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AUTO REVIEW
Volkswagen Tiguan
By Steve Schutz, MD
The past few years have been difficult for SUVs, products that VW didn’t really offer. they already sell - like the compact Tiguan
Volkswagen. Life was good for the German (Cheaper fuel prices obviously accelerated crossover. Similar in size to the Escape, the
automaker from 2009 to 2012, thanks to a that trend.) Tiguan has had limited success in our mar-
new factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., and ket due primarily to its price-size ratio,
American-ized Jetta and Passat sedans. I also think that Volkswagen wasn’t helped which has been too high. Predictably, Volk-
Sales doubled during that time and there by the fact that Audi dealers, with all of their swagen has been focusing its attention on
was good reason to think they’d keep grow- cool new products, usually sit right next to that area and now the Tiguan offers more
ing. But that’s not what happened. Instead, VW stores. How many buyers walked onto aggressive pricing as well as better financing
VW brand sales have tanked in recent a VW showroom looking for a Passat and and leasing deals. (As always, Phil Horn-
years, and they’re only just now starting to drove out with an Audi Q5? I have no way beak has the latest on that.)
rebound. of knowing, but I’ll bet the number is a lot
bigger than zero. And a lot bigger than Volk- The Tiguan is not new. It debuted in the
What happened? My sense is that under- swagen would be willing to admit. U.S. in 2009 and is due to be replaced in a
stated sedans like the Jetta and Passat were year or two, but with more aggressive pricing
perfect for the Great Recession, but once the To turn things around VW is developing is worthy of consideration. While the design
economy rebounded buyers were more inter- a new slate of crossovers - think Honda was unassuming six years ago and virtually
ested in luxury vehicles, crossovers, and HRV, Ford Escape, and Toyota Highlander invisible now, it is not ugly. But it is a re-
fighters - and re-focusing on the vehicles
52 San Antonio Medicine • October 2015
