On the inside, the 2019 Tiguan is pure Volkswagen. Not known for flashy or even classy, VW rarely gets high marks for interior design. Our take is that this function makes form is pure Teutonic in its origin and suits Volkswagen well. In the Tiguan, it means that the comfortable seats don’t seem so until they’re used and the simplistic and rather plain dashboard becomes intelligent as the layout of the controls shines as intuitive. A few VW quirks, such as the odd lever atop the windshield wiper dongle for speed control, keep things from becoming too boring, though.
The cargo space in the 2019 Tiguan is very good, having greatly improved from the previous generation. Going along with that cargo expansion is a roomier back seat, with much more legroom and headroom than was had before. Larger doors for getting into and out of the Tiguan add to its ergonomics.
VW does have a useful, but not very complex infotainment system that manages to get the job done well while still feeling outdated. We’re also not big fans of the adaptive cruise control option in this new Tiguan, which gets jumpy and sometimes reacts slowly. A good amount of safety tech is available in the Tiguan, though, and worth considering.
As an every day — especially around town — drive, the Tiguan is a good crossover. It drives well, feels good, and is comfortable. We like the simple ergonomics of the Tiguan and it fits a small family very well.
Our concerns come into play when getting on the highway. At speed, the VW Tiguan feels weak and struggles with Wyoming’s high-speed freeways and crosswinds. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is just not quite powerful enough for the new, bigger Tiguan.
Fuel economy is another concern. After several tests in the Cheyenne area, we were unable to replicate the EPA’s estimates for the Tiguan. Or even come close on the highway, which was consistently 3-4 mph lower than the sticker indicates.
We like the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, especially with its brighter colors and roomy interior. Many VW fans in Wyoming will find this newly-resized family crossover a great choice. We have some concerns about its capability, however, and were unable to give it a thorough winter driving test.
