Volkswagen Tiguan: In Detail

Design & Dimensions

• Strong statement on 4.43 meters of length
• Powerful contours lend the Tiguan an athletic overall character
• Tiguan design transfers the mastery of the Touareg to another class

The new Tiguan has a high-end, mature and astute image. It transfers the Touareg idea of the sovereign cruising and off-road SUV to another class. Just like his larger brother, the more compact Tiguan also masters the ride through both worlds – taking on asphalt as well as natural trails. The design of the Tiguan matches this character precisely.

Front end

A typical, trusted, friendly Volkswagen. And yet everything is new, everything different. The radiator grille was further developed and its design was significantly reduced compared to before. The headlights are distinctive; they form an integral unit with the grille and bumper.

The engine hood is cut into the contour of the headlamps and lends a very concentrated look to the car’s face. Shaped to be broad and powerful is the bumper beneath the headlamps, and on the sides the fog lamps complete the image in their own frames.

The actual character of the front end, however, is generated by the interplay of all design characteristics. And in the process the 1.81 meter wide and 1.67 meter tall (without roof railing) Tiguan exhibits a clarity of form and proportion that make the approx. 4.43 meter long SUV stand out distinctively from the crowd in the big city jungle. The front end of the Tiguan Track&Field – specially designed for uncompromising off-road duty – takes up a special position. With regard to achieving the greatest possible entry angle (28 instead of 18 degrees), it does not have the pronounced front spoiler with matching air inlets that is found on the Tiguan Trend&Fun and Sport&Style. Rather, here a distinctive integrated engine underbody protection plate extends diagonally from a line between the tires up to the radiator grille.

Side profile

In its side profile clarity and power also dominate the forms; here too there are no details that appear random or not thought out to completion. Viewed from the side, except for the small VW symbol in the wheel rims, there is no logo that “gives away” the Tiguan as a Volkswagen. And yet, there is no doubt that it can be made out as a Volkswagen at first glance. Clarity and power form very unique wheel arches, a window line that rises from front to back, the door and fender surfaces designed with strong modulation, as well as new, unmistakable C pillars. Each detail follows a logic of form and unifies the whole. The Tiguan thereby exhibits the same visual presence as the Touareg.

Rear end

Typical of Volkswagen is the design of the rear end. But here too it is both typical and yet entirely different. Typical, because the basic layout of the taillights follow the pattern of the Eos and the Passat Variant and are part of the powerful shoulder section. It is different, because the overall design takes new paths, the steep tailgate extends far into the bumper and is part of a design and the classic, pure SUV elements are combined with contemporary, urban forms. The lowermost segment of the bumper is similar to the front end is not painted with a view toward impact resistance for off-road duty.