D) traveling about 25-34 mph the transmission stays in a high gear (5th) and makes a vibrating hum and shake.The transmission will not drop back to 2nd, 3rd or 4th at this speed and is overloaded in 5th.When I give it some gas it hums, lags and shakes more. After applying extra gas it abruptly downshifts lunging the car forward in a jerky fashion.I notified the dealer twice about this issue. The service rep told me the car is in it’s Adaptive Learning phase and will work this problem out after I drive it for awhile. After 3000 miles the Tiguan transmission has not adjusted as the dealer indicated.

Unreliable at 100 miles

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

Brand new 2012 VW Tiguan S 4Motion from Open Road VW of Staten Island. I DO NOT recommend this dealer for sales or service. Buying experience was ok without any surprises so far but the AC stopped working 5 days later at 100 miles on vehicle. Brought in for service and these are their excuses: #1: machine to diagnose doesn't work, #2: need to order part and cannot tell you when it will come in, likely 3-4 weeks. #3: now got part but something else is wrong and cannot release car, cannot tell what's wrong yet, etc. They haven't even given me an estimated time of completion, neglect to call back when they say would call back, they just don't care. I do not trust them with my car.

Fun to Drive

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Living on a mountain, I needed a SUV with four wheel drive but didn't need a big vehicle. I test drove the gamut of small SUVs. The Tiguan was the right size and out performed most of the cars out there I looked at. The Tiguan is so much smoother over the bumps and quieter than my last car that it has really become a joy to drive. I like the firm but comfortable feel of the suspension and steering. Its a great car for traversing a mountain with its bends and curves. Once the turbo kicks in, the car has plenty of power and has lots of low-end torque. This gives it plenty of power to get up and down the hill. I understand now why people who own VWs love driving them now. They're fun!

Safety Defect

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

When in slow moving traffic the Auto Transmission does NOT downshift at RPM about 1100 or speeds about 15 MPH, and the engine begins to stutter as if it was about to stall. To correct this the driver must either press the gas pedal or manually downshift to the lower "S" gear selection. Pressing the gas pedal is dangerous unless there is much space between you & the car in front od you. Downshifting requires some decision time which is not always an alternative in highly congested traffic. The Tiguan is a wonderful car I would highly recommend EXCEPT for this defect!

Transmission problems fixed

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Earlier I wrote a review for the 2012 Tuguan and severely criticized the transmission shift pattern. At the time it deserved the criticism but I am happy to report that VW has issued a software update to the Transmission Control Module. The update has fixed the problem. Hats off to VW for listening to its customers, acknowledging a problem and actually fixing it.

Great Opportunity with 2012 VW Tiguan @ manual

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

After 14 years with Ford Explorer Sport (2 dr) manual transmission was time to more on (California smog regs). Looked options for smaller suvs with manual- Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, and VW Tiguan plus Kia and Hyundai brothers. The Korean cars, nicely priced but the drive-train are junk - recent reports are that their clutch has very limited life. Escape is old and has no zip. Forester is ok, but driver space is limited. Found basic Tiguan with manual -only one is Southern Cal... and dealer was ready to move it for under $21,500 (plus taxes). Has few fancy accessories, no roof rack or sunroof but drive-train is solid, better mileage than EPA sticker - compares to $30,000++ versions!

Poor Transmission

Performance: 2 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Love the Tiguan’s concept and design. It’s beautifully styled, very comfortable with nice positions of the steering column and instrumentation. Seats are exceptionally comfortable. What I am deeply disappointed in is the drive and its transmission. At lower speeds, it seems as if the engine is going to stall. It makes a terrible noise, and sort of kicks back a little. I have had it in for service now twice. Initially to have the transmission reset. Second service was to replace both fuel pumps. None of the VW fixes have resolved the problem. Very disappointed in VW, wish they would get it fixed quickly otherwise I may leave the VW brand. Anyone else having similar concerns?

Completely satisfied

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I looked at and test drove several comparable SUV's to include Equinox, CR-V, Escape, Outlander Sport, Mazda CX-7, Sportage, Tucson and of course the Tiguan. After a couple of months I had the Tiguan and Equinox as top contenders. They both had minor concerns with the transmission. The Equinox did have a "kick" after decelerating and the Tiguan does have a "lagging" effect when it drops automatically into 6th gear at around 30-35 mph but here's the remedy to that...just throw it into Sport mode and it wakes right up. I truly enjoy the feel, ride, tightness and especially the performance/sound of the engine when you drop it down to pass or enter the freeway. Enjoy....I certainly do.

Transmission Kicks and other problems

Performance: 3 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3

Transmission kicks and struggles over hills. Some people have stated that the transmission smartly adjusts to each driver's particular driving style over time. I haven't found that to be true, been driving mine since November. YES, it makes a rumbling sound at 30-35mph. If you want to open ONLY the back windows while driving you cant, not without a brain-crushing noise and tremoring. Is this true of any SUV/CUV? Sound system is lacking. To my ears, there's a hollow, echo sound no matter how tweak it. And the radio, CD player, Satellite radio, and Blue-Tooth Audio Input all play at slightly different volume levels. Constantly adjusting the sound level. Ride is OK, but FAR from cushy.

