2009 Volkswagen Tiguan S

The good: The 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan S packs the performance of a sport compact car into a small SUV. Neat Auto Hold option keeps the vehicle stationary on steep hills and at long traffic lights.

The bad: The interior lacks excitement. Cabin tech is virtually nonexistent at this trim level. Sound quality on the audio system is poor at higher volume levels.

The bottom line: Former VW GTI owners who need more space for a family will absolutely love the performance of the Volkswagen Tiguan S, but those looking for high-tech options will want to look further upmarket.

CNET editors' review

• Reviewed by: Antuan Goodwin
• Edited by: Wayne Cunningham
• Reviewed on: 09/10/2008

Photo gallery:
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan S

One of the first things we noted about the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan S is its similarity to Volkswagen's hot hatch, the GTI MkV. Both vehicles have 200 horsepower 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Both have about the same amount of passenger space and a similar wheelbase and track width. Aside from the Tiguan's taller stance, you'd be hard pressed to note any difference between the two vehicles when driven with a degree of civility.

However, when driven aggressively, the differences become more apparent. The Tiguan's taller ride height and ground clearance translate into a higher center of gravity and more body roll through hard turns. The Tiguan's extra 271 pounds over the four-door GTI equals a 0 to 60 time of 7.8 seconds versus the GTI's 6.9 seconds.

The GTI could beat the pants off of the Tiguan on a track, but that's not really the point. Consider that the Tiguan is a compact SUV packing performance that's only slightly bested by Volkswagen's hottest sport compact, but with more cargo volume and a smoother ride quality, and the Tiguan is all the more impressive.

Test the tech: Mountain road exploration
With specifications that rival those of a sport compact car and a transmission that boasts a Sport mode, we decided to see if the Tiguan S could put its money where its mouth is on a twisty mountain road. After finding an appropriately serpentine course for our test, we had to print directions because of our Tiguan's lack of a navigation system. Hopping behind the wheel, we studied our course and hoped we wouldn't get lost.

The Tiguan's automatic transmission features three forward modes: Normal, Sport, and Manual.

The first leg of our trip took us through the sort of terrain on which the Tiguan is most at home: city streets and highways. In light traffic with the transmission set to drive, the Tiguan's small size made it easy to steer into and out of traffic. On the short freeway blast up the mountains, the Tiguan felt stable and remarkably carlike. However, at cruising speeds turbo-lag, coupled with the transmission's slow downshifts, added up to slow top end acceleration. Reaching the foot of the mountain, we put the transmission into Sport mode and started up. Immediately we noticed that the Sport mode increased responsiveness by keeping the revs up and the turbo spinning. The shifts of Sport mode didn't feel any faster than in Drive, but the rpm at which the shift happens is much higher in the powerband. An added bonus was the Sport mode's engine braking feature that downshifts the transmission as the vehicle decelerates to help slow the vehicle and prepare for exiting turns.

We put our Tiguan S through its paces on a twisty mountain road.

Though the 200 horsepower engine motivated the Tiguan up the mountain without struggling, we weren't able to really get up to speed due to the extremely technical aspects of our chosen course. Our path up the mountain consisted of a two-lane road with dozens of switchbacks and hairpin turns. As fantastic as the Tiguan's Sport mode was coming up the mountain, it was terrifying on the winding descent, often downshifting harshly midturn and upsetting the vehicle's weight transfer. Not wanting to go spinning off into oblivion, we put the transmission into Manual mode to get better control over the gear changes. Manual mode's shifts are the same speed as the other two modes, but now that we didn't have to worry about an unexpected gear change we were able to focus on the Tiguan's handling.

The Tiguan's power steering made for light steering effort, but didn't really communicate much about what the wheels were doing underneath us. Through the hairpin turns, the Tiguan exhibited the expected front-wheel-drive understeer, which was easily correctable with a lift of the throttle. The poorly maintained mountain road put the Tiguan's suspension through its paces. With the window down, the hissing of the dampers could be heard echoing off the sheer rock face of the mountain, but from the driver's seat the ride was smooth and controlled.

