VW Tiguan SUV Officially Unveiled

It will debut to the public this September at the Frankfurt auto show, but American shoppers won’t be able to get their hands on Volkswagen’s new compact SUV until closer to 2008. It looks pretty complete in the photo above and those in the gallery below, but VW has a knack for making us wait for new models.

The Tiguan will have a number of diesel and gasoline engine choices available in Europe, but we’ll most likely get just the top-of-the-line 2-liter turbo engine — used in a variety of VW and Audi engines — that produces 200 hp at launch. However, VW owners do buy more diesels than the national average, and VW has said we will get a diesel option, we're just not sure which of the three European diesel engines we might get.

Specs and prices haven’t been released, but the Tiguan looks like a solid, if a bit conservative, competitor to the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. 

Volkswagen Tiguan Photo Gallery

Related
VW Tiguan Coming to Market in Fall 2007
2006 L.A. Auto Show: VW Tiguan Concept

Comments

[Scott J.]

Not only does VW have a knack for making Americans wait for new products, but they also have a knack for showing Americans pics of what we can't have -- way to early. Remember the new Golf? VW rolled that one out at Frankfurt TWO YEARS before one showed up on our shores. I'm guessing more than a few people waited to buy their Golf, or needed deep discounts to be convinced to buy the older generation.

Also, let's hope that VW comes to its senses and makes the diesel available, STAT. It would be a shame for VW if Honda were to come along and offer diesels in their small SUVs before VW.

[Dave T.]

VW has said a diesel Tiguan will hit the US but I'm wondering if the 08 jetta TDI and/or Rabbit TDI don't sell well before hand if they bother. But I hear VW has a higher diesel rate than average so it should be a safe bet.

[Dan]

Dave T.-
Is that higher than diesel rate for American VW sales, European sales, or worldwide? If it's for American, isn't that kind of the default, as they're the only company that really sells diesels in the US? (aside from just a handful of models from other manufacturers)

[Dave T.]

The figure I remember hearing was against other automakers who also build diesel powerplants. That's not many of course.