2010 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 4Motion

I much prefer VW's Jetta wagon to the Tiguan, but I can see the appeal of this vehicle. Our all-wheel-drive test car sits quite high off the ground, so not only does it provide easy entry, the car could also actually tackle some greasy, off-the-beaten-path terrain. I'm not saying you should take it off-roading, but it could certainly handle as much as most SUV owners throw at their Ford Explorers and Jeep Grand Cherokees. The high center of gravity weakens the Tiguan's handling quite a bit, but the car still steers and drives decently. Acceleration is quite good, too, considering the fact that this turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is usually in the engine bay of considerably lighter sedans and small hatchbacks. Like Mike, I'm no fan of the Tiguan's driving position, though, as the steering wheel is way too high for me, even when it's tilted down as far as it'll go. I'd raise the seat, but that tips it forward too much for me to be comfortable. As Joe mentioned, our test car was pleasantly pretty basic, with no power seats, no navigation, and no sunroof. The lack of a sunroof means that the Tiguan has four (count 'em!) sunglass-holder-like bins in the overhead console area. I guess you can't buy a Tiguan if you don't collect sunglasses. But wouldn't a sunroof encourage more frequent use of shades anyway?
Rusty Blackwell