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What is it?
Volkswagen Concept Tiguan
What's special about it?
No, it's not a Touareg that was left in the dryer too long. Instead, Volkswagen's Concept Tiguan is very close to what the company will put into production as a 2008 model. Ignore the concept's oversized 275/45 tiger-striped tires and showy panoramic roof, and you're looking at VW's next five-passenger compact SUV.
You might have seen this before. Earlier this year in Berlin, Volkswagen provided some clues to the Concept Tiguan's styling in the Concept A. Look closely at that concept's front-end sheet metal and you'll see the strong commonality to this Tiguan.
At 173.2 inches, the Concept Tiguan is identical in length to the Jeep Compass, but is nearly 5 inches narrower. With a split-folding rear seat, it can still swallow your 8-foot-long surfboard inside. Like the 19-inch anthracite wheels? We do. And according to VW, they are a "concrete proposal for the later production vehicle."
Addressing America's cries for SUVs with higher fuel-efficiency, Volkswagen incorporated its upcoming next-generation "Clean TDI" engine. This engine is one of the first non-Mercedes applications of the Bluetec exhaust aftertreatment lovefest among automakers Audi, Benz and VW.
Rather than jumping on the hybrid bandwagon, the three German automakers are banding together to make the Bluetec label a general description for modern diesels that meet U.S. emission standards. Whatever. As long as these modern diesels are available in all 50 states, they could call it "Bean Pie" for all we care.
VW let readers of a European magazine come up with the name "Tiguan," which is supposed to sound exotic. Uh, OK. No concrete word on price point, but we expect something in the mid-$20Ks. The production Tiguan will be offered with or without all-wheel drive. Expect to see the full-production version at Geneva next year.
What's Edmunds' take?
Now that's how fender flares should look. And a modern diesel will be a big differentiator in this segment. — Jason Kavanagh
What is it?
Volkswagen Concept Tiguan
What's special about it?
No, it's not a Touareg that was left in the dryer too long. Instead, Volkswagen's Concept Tiguan is very close to what the company will put into production as a 2008 model. Ignore the concept's oversized 275/45 tiger-striped tires and showy panoramic roof, and you're looking at VW's next five-passenger compact SUV.
You might have seen this before. Earlier this year in Berlin, Volkswagen provided some clues to the Concept Tiguan's styling in the Concept A. Look closely at that concept's front-end sheet metal and you'll see the strong commonality to this Tiguan.
At 173.2 inches, the Concept Tiguan is identical in length to the Jeep Compass, but is nearly 5 inches narrower. With a split-folding rear seat, it can still swallow your 8-foot-long surfboard inside. Like the 19-inch anthracite wheels? We do. And according to VW, they are a "concrete proposal for the later production vehicle."
Addressing America's cries for SUVs with higher fuel-efficiency, Volkswagen incorporated its upcoming next-generation "Clean TDI" engine. This engine is one of the first non-Mercedes applications of the Bluetec exhaust aftertreatment lovefest among automakers Audi, Benz and VW.
Rather than jumping on the hybrid bandwagon, the three German automakers are banding together to make the Bluetec label a general description for modern diesels that meet U.S. emission standards. Whatever. As long as these modern diesels are available in all 50 states, they could call it "Bean Pie" for all we care.
VW let readers of a European magazine come up with the name "Tiguan," which is supposed to sound exotic. Uh, OK. No concrete word on price point, but we expect something in the mid-$20Ks. The production Tiguan will be offered with or without all-wheel drive. Expect to see the full-production version at Geneva next year.
What's Edmunds' take?
Now that's how fender flares should look. And a modern diesel will be a big differentiator in this segment. — Jason Kavanagh
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