Used 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Consumer Reviews
Best Value for Base Model Out in the Market
This car is for my daughter for use at college and to get home on holidays. We checked out all the standard SUVs and test drove: Honda CRV, RAV4, Mazada CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, and Kia Sportage. Our selection criteria was all wheel drive, good acceleration, elevated seating view, heated car seats and decent gas mileage. Each of the cars tested had it pro's and con's. We finally selected the 2017 Tiguan despite it's aged design; 2018 will have a major update. This review is based on the first two thousand miles. Pro's: all wheel drive, high quality leatherette, heated seats, XM radio, Apple Car Play, rain sensing wipers, acceleration (turbo), and lots of standard features in base model. Con's: uses premium fuel, gas mileage not as good as competitors, and limited cargo space (although decent with seats down). Sticker price was around $28K and you should easily get one for at least $3K off.
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Hang On Cowboy (update x 2)
I’m really quite pleased with my Tiguan. I like how it looks. It’s got a nice sound system and you can hear it because cabin noise is low. It handles better than most, doesn’t drive like a family hauler. And wow. If you put your foot all the way into the gas you better hang on. And that’s just the S model. The factory tires were crappy and flatted easily. When the factory battery went weak it seemed like a major electric failure with idiot lights flashing everywhere. But it was only the battery and still in warranty. Heated seats are lovely. Oh, and my very short wife has no problem getting the seat where she wants it. And I at 6’1” can too. Update: 60k miles it’s worth more than it was a couple of years ago when I wrote the first review. Crazy world huh? Still running great too. Average 26 mpg after recent road trip. The low rpm torque of this engine makes this so fun to drive. Punch the gas and it pulls strong in immediately - no downshifting nonsense. Update: 82k the dealer’s extended warranty ran out— and good thing I got it. The last 20k it’s been in the shop for valve cover leaks and something involving the turbo plumbing, but the dealer was very happy to give me my money worth, about $3k in covered repairs. So anyway, I got nervous about reliability and decided to trade it in for a Tacoma. I REALLY miss the Tiguan though. Blasting across New Mexico at excessive speed, the sound system, the heated seats, the smart wipers, the gobs of torque that rolls on at around 2000 RPM kinda like a Harley, the solid, confidence inspiring handling; I miss all that. I’m probably going to buy another 2017 (or ‘16) Tiguan, but it’ll be an AWD this time. It’s just too easy to spin the tires in FWD.
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- S 4Motion 4dr SUVMSRP: $9,99023 mi away
- S 4Motion 4dr SUVMSRP: $10,99417 mi away
- Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $15,998In-stock online
Loving my VW Tiguan Sport!
Traded my VW Passat in for a 2017 VW Tiguan Sport in Black. I choose the FWD since I live in Florida and so far I have been very happy with the vehicle. My commute is 33 miles round trip which is fairly light and the Tiguan is averaging 21-22 mpg on premium fuel. I am not thrilled about the premium fuel requirement however the performance from the 2.0 TSI engine is great! If there is a downside to the vehicle I would say the ride quality with the Sport can be harsh over rough payment on the highway. Overall I am very happy with my Tiguan and I plan to keep it for many years. I think it is interesting how an 8 year old design still gets compliments from folks at the gas station etc. Great job VW and I will be back for another when the time comes!
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I am sold on this Tiguan!!
I loved my 2001 Jetta with almost 190,000 miles on it, but had trouble getting out of my long and very h illy driveway when it snowed. I made up my mind I needed fwd, but didn't want to let go of my Jetta. That decision was made for me when I was rear-ended in February and the Jetta was totaled. I wanted to stay with VW as I love their turbo engine. I found a 2017 Tiguan SEL fwd with 6,000 miles on it. Basically a new car at a used car price! I love this SUV - going up the gravel drive is already much better and can't wait wait for the snow and ice. The small cargo area does not bother me as that was low on my list but am pleasantly surprised at the back seat room. Love the cornering lights, the rain sensor windshield wipers, the automatic headlights, and heated seats. The control layout is great and of course the fuel injection turbo is awesome. Good thing I didn't heed the bad reviews, it's a great vehicle!
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Good car with major flaws.
