Car Auto Magazine

Think that’s amazing? Consider this: These cars were powered by 1.4-liter four-cylinder engines and had no low-range transfer case. Okay, the TSI 1.4-liter unit does have VW’s new Twincharger technology, which employs an Eaton dual-screw supercharger for low-rpm grunt and a BorgWarner KKK turbocharger for high-rev power augmentation.

The two blowers pump the power peak to 148 horsepower and provide the little engine with 177 pound-feet of torque from 1500 to 4500 rpm. On normal roads, this translates to a quiet and smooth operation—with no audible supercharger or turbo noises—accelerating the Tiguan to high speed with deceptive ease. In the U.S., however, Tiguans will be equipped with the familiar 200-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four, which is also fitted to cars such as the GTI, or a 140-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four. Front- and all-wheel-drive variants will be offered.

Our development mules, carefully camouflaged with body-color tape, reflector tape, and fake insignias, were equipped with six-speed manual boxes, but production Tiguans will also be available with VW’s six-speed automatic.

This ’09 sport-ute was developed from VW’s Rabbit platform, with extensively modified running gear. Traction is managed by a new version of VW’s Haldex 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, now with a multiplate center clutch controlled by a computer that looks at the ABS wheel-speed sensors. (The previous Haldex system was mechanical.) This provides a nominal fore-and-aft torque distribution of 85/15 percent but is said to be capable of sending 100 percent to either axle when required.