- Volkswagen shows off the next-generation Tiguan during a global debut.
- The new Tiguan two-row crossover shows off a new, plug-in hybrid powertrain.
- Volkswagen says it expects the redesigned Tiguan to hit European dealerships in the first quarter of 2024; the US version will be based on the long wheelbase variant.
Making its Euro-spec global debut, the next-generation Volkswagen Tiguan seems to pick up where it left off. According to Volkswagen (and based on official images), the next-generation Tiguan is sleeker than the outgoing model, there’s new tech heading to the passenger compartment, and a plug-in hybrid is joining the powertrain list.
The third-generation Tiguan will ride on the company’s MQB Evo platform when it reaches European dealers in the first quarter of 2024. Will it come to the US later as a 2024 or 2025 model? It’s too early to say.
Powertrains for this Euro-spec Tiguan will likely be different than what comes stateside. That’s a nice way of saying, don’t expect the Tiguan’s diesel burner to reach our shores. Joining that turbodiesel is a turbocharged gasoline engine, a mild-hybrid package, and a plug-in hybrid option.
Though, the folks at Volkswagen haven’t revealed specific details about these powertrains. The company says the plug-in hybrid variant offers a 62-mile electric range when using the WLTP standard. If this plug-in hybrid makes it stateside, expect that range to shrink when scrutinized by the EPA’s standards.
While VW withheld the powertrain details, the company has highlighted all the consumer-facing tech that’s headed to the European-spec Tiguan. For starters, the Tiguan is joining the big-screen scene and has a 15-inch touch display to control the infotainment system.
This screen is joined by VW’s Digital Cockpit instrument cluster. It also appears that physical buttons have made their way to the multi-function steering wheel, but climate controls are relegated to the touchscreen. The seats are stuffed with pneumatic lumbar supports on certain models, which is a system VW calls ergoActive Plus seats.
This fun tech is met with similarly smart driver-assistance technology. The new Tiguan comes with autonomous emergency braking, a lane-change system, and a dynamic road sign display. Naturally, there are optional assistance systems like VW’s Park Assist Pro and trailer maneuvering technology.
All of this is packed inside a wholly new shell. Volkswagen hasn’t revealex dimensions but notes it is three centimeters—or roughly an inch—longer than the current European-spec Tiguan, with the wheelbase, width, and height remaining essentially the same as the previous generation.
This gives the new Tiguan some more space in the rear cargo area to help it handle the daily grind. It’s worth noting the US-Spec Tiguan will be larger, based on the long-wheelbase version of the new model. Even though it’s longer, VW says it cuts through the air and only shows a 0.28 drag coefficient, which is improved from the previous 0.33 drag coefficient.
With the projected launch coming early next year, pricing is still locked away in a folder at VW HQ. But you can bet Volkswagen will show its US-ready variant sometime soon, as American shoppers still love their crossovers.
Do you think these updates will help the Tiguan in the US? Tell us your thoughts below.
Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between. Wesley is the current steward of a 1954 Ford Crestline Victoria, a 1975 Harley-Davidson FXE and a 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie. Oh yeah, and a 2005 Kia Sedona.
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