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| The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. |
If you have always wanted a current-generation Volkswagen Tiguan, congratulations. You are not a typical person. The Tiguan was the 21st-best selling small SUV in America for the month of May. And that is a segment where if you are not in the top four (
Toyota RAV4,
Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and
Nissan Rogue), you are fighting for scraps. At number 21, it's more like crumbs. Seven RAV4s, Escapes, CR-Vs and Rogues each are sold for every Tiguan.
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| 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan S. |
The other reason for congratulations is that now is a very good time to pick up a deal on the '16 Tiguan. In a few months, the all-new 2017 Tiguan will arrive. The upsides to the new Tiguan are several: More usable space, better performance with improved fuel economy and a lower price for most of the models as equipped.
The key to your bargain hunting will be to find a VW dealer who has more than one base-model 2016 Tiguan S in stock. He will want it gone and will likely deal to make it so. We drove one recently with exactly zero options. Base price $24,890 plus $855 destination charge added up to an as-tested price of $25,755, which is about what you would pay for a base RAV4, or mid-level Escape, CR-V or Rogue.
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| 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan S interior. |
You will not get a lot of bells and whistles for your money in the Tiguan S. What you will get is a solidly-built, German-engineered small SUV with a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 21 city/26 highway. Anti-lock brakes, cruise control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, anti-theft alarm with immobilizer, electronic stability control, intelligent crash response system, tire pressure monitoring, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated, foldable and power-adjustable outside mirrors, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer nozzles, manual climate control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, manual seat adjusters with power recline for the driver and heated front seats with manual lumbar support in durable leatherette are all standard.
Apart from the also-standard rear-view camera, keyless entry with pushbutton start, and touchscreen eight-speaker audio system with Bluetooth, this now-seemingly-spartan equipment list is what you would find in top-of-the-line BMWs, Mercedes and Audis 30 years ago. And almost nowhere else. And in 1986 dollars, you would pay double the $25,755 to get it. Shop smart, and you can get it now for less.
