2019 Volkswagen Tiguan

2019 is the second model year of the US long-wheelbase second-generation (MQB) Tiguan, a carry-over year with the single EA888 2.0T rated 184 hp on every trim — low for a compact SUV.

221 lb-ft arrives low in the rev range, giving reasonable around-town pull despite the modest horsepower.

Instrumented tests of the 184-hp, 3,800–4,000-lb Tiguan sit around 9 seconds, among the slowest of turbocharged compact-SUV rivals; the heavier SEL Premium R-Line tested slower still.

The 2.0T is smooth and quiet at cruise with useful low-end torque, but feels strained at highway passing speeds and with a load, and the stop/start restart is noticeable.

The Aisin 8-speed automatic shifts smoothly but is slow to kick down and can hesitate pulling away from a stop.

Rated at only 1,500 lbs, at or below rivals such as the Escape, Equinox and CR-V that offer 1,500–3,500 lbs.

4Motion on-demand AWD is optional on S, SE and SEL and standard on SEL Premium, with 4Motion Active Control drive modes (On-Road, Snow, Off-Road, Custom).

Off-Road mode with hill descent control helps on dirt trails, but roughly 7.9 in of clearance, no skid plates and no off-road trim make it pavement-oriented.

One engine and one transmission across all trims, with no hybrid or plug-in option while rivals like the RAV4 offered a hybrid.

The standard FWD configuration of the S/SE/SEL volume trims is EPA-rated 25 MPG combined; 4Motion drops to 24 — middling for a non-hybrid compact SUV.

22 MPG city is typical of turbocharged gas compact SUVs.

29 MPG highway is about average for the segment.

Computed from the FWD model's 15.3-gal tank and 25 MPG combined; 4Motion (15.9 gal × 24 MPG) gives about the same.

EPA estimate at 15,000 mi/yr on regular fuel at current prices.

Runs on regular unleaded across all trims.

NHTSA rates the 2019 Tiguan five stars overall in both FWD and AWD form. The side result is five stars; frontal and rollover are four stars each.

The 2019 Tiguan earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with Good ratings in every crashworthiness test, including both small-overlap tests. The award applies only to vehicles built after June 2019 with the optional LED projector headlights, so most volume-trim cars on the road do not meet it.

For 2019, Front Assist AEB, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are standard from the volume SE upward but only optional on the base S. Adaptive cruise and Lane Assist are reserved for the SEL and above, so the volume trim lacks ACC and lane keeping. Making the core suite standard on every trim was a 2020 change.

IIHS rates the vehicle-to-vehicle AEB Superior and daytime pedestrian AEB Advanced. The 2019 model has no nighttime pedestrian result, and AEB is not standard on the base S.

Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are standard on the SE and above but optional on the base S. Both are alert-focused; there is no safe-exit warning and no trailer-aware coverage.

In 2019, Lane Assist is a lane-keeping nudge rather than true centering, and it is available only on the SEL and above. Travel Assist centering reached the US Tiguan with the 2021 IQ.DRIVE update.

ACC with Stop & Go is capable, but it is not paired with lane centering into a highway assist, and it is not offered on the volume SE.

There is no hands-free system for 2019, and no hands-on lane-centering highway assist either.

IIHS rates three headlight variants. The halogen reflectors on the S, SE and SEL (the volume trims) rate Poor. The LED projectors with curve adaptation and high-beam assist rate Marginal on early builds and Good only on builds from after June 2019.

The second-generation Tiguan's upright, boxy glasshouse and large side windows give good sightlines for a compact SUV. The 360-degree Area View camera is limited to the top SEL Premium.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable. The sliding second row helps with rear-facing installs, but three seats across is tight in a compact SUV.

2019 is a carry-over year of the 2018-launched long-wheelbase US Tiguan. The common 4Motion configuration seats five; a small third row is standard on FWD models and optional on most 4Motion trims, but not on the SEL Premium.

The upright second-generation body gives generous front headroom for a compact SUV.

Front legroom is adequate but sits at the bottom of the SUV band.

Tall roofline gives adults good second-row headroom.

The sliding second row gives class-competitive rear legroom in two-row models. Three-row versions give up about 2 in to make room for the third row.

A third row is offered, but with under 28 in of legroom it is for children only, and raising it uses up most of the cargo space. The scored configuration is two-row.

Cargo space behind the second row is near the top of the 2019 compact class, though modest against this item's full SUV band.

Seats-folded capacity is among the largest of 2019 compact SUVs.

The 40/20/40 second row slides, reclines and has a pass-through, which is genuinely flexible. The bins are practical but conventional, and in 2019 wireless charging was limited to upper trims rather than the SE.