We came back from our trip through the mountains impressed by the Tiguan's handling and horsepower.

At the bottom of the mountain, we were greeted by the beautiful Pacific Coast. After the intense concentration required navigating the mountain, the sweeping curves and ocean breeze were a treat. We put the transmission back into sport mode and headed home, impressed by the versatility of the Tiguan's performance.

In the cabin
In a word, the cabin of the Tiguan S is utilitarian. Perhaps a better word would be boring. Almost every surface is finished in the same matte black plastic and the seats are a dull charcoal cloth. In the optional tan interior color, there's at least a little visual excitement, but the charcoal interior of our Tiguan was downright depressing. The materials didn't feel cheap and all of the elements of the cabin seemed well made, but none of the Tiguan's sporty nature is reflected by the interior's dull execution.

The black and gray interior of the Tiguan is functional, but about as dull as can be.

The standard audio system is just as dull as the cabin in which it sits. In the S trim level, the only audio sources are FM/AM radio, single-disc CD audio playback with MP3 support, and an aux-in hidden in the center console. There's no option available for iPod/USB support, no HD or satellite radio available, and no Bluetooth hands-free. Audio quality is satisfactory, but suffers from dull highs and heavy, distorted bass at high volume.

The Tiguan has a few neat features, such as Auto Hold and an electric parking brake, which eliminates the need for an emergency brake handle. When activated, the Auto Hold feature will hold the brakes after a complete stop, keeping the car stationary even after the brake pedal is released. When the accelerator is depressed, the Tiguan immediately releases the brakes and the car moves. This is a neat feature for drivers who spend a lot of time waiting at traffic lights or for drivers of the six-speed manual version of the Tiguan S who live in hilly areas. In stop-and-go traffic, we found the feature annoying. Fortunately, it's easily enabled and disabled with the touch of a button.

Out back, our Tiguan was equipped with rear side airbags, a $350 option, and a 60-40 split folding rear seat. Seats folded flat, we were able to easily fit two bikes with the front tires removed into the back of the Tiguan.

Under the hood
The 2-liter turbocharged four cylinder that motivates the Tiguan is a gem of an engine. There's a good deal of turbo-lag, which makes easing into a slow start sluggish. Once you get it going, however, the Tiguan easily scoots through traffic. Flooring the accelerator from a stop, the turbo-lag is slightly less evident, but at around 2,500 to 3,000rpm the 200 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque kicks in hard, thrusting the little SUV forward and loudly chirping the front tires. With the traction control deactivated, the tire chirp becomes a longer and louder squeal. It may not actually be fast, but the Tiguan certainly feels quick.

The best part of the Tiguan S sits underneath the hood in the form of a 200 horsepower TFSI engine.

Utilizing direct injection technology, the Tiguan averages an EPA estimated 18 city mpg and 24 highway mpg. That sort of fuel economy isn't bad for an SUV, but still a bit lower than most vehicles in the Tiguan's segment.

Delivering power from the engine to the front wheels is Volkswagen's six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. This transmission features three forward modes: drive, sport, and manual. Drive mode features smooth shifts and programming for comfort and fuel economy. Sport mode raises the shift point to keep the engine in the powerband to reduce turbo lag and increase responsiveness for more aggressive driving. The manual mode lets the driver choose the gears by pushing the shifter forward and backward. We found it best to leave the car in Drive for regular urban and highway driving. The manual mode came in handy for keeping the car in first in stop-and-go traffic and for downshifting to get the revs up in preparation for merging with faster moving traffic.

The Tiguan's suspension makes a valiant attempt to tame the body roll of the tall compact, but it doesn't eliminate it. The short wheelbase makes the vehicle easy to rotate around turns, but like most front-wheel driven vehicles, the Tiguan displays piggish amounts of understeer when pushed to its limits. Thanks to a high suspension that's tuned for softness, those limits are fairly low.

That same high suspension is the reason for the Tiguan's smooth ride and commanding view of the road ahead. You wouldn't want to go off road with the Tiguan's front-wheel drive and very untrucklike 6.9 inches of ground clearance, but poorly maintained roads and all but the most severe potholes are soaked up by the suspension's longish travel.

