VW Tiguan Triumphs Over Wintery Weather

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion

model as tested $37,230

Test Drove 12/03/08 – 12/10/08
reviewed by Sherrice Gilsbach

I was thankful to have the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan as my temporary sidekick over the holidays. My lengthy to-do list included a trip to our local Christmas tree farm, stops at area shops for gifts, and a couple of jaunts to “The City,” aka Detroit. These errands led to a week packed with driving in a variety of very wintery conditions, which is something I’d normally dread.

A quick look at the Tiguan’s resume let me know that the SEL 4Motion was the perfect car for the job. As a compact SUV, it provided enough cargo space for all of my shopping needs, including the Christmas tree. The Tiguan’s smaller-than-average-SUV size helped with its gas mileage, 18/24 mpg city/highway; I’m admittedly difficult to impress on this front and won’t bat an eyelash unless a car achieves better than 30 mpg.

The AWD capabilities made all my outings worry-free despite the nearly 12 inches of snow that fell during the Tiguan’s tenure with me. Ha! Take that, Scrooge! I’ll take your snow-covered, icy roads, and I’ll up the ante with a fully equipped VW Tiguan. Now who’s bluffing?

No, seriously, this car handled really well. It escaped the slippery slope that is my driveway with ease; it turned through snow-covered corners as though the road were clear and dry. During my test drive with the Tiguan, we had snow, sleet and rain, and I can honestly say that I didn’t feel the car slip once. I did enjoy my ride, though I haven’t decided whether all this warrants the Tiguan’s hefty price tag for its class.

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