The compact crossover and kid brother of the pricey Touareg is increasing to find favor among consumers.

Utilizing the same 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI four-cylinder engine that helps the GTI tug at our heartstrings, the Tiguan has always been an engaging drive. Generating the same 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque output as last year's model, a willing drivetrain was never the problem – it was lackluster fuel economy. VW says it has made significant strides in this area, executing lots of little changes that add up to a big improvement in miles per gallon. Chief among them is an updated version of its 09M six-speed automatic, which now uses two overdrive gears instead of one. Along with this change, the Aisin gearbox uncouples its torque converter when coasting, and the transmission software features reduced shift points and lowered idle speed (now a diesel-like 600 rpm).

Although official EPA fuel economy numbers aren't in yet, Volkswagen says these alterations, along with low rolling resistance tires, should add up to a 15-to-20 percent gain in efficiency. Being conservative and going with the 15-percent improvement, that should work out to about 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway in front-wheel-drive spec – big improvements over the outgoing model's frankly unimpressive 20/26 ratings. Unfortunately, the turbo'd Tig still recommends premium fuel.



The Tiguan's updated hardware hides beneath a modest exterior updo that's surprisingly effective. The front fascia adopts VW's latest corporate look, with a twin split-bar grille and new headlamps that look markedly more assertive than the somewhat saggy fixtures they replace – particularly in SEL trim, which incorporates U-shaped LED arrays, a change that recaptures some of the aggression lost when the Concept Tiguan of 2006 made the transition to production. In profile, little has changed other than the addition of a chrome lower trim strips, and out back, reshaped two-piece taillights look less globby, with more intricate "Double L" internals. To our eyes, the new look is at once more cohesive and premium, and the refined Tig has a more confident stance, particularly when outfitted with optional 19-inch Savanna alloys.

Interestingly enough, this is one of two front-end looks for the 2012 Tiguan. Known as the 28° Track & Style nose (you can't make this stuff up), it has a light-duty plastic skid plate and slightly improved arrival angle (name aside, VW specs suggest the arrival angle is actually 24.3°, but we don't see many people off-roading their Tiguans anyway). The other front fascia, known as the 18° Sport & Style, incorporates a bluffer face, with a larger center air intake and a large chin to its lowermost region. Only European customers will get their choice of front-ends depending on which model they choose.

Much to our quiet relief, the interior of the 2012 Tiguan is largely the same as its predecessor, which is to say comfortable, clearly laid out, and well-constructed. There's a new steering wheel with multi-function switchgear, a crisper and more colorful data display nestled between the tachometer and the speedometer, an updated gearshift lever and top-spec SEL models get a thin fillet of matte silver trim on the door cards. That's about it. It's interior is on the premium side with fit-and-finish first-rate.



Alright, we'll give you one observation that's likely to come as a surprise: In this application, the 2.0-liter TDI needs work. We've been delighted with the flexibility and driving characteristics of this very same diesel in other VWs, we found the TDI to be surprisingly coarse sounding – acutely so upon start-up. Once underway, it's possible to forget about the noise, vibration and harshness after a while, enjoying the TDI's 168 hp and 258 lb-ft. of torque output, but the start-stop feature caused us to revisit our misgivings about the engine's refinement every time it kicked in. We hope they get the engineers on the problem, as some extra sound insulation and a bit of tuning would probably address our concerns.

Bigger changes will have to wait until the next-generation Tiguan, a model that's likely to be very different from what you see here. For one thing, the all-new model is widely expected to be built not in Wolfsburg, but in the U.S.(Chattanooga) at VW's new plant. It's successor will almost certainly grow a bit in size to fit U.S. tastes – likely sprouting a long-wheelbase variant with three rows. What's more, we hear from several sources that the next Tig is unlikely to see the sort of interior cost-cutting that's drawn fire from auto critics and brand loyalists.

In the meantime, we don't see anything here that will stop the current generation from continuing to build momentum. It's more refined, better looking and cheaper to run, and it still packs the heart of a GTI.



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