Edmunds says The 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan offers a top-notch cabin and European driving manners, but some competing crossovers are more desirable overall.

The 2021 Tiguan SE is next step up. It starts at $27,395 for FWD and $28,695 for AWD. As expected, it gets a number of improvements over the S trim. Among them are an 8-inch touchscreen, two more USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, push-button start, and proximity keyless entry.

The Tiguan S offers high-quality cloth seating surfaces in black; the Tiguan SE features Volkswagen's perforated V-Tex leatherette, available in black or beige; and the Tiguan SEL offers rich leather seating surfaces in black or beige.

Overall Reliability Ratings: Is The Volkswagen Tiguan Reliable? Overall the Volkswagen Tiguan reliability is 42.65 and that makes it not very reliable. The chart below illustrates exactly how this ranks compared to some other cars, but the average overall rating is 57 as some comparison.

The Volkswagen Tiguan comes out ahead of the BMW X-Series in longevity. While the BMW typically lasts around 150,000 miles before needing major repairs or replacements, the VW can last up to 180,000 miles without too many issues.

Top 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems

• FSI and TFSI Engines Carbon Buildup (Intake Valves, Intake, Runner Flaps P0300 series. 43 people have reported this.
• Subframe Clunk on acceleration. 20 people have reported this.
• No Start after Refueling and Popping Noise from Trunk. 7 people have reported this.

sport mode "S" is sport mode, which does not affect how the engine runs, but affects how the transmission shifts. First, it allows the engine to rev higher before shifting up, resulting in more power in exchange for more noise and fuel consumption.

While SE typically stands for Sport Edition, Special Edition or Special Equipment, the abbreviation also indentifies that the car delivers a higher class of trim than the model that is LE. Luxury Edition (LE) cars generally feature a base trim with standard features.

D stands for regular Drive mode. This is similar to drive mode in other vehicles. The S stands for Sports mode and will engage a few extra features when driving in that specific mode.

For buyers who don't need four-wheel drive, the 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine is arguably the sweet spot of the Tiguan range. There isn't a huge amount of pulling power to get the Tiguan moving, but above 3,000rpm there's a reasonable turn of speed, with 0-62mph taking nine seconds.

With proper maintenance, the VW Tiguan has been known to exceed 200000 miles without too much trouble, so there is no need to worry about being stranded far from home. You'll have a great experience owning a Volkswagen Tiguan.