In sum
While we were pleasantly surprised by the performance of the Tiguan S, the cabin was just too spartan for our tastes. At the S trim level, the Tiguan has an MSRP of $24,300 with the only options available being the rear side airbags ($350) and a no-cost six-speed manual transmission. We can't really recommend the Tiguan S for drivers who are also technophiles, but the higher trim levels are another story.

Stepping up to the Tiguan SE trim (MSRP $26,925) will upgrade the interior to a higher grade cloth, upgrade the odometer to a multifunction trip computer similar to Audi's offerings, increase the wheel size to 17 inches, and add steering wheel controls for the audio system, cruise control, and trip computer. Moving to SEL trim level (MSRP $30,990) upgrades the interior to leather, replaces the audio system with a 600-watt Dynaudio 10 speaker setup, and adds the Adaptive Front Lighting system with Bi-Xenon headlamps that turn up to 15 degrees in response to steering inputs. At SE trim and above, tech options come available in the form of a panoramic sunroof ($1,300), a touch-screen navigation system with a 30GB hard drive (20GB available for music), a back up camera ($1,990), and 4Motion all-wheel-drive ($1,950).

Prospective Tiguan owners will also want to look at the Toyota RAV4, the Nissan Rogue SL, and the Ford Escape Limited, all of which can be had with premium audio and Bluetooth integration for about the same price as the base model Tiguan. All three of these alternatives average 22 city and 28 highway mpg, but do so with 30 fewer horsepower than the Tiguan.

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Pontiac confirms G3 compact for U.S. sales

From the rear view, the Pontiac G3 in virtually indistinguishable from the Chevy Aveo5.

(Credit: GM/Pontiac)

Pontiac Manager of Communications, Jim Hopson confirmed, on the GM Fastlane Blog, that Pontiac would be selling the G3 in the U.S. General Motors must have something of a penchant for cannibalizing their own sales, because the G3 is obviously just a rebadged Chevrolet Aveo5, the cheapest least expensive new car in America.

When challenged on about the matter of the econobox G3 not fitting into Pontiac's claim of building exciting vehicles, Hopson states, "True, it's not a RWD V8, but that's why the G8 is sitting in the same showroom." What he fails to mention is that oftentimes there will also be an Aveo5 sitting in that same showroom.

Hopson does address the similarities between the two models stating that "the G3 and Aveo share a lot of components, true. But Toyota and Lexus also share components." That's right, he seriously drew the Toyota/Lexus analog. We spend an inordinate amount of time in a Chevy Aveo5, our test car for stereo installs, and we can say that there's nothing Toyota- or Lexus-esque about that vehicle.

However, component sharing and badge engineering are two different things. Toyota and Lexus buyers are two very distinctly different segments of the market, which isn't necessarily the case with Chevrolet and Pontiac buyers. Even if they were, we seriously doubt that putting a new bumper/headlamp combo on an Aveo makes it a vehicle substantially higher quality or perceived value.

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Chevrolet Orlando concept hints at future

Chevrolet’s last attempt at a minivan, called the Uplander, was a total disaster. Their new attempt will be shown off as a concept at October’s Paris Auto Show.

The new Multi-Purpose Vehicle attempts to offer the qualities of a car, a minivan and an SUV, all into one automobile. It sounds exactly like the design philosophy for the sad Uplander, but this one is based in the Chevy Cruze platform, and is most likely a smaller vehicle than any previous Chevy minivan.

Seemingly aimed at the European market, it only sports a 150 hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine with 320 Nm of torque. Inside, the five-door Orlando is designed to meet the needs of families and those who need plenty of seating capacity with adaptable, theater-style seating in three rows that comfortably accommodate up to seven occupants. Whenever load carrying becomes a priority, the spacious cabin can be quickly transformed into a large cargo area.

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2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

By John Rettie



The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is svelt new two-door that goes on sale in early spring 2009 as a 2010 model.

Hyundai's concept coupe was a hit at the greater Los Angeles auto show last year (Fall 2007). It piqued the interest of those looking for a sharp looking rear-drive sports car at an affordable price.