This car is a good car; nice looking, nice interior, great sunroof. The car is not so good on fuel, engine is loud and there is a serious engine hesitation that may get you seriously hurt. When rolling to a stop sign and accelerating to turn left (mostly), the car stumbles and pumping the gas pedal to get it going doesn't help. One day, I'm going to get hit by somebody. I've taken it to the dealer and they can't fix it. The service tech owns the same car and has the same problem.
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Snappy and thirsty
Fun to drive, drinks lots of premium gas. Very safe and tight. Noisy transmission. Horrible voice recognition system
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Suspicious upon buying one, love it one year later
I bought mine last summer for around $18k ($CAD). It's going for $22k now... wow! It is a premium gas car, keep that in mind, but it's really not as bad as I thought. This is the best drivers vehicle I've ever owned. It's very quick off the line! I'm used to flooring my old Terrain to pass people, and when I do that in this vehicle I'll probably get my licence taken away. The rear seats fold flat, and so does the front passenger seat (super convenient). The interior is SOLID. Soft-touch dashboard, none of that cheap creaky plastic, no rattles, everything just feels solid and premium. Mine has leatherette seats, which are so easy to maintain (literally do nothing). You can pretty much brush off the seat and it looks brand new. Mine has just about 100,000kms on it and it runs and drives like new. Love the keyless entry feature, I always just press the touch-button on the door handle to lock it. Gas milage on the highway is super good, sometimes around 8-9L/100km. This is the PERFECT highway vehicle. Accelerate to 100km/h (60mph) in 7-8 seconds (even faster on a downhill onramp), turn on cruise control and the road is dead silent and SMOOTH. The seats are so comfortable with so many adjustments (regardless of manual or power seat options) I could sit in there for hours. Apple CarPlay is a great added bonus, works great, and the screen is very high quality. I don't know what else I could ask for in a crossover/semi-compact SUV. It looks amazing too. I was surprised to find out mine also has auto-wipers. I just keep them on now, and they wont turn on until it rains. It adjusts speed too depending on how much rain there is, and it does a really nice job! This is the best car I've ever owned.
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Sporty compact SUV
This is a good car for the money. It has sporty handling and quick acceleration for its size. The ride is smooth and steering is responsize. Interior uses quality materials. It has leatherette with heated seats. The Panoramic Sunroof is a great addition. Little details like card holders and the Wolfsburg emblem add to it's charm. The controls and tech has enough technological advances and quality to aid the driver but maintains that classic German utilitarianism. Cargo space is lacking slightly and MPG is lower when compared to other SUVs in its class at 20/24 mpg. Premium fuel is recommended and so there is no getting around the fact that it's pricey at the pump. In summary the Wolfsburg Edition Tiguan is a good car with just a few drawbacks.
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Traded it for a Subaru
We love it on the highway. Cruise control is precise. Accident avoidance w/ 4Motion is good. 2 Really close calls on the Interstate. Braking & lane changing saved us. No dents. The transmission is a real pain in city driving. Acceleration is not linear. Never sure what will happen when I accelerate slowly. Sometimes it downshifts and scoots, other times, not so much, while it searches for the right gear . Give it a lot of space in stop & go traffic. The electronics are fine for us baby boomers, but my kid brother called it "sparse". Best highway mileage is 29.9. City driving is in the upper teens. Transmission's constant shifting drove me nuts. Finally traded it for a 2017 Subaru Outback.
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Great value
It seems like VW is trying to win back customers by giving great prices. This model gives a lot of value for the money we paid. Especially like the apple link.
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New technology is crap
Bigger not always better. Already have had it towed to dealership. Battery terminal issues, other odd nondescript engine issues, no power, bad acceleration, wants to die like starved for air. May leave the VW brand after many years.
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My Sassy Tiguan ! Love the Wolfsburg edition
I can honestly say I don’t miss my BMW and I love my 2017 VW Tiguan Wolfsburg edition price point is great, my VW is cute with 2 ton Black and Tan two tone interior, 4Motion I still have pep, interior makes me feel good, the drive and handling is excellent. Panoramic roof with sunroof is beautiful. I am beyond happy.
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Steer Clear - Turbo Died at 65,000 miles
Car is only 3 years old with 65,000 miles. Turbo failed. It cost $3,000 to repair.
The 2nd one was as great as the 1st!