Front seats are supportive and adjustable; the SE has a 10-way power driver's seat. Some reviewers find the cushions firm on long trips, and the reclining rear bench is comfortable for two adults.

The ride is comfortable and well damped, with firm but controlled body motions. It is one of the more composed rides among 2019 compact SUVs.

The cabin is among the quietest in the segment, with some engine noise only when the engine is revved.

Heated front seats and dual-zone climate arrive at the volume SE, and remote start is standard from the SEL. The heated steering wheel and leather are SEL Premium items, and no ventilated seats are offered.

VW cut the Tiguan's entry price for 2019 to $24,295 before destination, one of the lowest starting prices in the compact-SUV class for a model this size.

The SE is the volume trim, typically bought with 4Motion, and it comes in below comparably equipped CR-V EX AWD and RAV4 XLE AWD grades.

Only the first scheduled service is free for 2019 (vs two for 2020), and EA888 2.0T out-of-warranty items (water pump/thermostat housing, PCV) plus German-brand labour rates put combined spend above Toyota/Honda rivals, though the 6-year warranty absorbs most early repairs.

The Tiguan depreciates faster than the compact-SUV average (~60% retained); the 2019 model year was partly cushioned by the 2021–2023 used-car price spike.

MY2019 is the final year of VW's 6-year/72,000-mile 'People First' comprehensive warranty — best-in-class bumper-to-bumper coverage, double the 3/36 mainstream norm.

Powertrain falls under the same 6-year/72,000-mile comprehensive warranty — longer than the 5/60 mainstream norm but well short of Hyundai/Kia's 10/100.

For 2019 VW Carefree Maintenance covered only the first scheduled service (1 year/10,000 miles), plus 3-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance and a Car-Net trial — a short included-maintenance period, less than the two services added for 2020 and well behind ToyotaCare.

$28,990 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (52% retained, or about $15,075) leaves about $13,915 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,400 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,315 in total.

2019 is the second US model year of the second-generation (2018-2024) long-wheelbase Tiguan, a carry-over year. J.D. Power rates its quality and reliability 'Average' (77/100), but Consumer Reports gave it a very low 1/5 predicted-reliability rating. With the two sources disagreeing, it sits low in the mid band.

Around 2019, Volkswagen sat in the lower third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. Complaints were concentrated in electrical, infotainment and accessory faults rather than catastrophic failures.

MY2019 is covered by five NHTSA campaigns, more than the 2020 model year. The most serious is a rear coil spring that can fracture and damage a tire. The others are a TPMS fault, a missing key-in-ignition chime, accessory spoiler attachment and an 8-unit tire-label error. None involves the powertrain, a fire risk or the airbags, so the recall activity is typical but busier than average.

The 2019 US Tiguan's only powertrain is the 184-hp EA888 Gen3 2.0T with an Aisin eight-speed automatic. It is a high-volume pairing with no systemic failure pattern. Well-documented water-pump/thermostat-housing coolant leaks and direct-injection carbon buildup keep it out of the proven-durable band.

The pre-refresh cabin is clean and well assembled, with soft-touch upper surfaces and conventional physical climate and steering-wheel controls. Reviewers note plenty of hard plastics lower down and a plain look on the volume S/SE trims.

The Tiguan is built on a mature MQB line at VW's Puebla, Mexico plant and is generally consistent and structurally quiet. Owner complaints focus on infotainment and electrical glitches rather than rattles or panel gaps, which fits an 'Average' J.D. Power quality score.

Volkswagen's roughly 600-650 US dealers give solid metro coverage but thinner rural reach than Toyota, Honda, Ford or Chevrolet, and VW service satisfaction is mid-pack. The 2019 model year carried VW's 6-year/72,000-mile transferable bumper-to-bumper warranty, which is above the class norm.

This is a high-volume generation and the EA888 engine is ubiquitous, so parts are plentiful and the aftermarket is deep. German-brand component pricing and labor times keep typical repair costs somewhat above the compact SUV average.

The volume SE has an 8-inch MIB II touchscreen. The S makes do with 6.5 in, and nothing larger is offered.

The MIB II system is logically laid out, with physical knobs and conventional climate controls. The screen is small and the graphics dated against 2019 rivals.

Wired App-Connect (CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink) is standard on every trim. Wireless projection did not arrive until the 2022 MIB3 refresh.

Discover Media navigation is fitted only on the SEL and SEL Premium. Voice control is basic and command-based, and most owners use phone projection instead.

The base audio is adequate. The Fender premium system with subwoofer is limited to the top SEL Premium.

For 2019 the crisp, configurable Digital Cockpit was extended down to the SEL; in 2018 it was on the SEL Premium only. The volume S and SE keep analog gauges.

