Used 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Consumer Reviews
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Poor option for long term ownership and use
Jimmy, 09/17/2018
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4dr SUV w/Premium Navigation (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
Like the styling and it's peppy enough. The sunroof is very nice and the car with two passengers is fun to drive. The issue I have is the reliability and maintenance. Due to the design of the engine carbon builds up and must be cleaned (regardless of octane you use) and the only people who can clean it "walnut" it, are dealers. They recommend doing so yearly (I've been told this by two dealers - one in NJ and one in MN) and it's about a 1,200 job. The coils have gone on the engine - twice. Multiple engine electrical problems. The suspension isn't fully adjustable (cannot remember if it's toe / camber or not) and so if you hit a pothole and bend something, the only fix is to rotate the tires every oil change to even out wear. Finally, on the vehicle in question, I was told that after 6 years and 160,000 miles the valve on cylinder three is loose and the recommended fix is a new engine - anywhere from 9k-11k as quoted. For a vehicle that's been very well maintained to need a new engine (and for the dealer not to be able to tell what the reason for the loose valve is) is unacceptable. If you're considering getting one I would do it on a 2 year lease and then unload it. Owning this vehicle when it's outside of warranty is way more trouble than it's worth.
Love the car, hate the MPG!
glassdish, 08/26/2013
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 4Motion 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Purchased the Tiguan because my elderly dad was finding the Jetta too low, so we decided to get a compact SUV. We love the VW's European styling and handling. My 2010 Jetta got about 20 MPG combined. Based on sticker I expected that I would get at least 20 maybe 21 MPG combined with the Tiguan, the dealer kept telling me after 'break in' period I would get better mileage, well it has been about 6000 miles, so is it broken in??? I like the car but if knew i was only going to get 18 MPG I would have purchased the CRV, Mazda, or any of the others. They are all fine.
Very satisfied!
scootyroo, 12/27/2012
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I haven't owned a VW for some time, but after getting a fantastic deal on a new 2012 Tiguan (including 0% financing) and being blown away by its performance and quality, I turned around and bought a new GTI. As I had reviewed before purchasing the Tiguan, the statement "It's a GTI on steroids," is accurate. Get the base model, with the manual transmission, and you'll smile every time you think about it. We live in the mountains and still get on the throttle for fun, but we're getting 24 mpg in mixed driving. While I love the new GTI, I have to say that for an all-around family vehicle, you can't beat the Tiguan if it's the right size for you.
Great car
wc, 07/14/2015
updated 07/15/2019
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
17 of 19 people found this review helpful
I have not had any problems as I have seen others report . Makes me think they bought a used one that has been in a wreck. The Tiquan Handles very well. I have the 6 speed manual transmission and it makes it more fun for me. I think they have quit making the Tiguan with a manual transmiision in newer models now. 4 years and still running great. Wife has the passat and she is always wanting to drive the Tiquan.
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One year and 20k mile Tiguan SE Review
miless, 01/13/2014
2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 4Motion 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
Bought my 2012 Tiguan SE late in 2012 as a leftover with 0% financing. I now have driven it for one year and just over 20,000 miles and still love it. I traded in a Jetta TDI because I wanted to go back to AWD. I am averaging about 25 mpg on the Tiguan, with the majority on highways. Better than I expected. Can get 30 mpg on highway if you work at it. Very comfortable seats and smooth ride. Handles well for a small SUV but don't expect golf-like handling. Has decent power, once the turbo gets going. The transmission does shift a lot as others have said. Brakes are great. Love the sound system including Sirius and iPod. Very few issues and free VW service for 36k
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