I’ve had 2 VW Tiguans now and have no complaints! Comfortable to drive, reliable, with space for kids, car seats, lumber projects, work boxes or anything else I had to carry. *** UPDATED TO ADD, I looked at the new mode Tiguan and I am sorry to say my next car will likely not be a Tiguan. I don’t care for the rear “jump seat” addition. However, I’ll keep this car for now. I still love it! It has never given me a minute of trouble and it’s perfect for my needs.
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Would never buy another VW
Own a 2017 Tiguan. The dash a/c vents cannot be maneuvered to blow air below your face. Idiotic. Gas mileage is not very good.
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Perfect for me
This car is the right size, fun to drive and gets me around in the worst snow.
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RUN RUN RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN
The Panoramic sunroof leaks in our 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan on all sides, the windshield leaks. This isn't some easy fix either. It is either take it to a dealer and spend 1.5k or spend a whole afternoon tearing your car apart piece by piece watching every video you can find on youtube all for it to still leak. I may have fixed it now
Sunroof leaks like crazy
I bought this car CPO and as soon as the warranty expired the sunroof started leaking a lot. I brought it to the dealer 4 times and each time they say they never see this and they can’t find the leak. Finally they assured me that replacing the drain hoses would fix it ($1100). Of course it’s still leaking and I am bringing it back this week. I imagine they’re going to want to replace the sunroof frame. I would avoid VWs with the sunroof. This is a common problem.
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2017 VW Tiguan
I've been commuting w/ my 2017 Tiguan for the past five years. Some early issues w/ fuel pump and starter covered under extended warranty (72k). MPG remain on the low range even on the highway, but love the responsive handling and firm ride. Average 20k miles yearly and approaching 100k. I give my Tiguan a strong B rating. Do not like style of newer models and found the stop/start technology to be annoying on new Tiguan's.
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What's up with the front AC??
I seriously just wanted to point out one thing, the front ac vents are crazy limited as to where to can aim them. They literally only blow on my face. You can spin them and angle them. But that angle is so limited that it makes no difference. So on a hot day, I can either choose to cool down my face and/or my feet. But that's it. Wont even reach my shoulders. I have to drive with my elbows up to my ears if I want to cool them down. VERY DISAPPOINTING!
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It's Not the VW of old
Take it for a long test drive. Hills and traffic. The 6 speed transmission can make driving less than intuitive. Constant up & down shifting is traffic was a constant source of irritation. In Aug 2019, we traded it for a 6 cyl 2017 Subaru Outback w/ eyesight and a nice smooth transmission.
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Spiffy SUV quite ride,great performance
Reliable,smart looking, fun to drive. Fast
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Loved my Tiguan!
I absolutely loved my Tiguan SEL, Premium SEL 4 motion. I had it for 4 years. I was going to give it to my mother but I loved it so much that I was slow to give it up. Meanwhile, while stopped at a red light, I was rear-ended by a big 4-door Ford F-150 truck. The drives said he was texting and didn’t see that I was stopped. The car was totaled and wonderfully, I had no injuries! I highly recommend the VW Tiguan. Also, it had elegant beautiful leather seating and nice supportive seats. It also had tremendous capacity of around 37 cubic feet of storage. I’m still looking to replace my beloved Tiguan. I was thinking of going into the luxury category or into more HP or more torque. Any suggestion? Thanks!
Turbocharger failure at less than 50k miles
I have a 2017 tiguan Wolfsburg edition with 43k miles and the turbocharger has failed (seized watergate). After researching this I found an online petition with over 300 signatures of people with same issue. Furthermore there was a class action started for turbo issues (and VW hiding this I believe) for earlier models. Do yourself a favor and avoid this lemon! I'm not avoiding VW period.
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This is not the car for me.