Great little SUV/tall hatchback

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I think these vehicles tend to be higher priced than other similar vehicles (RAV4, etc)...which if you compare features, may seem expensive, but build quality and driving characteristics outclass these other small utes. Build quality is excellent and contains many features found in luxury German vehicles, especially on the SEL. My only gripe about the new Tiguan is the overeager automatic transmission where it wants to get into 6th gear at very low speeds, which is a bit awkward. Overall, even though this is not a vehicle I typically buy, I couldn't be happier with it. I highly recommend it if your in the market for quality small SUV.

awesome 2012 tiguan

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

the 2012 tiguan (mine an se with sunroof and nav) puts a smile on my face each time i drive it. with over 1,000 miles put on, it has already achieved the 27 mpg rating on the sticker. yes, it is recommended to use 91 premium unleaded. between wanting an audi A3 and the european passat wagon, somehow, the tiguan offered me a blend of the best of both worlds. refinement and creature comforts of both, newly freshened look which is quite handsome, and 3 yr/36K miles carefree maintenance. for some reason, my tiguan does not shake, rattle, or lug. the adaptive transmission quickly learns how to drive the way you want to drive. definitely quieter than the 2012 and 2011 honda crv. love this car.

Great compact SUV, except for the transmission

Performance: 2 Comfort: 2 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

This is an excellent SUV; great build quality, fun to drive, practical, rides great at highway speed and has that Volkswagen feel. However, VW has greatly modified the shift pattern of the transmission for 2012. The car tries much too hard to be in the highest possible gear, like 5th or 6th gear between 30 - 35 MPH. This results in severe lugging of the engine which causes the vehicle to shudder and actually shake. It also makes an annoying low-pitched rumbling sound at these speeds. I would strongly advise anyone considering this car to test-drive it for several miles at speeds around 30 - 35 to see if the shaking and shuddering bothers them.

Great, except for the transmission

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

This is a great car, however, the programming of the automatic transmission is horrible! To achieve high MPG, the transmission shifts to 6th gear around 35 or 40 mph! The result is very low RPM and engine noise. This happens in D mode. Going to S mode is not a solution since then, the shifting point is around 3000 RPM which is then too high. So hopefully VW of North America addresses this and does a reprogramming of the transmission.

Impressed With My First SUV

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I was a Volvo C30 owner and decided that I wanted to see what was going on around me while driving: It was just too low. I decided to replace it with a SUV. The XC60 was too expensive, and the CRV was too dull. I decided on the Tiguan, even though Edmunds lists the Total Cost of Ownership quite high. As to the car's quality feel, the other reviewers are spot-on. I am liking the car more and more each day. But... The transmission races to get the car into sixth gear as quickie as possible in order to save fuel at the expense of smooth, linear acceleration. This is somewhat remedied by using sport mode but at the cost of greater fuel consumption. I wish VW had sought the middle road.

Tiguan has Transmission Problems

Performance: 2 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

When they redid the Tiguan transmission for 2012 they ruined it.  The trans tries to get to 6th gear as soon as possible to save gas.  It now "labors" in 5th or 6th gear at 30 to 45 mph.  You can't drive it at a slow constant speed from 30 to 45 mph with out it "laboring" and vibrating the car.  Check out these links of people with the same problem. - [HTML removed] Otherwise, nice car!

Brand new Tiguan already in the shop

Performance: 3 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 2 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 2

Already worried about my new Tiguan. After 800 miles of very gentle driving it started making a horrible metal clanking sound in the engine area. Dealing with 24-Hour VW Roadside assistance was also very disappointing. Thought 24 hour service meant that you get a tow within an hour of your call, but according to my experience it means you may not get a a tow for 24 hours. Took at least 3 phone calls over a 15 hour period to finally get a tow truck to my front door. Now car has to sit at the shop over the weekend because it got checked in too late on Thursday. Despite all of this I really love the car and hope the problem is minor. Will follow up with the diagnosis.

LOVE IT!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Purchased the 2012 Tiguan after seeing it at the dealer. It looks great and the interior is "Audi-esque". The radio and nav system are very cool. The interior is top notch. It drives very well and is smooth over bumps and ruts. It has very good acceleration and handles like a sporty car. Averaging 27.8 mpg combined according to the Tiguan's computer. Would definitely purchase another one. The only thing I would change is offering the LED/Xenon headlights on the SE model as a option.

2012 Tiguan - Early Signs All Very Positive

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Purchased this SE model with FWD after about 5 months on the car hunt. AWD not necessary IMO & saved $2K. Looked at Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, Toyota even Audi & Merc. Benz. The car has good zip, the turbo kicks in when asked, and it rides smooth - suspension can feel a bit stiff though, so you feel some road bumps. Fit and finish are outstanding as are the ergonomics. It is very fun to drive, the navigation and audio package is very nice - IMO, no need to bump up to the next level of audio or trim. The leather-ette interior is very nice; most people think it to be real leather and I like the idea that it will clean up easier since I haul kids. Overall, very very pleased so far.