Having grown up with a continuous supply of Jeep Wagoneer station wagons (plus one or two Land Rovers) in my family, I have never been able to generate the righteous contempt some of my colleagues have for the sport-utility segment. Even my hypocrisy has limits.
Still, I have often pondered the need for oversized (cue Simpsons reference) Canyoneros as gasoline-depleting suburban mall assault vehicles. Fortunately, the spike in fuel prices over the past couple of years, coupled with the recession, seems to have restored some semblance of normalcy to this automotive segment.
Likewise, I have been conflicted regarding the whole “sport-utility vehicle” nomenclature. Truly, how much actual sportiness is there in these jacked-up four-wheel-drive family wagons? I’m not talking about blistering acceleration such as is capable from the likes of the larger Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 (zero to 100 kilometres in 5.4 seconds) or AMG-infused Mercedes M-Class, just an uptick in performance and handling above and beyond the norm.
Fortunately, again, there seems to be a fair bit of movement toward the sporting side of things, courtesy of compact-sized SUVs powered by turbocharged small-displacement four-cylinders. Since the Acura RDX got the ball rolling in 2007 (not to take anything away from the original Subaru Forester), we can add the Audi Q5, BMW X1, Kia Sportage, Mini Cooper S Countryman, Nissan Juke, Range Rover Evoque, (revised) Forester and Volkswagen Tiguan (the subject vehicle here) as well as the upcoming 2013 Ford Escape.
Since its debut for the 2009 model year, the premium-priced Tiguan has been described as the GTI of compact SUVs by the motoring press, and Volks- wagen has done little to dissuade us of that notion (its tagline for the sport-ute is “responsibly wild”). It’s not completely without merit since the Tiguan is powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder as the GTI hot hatch. Then again, it’s more than 200 kilograms heavier and has a significantly higher centre of gravity — just to throw in some perspective.
Still, the Tiguan is a handsome rig, made all the more so for 2012 courtesy of a freshening, specifically lighting upgrades and changes to the front and rear ends to give the vehicle more of the “family” look. Inside, the revisions are slight, with minor changes to switchgear. The drivetrain remains unchanged, however — not that this is a bad thing.