My husband leased the 2018 Tiguan & brought it home as a surprise. It’s a nice looking car and it drives well. It’s the day to day stuff that I hate. I have 2 kids in car seats. They are in the middle row (we have a third row). This renders the 3rd row basically useless. The only access to the third row is scooching and climbing in through the back hatch, because the access from the back seat isn’t possible with car seats installed. The design of the cab makes me and my two daughters get carsick FAR more than in any other vehicle I’ve ever been in. I’m talking almost daily. There is also something about the design that makes the sound when you open and windows almost deafening. It’s such a battle to get the windows all set at levels that can reduce that sound, that it’s just not worth the effort, so we miss out on being able to drive with the windows down almost ever. The auto-shut down is a nice feature for the environment, but it is more of a pain in this car than any other I’ve driven with a similar feature. You have to manually restart the car a LOT. The back area that is shown to be super spacious in commercials would only be so if you also put down the two middle seats. I like to refinish and make furniture, and I can’t even fit a small dresser in the back of this, which has made my hobby about impossible to work with. The back area also slopes toward the hatch door, meaning I have had multiple jugs of OJ, milk, some bottle of root beer, and several other things come crashing and exploding on to the ground when I’ve gotten home from grocery shopping. My phone can’t sit on the passenger seat without the seatbelt alarm ringing the whole time. It’s just a lot of little pain in the butt things that add up to me being really disappointed in this car. I’m extremely frustrated with it. We are a VW family. My Passat is now my husband’s daily driver, and he traded his Jetta wagon for this. I can just about guarantee that I will be looking at a different make when this lease is up or I figure out how to terminate it.
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Just what I wanted!
The Tiguan is comfortable and sporty.
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Get up and move
I bought the Tiguan in 2017 and have had no problems, love the oil change every 10,000 miles.
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VW is better than this.
VW has fallen short with the new and improved Tiguan. Where to start? Does anyone make a navigation system that is intuitive? I now use google maps exclusively after wasting my time trying to get directions using the Tiguan nav system. The turbo engine has periods of fairly good performance interrupted by unsuspecting high revs with accompanying noise. The transmission is more in line with what you could have expected from a Yugo. It can’t seem to know if it should be in first, second, or third gear. This is very annoying. The entire driving experience is not what I expected from VW. I am disappointed. I am also disappointed that I didn’t buy the Subaru Forresterwhen 8 had a chance.
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Great Little Buggy
The Tiguan is a sporty agile small tall wagon. Its fun to drive, handels welll and has excellent acceleration, the premium gas not so good. Excellent interior for the price. Overall a very good value!
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Not so safe?
We wanted a new car for our daughter, as she is headed off to college... four and a half hours away from home. Our wishlist criteria was AWD, decent gas mileage, reasonable price, safety, safety, and of course safety. We looked at Nissan, VW, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Chevy, Ford, and Honda. The Tiguan was the only small SUV we tested that was not even available with any of the current safety technology. We wanted active braking assist, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, cross traffic monitoring, rear camera, adaptive cruise control, etc... Unfortunately, VW has deemed it unnecessary to offer any these features on this vehicle. I guess our kids don't need safety features. Other brands we looked at were nearly as bad, since they only offered the safety features on the high end models. Shame on them... to think less-affluent people don't deserve the option of safety features. They require you to purchase all the high end whiz bang gadgetry before being eligible for safety features. Supposedly, Honda is going to offer the safety suite on mid-level brands soon, but we don't have time to wait for that. Fortunately, Toyota has pulled its head out, and now provides a nice suite of safety features standard on its Prius. We don't get the AWD, but three out of four aint bad.
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Garbage
VW should not have gone GREEN with the wiring harness coatings. Apparently they used Soy based wrap and RATS love it. I found a nest in my engine compartment and they'd eaten through the wires. Nothing on my steering wheel works, the power steering doesn't work and the idiot lights are constantly on. The fuel economy which used to be stellar is absolutely insane. I spend more money on premium fuel (if you use regular it chokes out)than is necessary (hundreds of dollars every month) and it's rather annoying. I've personally fixed every issue ( Due to VW dealership screwing me on several regular services) and this car is a lemon. I don't trust VW and would highly deter anyone from purchasing a Tiguan. There should be a class action pertaining to this issue because it completely fouls the car.
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Great Value
I feel good driving this car. Looks and feels like it could cost a lot more.
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Death waiting to happen
As noted in this forum this car hesitates unpredictably making it very dangerous for traffic driving. Dealer says this vehicle has "intuitive" driving meaning the computer learns your driving habits etc. So they cleaned out the memory so it could learn my wife's habits. What a bunch of crap. It was improved for a couple weeks and then back to the same tendency to pause when you need it to accelerate. I am seriously surprised VW has not been sued for deaths or injuries.
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