Now, the unveiling of the production version of this car at the April 2008 New York Auto Show was no let down as it grabbed the headlines when two examples slid, with wheels spinning under the expert skills of a couple of stunt drivers, onto a makeshift indoor drifting stadium. Rock music and fireworks added to the razzmatazz. You've got to do something outlandish to make the headlines in the Big Apple and Hyundai did just that.

Judging by the specs, buyers of the car will not be disappointed when it goes on sale early in 2009.

The two-door coupe will be offered with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 212 hp and a 3.8-liter V6 engine producing 306-hp. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard with both engines. A five-speed automatic will be optional with the four-cylinder engine while the V6 gets a stronger ZF six-speed automatic as an option.

The Coupe is based on the same rear-drive platform as found under the upcoming Genesis sedan, but with almost five inches chopped out of the wheelbase. The Coupe features a MacPherson strut dual-link front suspension and a five-link rear suspension. The suspension on the sporty SE model is track-tuned and includes Brembo brakes. All models include electronic stability control and a traction control system. A limited-slip differential is optional with both engines.

In keeping with its positioning as an affordable sport coupe for younger drivers, the Genesis comes with the latest in audio systems including USB and mini-jack inputs. When an iPod or iPhone is connected it recharges the unit as well as allowing the driver to access tracks via the steering wheel controls. An optional Infinity audio system will be offered.

The Genesis Coupe replaces the Tiburon and brings Hyundai directly in competition with the Ford Mustang and the Infiniti G37 Coupe. Pricing, as one expects from Hyundai, will be competitive. We expect the base model to sell in the low $20,000s while the top-of-the range V6-powered version likely in the mid- to high-$20,000s. That's considerably less than its aspirational competitors from Japan and Europe. Hyundai officials like to point out that 20 years ago you had to pay $59,000 to purchase a rear-drive coupe with 300 horsepower: a Porsche 911.

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2009 Honda Fit

By John Rettie

It might seem only a short time since Honda introduced the Fit. Yet the company is now introducing a second edition. Truth be known, the previous Fit had been on the market for several years before it arrived in the U.S. market. This time Americans do not have to wait as long to get a new version as the all-new Fit goes on sale in the summer of 2008 as a 2009 model.

Those who thought the previous Fit, known in many parts of the world as the Jazz, was perhaps too small will not be disappointed as the new Fit is a tad larger. This should fit the bill for many who really need a smaller car but perhaps don't want one. How's that for an oxymoron?

Overall, the look of the 2009 Honda Fit is similar to that of the previous model, but it has a much more heavily raked windshield that's located five inches farther forward. Apart from giving the car a more sporty look, it also makes for a much more spacious feel inside.

The 2009 Fit has a wheelbase that's two inches longer than that of the previous model. The new Fit gets an upgraded 1.5-liter VTEC four-cylinder engine that produces about 10 percent more horsepower. It's comes with a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission; the Sport model's automatic comes with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Despite a slight increase in size, the new Fit only weighs a few pounds more and even with an increase in power it is expected to deliver better fuel economy, an impressive achievement.

A key attribute of the Fit is its flexible cargo carrying capability. It has a large rear tailgate that allows easy access to the luggage area. Furthermore, the so-called rear Magic Seat has been further improved so it can now be folded flat in one single movement, without removing the headrest even if the front seats are in their rearmost position. There are several combinations of seating positions to provide flexible storage needs. A new hidden storage bin underneath the driver's side rear seat for placing small items securely out of sight.

The Fit Sport gets larger, 16-inch wheels and an optional Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System features a 6.5-inch screen with voice recognition. All Fit Sport models include a USB audio interface that's compatible with current-generation iPods and many other USB storage devices.

Although the Fit is a small entry-level car it features a full complement of safety features including full curtain side airbags, ABS and electronic brake distribution system. A vehicle stability assist (VSA) system with active headrests is available as an option.

Full specifications and pricing for the new Fit will be available when the car goes on sale in the summer as a 2009 model.

