A Little Less For A Lot Less: The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL with 4MOTION

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL with 4MOTION.

If it seems like not that long ago you were reading a review of the Volkswagen Tiguan here, it wasn't.

Just six months ago, we reviewed the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium with 4MOTION. Not much has changed about the Tiguan.  2020 models now have a standard wi-fi hotspot, forward collision warning and a blind spot warning system.  There's also a shortened warranty, dropping from 6 years or 72,000 miles to 4 years or 50,000 miles---a blow VW softens by adding two years of free scheduled maintenance.

But while the Tiguan is largely the same, the world has changed unimaginably in the six months since our evaluation of the '19 Tiguan.  And this 2020 model may be better suited to the times.

Apace In The Crowd: The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium w/4MOTION

The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium w/4MOTION.

They told us this was coming and we're here. We live in a crossover SUV world. They are the biggest selling single type of vehicle after pickup trucks, and pretty much every manufacturer makes one or more of them---in varying sizes.

As you can imagine, in that crowded a field, it's tough to stand out. And that brings us to the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Restraint Has Its Rewards: The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SE

The 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Last summer, we drove, and very much liked, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium.  That's the top-of-the-line of VW's smaller crossover, and we felt it justified its $36,250 price with its "usefulness, comfort, quiet and driving dynamics."

So what's it like to take nearly a $10,000 step down in Tiguans?

Pictures Don't Do It Justice: The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium

The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium.

We all know those people who are good-looking but can't seem to take a good picture. 

That's the story of the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.  In photos, it looks somewhat featureless, almost generic.  In person, though, the lines flow, the proportions are just right.  There are details, some of them downright elegant. And, the really good news is that it's just as interesting once you're at the wheel.

Last Call: The 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan S

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.

Volkswagen Tiguan Review

Small sport-utility vehicles, or what used to be called "Cute-Utes" (think Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Ford Escape) weren't great candidates for the premium treatment at first. Their size and relative austerity kept the price tag significantly under $20,000 for years...making anything more expensive a losing proposition when it came to value.

But now the small SUVs have grown in size and refinement, and going a cut above no longer requires a huge leap from the heart of the segment. Which makes this the right time for the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Drivers who've found the VW Touraeg SUV to be too big, too expensive and too thirsty should wipe the memory bank clean and go for a test drive of the Tiguan. The proportions are perfect, the power-to-weight ratio dead-on, the handling so sweet that I can't bust VW's ad agency for making comparisons with the GTI.

And the Tiguan's interior has a freshness about it that sparkles. It is some of Volkswagen's best work.

If the exchange rate doesn't drive the Tiguan's price up, there's no reason this can't be a home run for VW. It's hard to imagine anyone who drives one not being impressed. If you want one, I'd recommend moving fast before there's a line.