The MIB II Tiguan has no over-the-air software updates; updates need a dealer visit.

The Car-Net app handles lock/unlock, honk/flash and vehicle status, with remote start on equipped trims; the Remote Access tier was free at the time. Safety services and the Wi-Fi hotspot are paid.

There are USB ports up front, and the SEL adds more (three in total). Wireless charging is available rather than standard on the volume SE, and there is no household AC outlet.

KESSY proximity entry and push-button start come from the SE. Remote start and a power liftgate arrive at the SEL, and the hands-free liftgate is a top-trim feature. There is no phone-as-key.

A rearview camera is standard. Front and rear Park Distance Control come with the SEL (new for 2019), and the Area View 360-degree camera and Park Assist are limited to the SEL Premium.

The 2019 Tiguan offers no head-up display.

Big rear doors, a sliding second row and one of the class's largest cargo holds make family logistics easy. LATCH is rated only Acceptable, and the optional third row is for children only.

Strong crash credentials (NHTSA 5 stars, IIHS Good in every crash test). AEB and blind-spot monitoring are standard only from the SE in 2019, adaptive cruise and Lane Assist need the SEL, and the halogen headlights on the volume trims rate Poor.

A quiet cabin, a roomy reclining rear seat and ample luggage space suit long family trips. Rear amenities are thin below the top trim.

It is smooth, quiet and easy in traffic, with light steering. The 2.0T/8-speed can hesitate from a stop, and the stop/start restarts are noticeable.

At 25 MPG combined (FWD) or 24 MPG (4Motion), it costs more per mile than most 2019 compact SUV rivals, which rate around 28–30 MPG.

A 37.7-ft turning circle and good upright visibility make it easy to place, though it is long for the class. Parking sensors start at the SEL, and Area View is top-trim only.

It is rated to tow just 1,500 lb, though the cargo hold is large. The 184-hp engine strains under load.

This is a comfort-oriented family crossover with spotty reliability scores and no fleet reputation for hard use.

It has cargo tie-down hooks, 12V outlets, roof rails and an accessory hitch, but no onboard AC power and no work-oriented upfit ecosystem.

Highway manners are quiet and composed, with a comfortable ride and about 380 miles of range. Adaptive cruise with Stop & Go is limited to the SEL and up, so the volume SE lacks it.

4Motion with Active Control drive modes (Snow, Off-Road) and roof rails handle gravel and snowy trailheads. About 7.9 in of clearance and the 1,500-lb tow limit keep it pavement-biased.

Class-leading cargo space, a sliding 40/20/40 rear seat with pass-through and roof rails make bulky gear easy to carry.

One of the better-handling small SUVs of its era. It feels lighter than its size on winding roads, with firm, composed body control.

The steering is light, quick and confidence-inspiring: better than the class norm, though not as direct as a GTI's.

The brakes are progressive and easy to modulate, and stopping performance is competitive.

The 184-hp 2.0T is smooth but slow. The 8-speed is lazy to kick down, and there is some hesitation from a stop.

The engine is well isolated at cruise and becomes audible only when revved hard.

The turning circle is mid-pack for a compact SUV.

The seating is upright with a commanding view and good adjustment, and the controls are straightforward physical buttons and knobs (before the touch-sensitive panels of the 2022 refresh).

The chassis is composed and pleasant, but the slow powertrain keeps the car from being engaging.

FWD models carry a standard third row and the SE adds heated seats, keyless access and an 8-inch screen, but forward-collision AEB and blind-spot monitoring were still an extra-cost option on the S in 2019 while CR-V and RAV4 made Honda Sensing / TSS standard.

A low $25,290 entry price, class-leading cargo space, an optional third row and a 6-year/72,000-mile warranty give strong content per dollar, offset by a slow 184-hp 2.0T, below-par fuel economy and weak resale.

The 2019 lineup grew from four to six trims, each available with FWD or 4Motion and a two- or three-row choice, giving well-spaced options from $25k to $40k — but one engine and no hybrid.

VW's best-selling US model at about 110,000 units in 2019, rising as the second generation took hold, though still a fraction of RAV4/CR-V volume.

VW's 'German engineering' image gives the Tiguan a near-premium feel, but lingering Dieselgate damage, middling reliability perception and below-average resale keep the brand neutral rather than aspirational.

VW routinely backed the Tiguan with cash allowances, lease specials and low-APR financing in 2019, so buyers could typically buy well under sticker.

MY2019 is the second US year of the MQB-based second generation launched for 2018 — current platform and tech, with the facelift not due until 2022.

Praised for space, ride comfort and a quality cabin, and an IIHS Top Safety Pick, but rarely the pick of comparison tests because of its slow powertrain and fuel economy.