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2009 V Star 950 and V Star 950 Tourer Introduced in Las Vegas

By Dirck Edge

The definition of "entry level" in the cruiser category keeps changing, and Star Motorcycles tried to up the ante in Las Vegas this morning with the introduction of the V Star 950 and V Star 950 Tourer models for 2009. Entry level? How about a 942cc air-cooled twin with four-valve heads and fuel injection, coupled with genuine steel fenders and belt drive? Star is offering all this at an opening price of less than $8,000.

Nimble handling is claimed to come courtesy of a new steel frame and unique 18-inch front wheel with low-profile rubber. Star even claims it has tuned the rigidity of the chassis in the longitudinal, lateral and torsional directions.

With one of the lowest seat heights around, the V Star 950 should be an unintimidating ride for the "inseam challenged".

The new V Star 950 is also available as a tourer, which comes equipped with a windshield, leather-wrapped hard sidebags, and a passenger backrest. Several colors are available, and the V Star 950 carries a U.S. MSRP beginning at $7,890, while the Tourer starts at $8.990. For additional details and specifications, visit Star Motorcycle's 2009 model site here.

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Yamaha Unveils All-New R1: A Paradigm Shift?

By Dirck Edge

Yamaha introduced an all-new YZF-R1 today in Las Vegas. This is an entirely new motorcycle, including new engine, new chassis and suspension. Yamaha claims it has "shifted the paradigm" for production sport bikes with the new R1's "crossplane crankshaft".

Do you think Valentino Rossi rides a "big bang" engine? He does not. The Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike has a crank that places each connecting rod 90 degrees from the next (firing at 270°, 180°, 90° and 180°). This virtually eliminates inertial crankshaft torque, which aides both power delivery and traction. Yamaha claims the new R1 combines "the low-rpm torquey feel of a twin with the raw, high-rpm power of an inline 4."

Much of the other engine technology is carried over from the last R1, including fly-by-wire throttle and the variable intake system that changes trumpet length at 9,400 rpm in order to broaden the spread of power. The new R1 also takes a cue from Suzuki and features rider-selectable throttle control maps (three in all), including a rain-appropriate low power mode.

The new aluminum frame and swingarm offer refined rigidity tuning. The rear sub-frame is now magnesium, and the new SOQI forks split compression and rebound damping duties, with the left fork handling compression and the right fork rebound. The new R1 also gets an electronic steering damper.

You can judge the new look of the R1 for yourself, but of note are the two projector-type headlight bulbs, which are closely integrated with the ram air intakes. The footpegs are adjustable to two positions (low and forward or high and back).

The new R1 will be available in January of 2009. For further details and specifications, visit Yamaha's R1 micro site here, or Yamaha's 2009 model site here.

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Green GT All-Electric future race car

Green GT is an All-Electric Future Race Car, it can technically meet all the requirements and specifications of Le Mans racing, which is one of the best known races in the world.

Green GT was designed by Le-Mont-sur-Lausanne-based GreenGT team commissioned the young French designer Thomas Clavet of the ISD Valencienne Design School to create this Le Mans prototype, who is five students from the CCi du Valenciennois school. It will feature a fiberglass body on a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis. The vehicle’s twin 100-kw electric motors will provide around 350 to 400hp of power that will push the vehicle from 0-60mph in around 4 seconds. GreenGT’s head engineer Christophe Schwartz has stated that “The GreenGT Twenty-4 design study could become our 2011 Le Mans Prototype electric racer or it could even become an electric road going supercar. There is a possibility to do both!”

The prototype is made up of an FIA-spec carbon chassis with a fiberglass body. It comes with 2 water-cooled electric motors each with 100 kW (2 x 100 kW) coupled to a differential gearbox patented by GreenGT. Power supply comes from flexcell photovoltaic solar panels (What? You don’t know what those are?) and two lithium-ion batteries, each with 30kWh of juice. The whole thing weighs in at a ship-shape 860 kg.

The numbers?

Maximum speed: 275 km/h (171 mph)
0-100km/h (62mph): Under 4 seconds
Horsepower: 350 to 400
Torque:…

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