VW just fixed the biggest problem with its most important car

Volkswagen

On Monday, Volkswagen introduced a new long-wheel-base Tiguan compact crossover SUV at the 2017 Detroit auto show.

The newly unveiled second-generation Tiguan is aimed directly at the US market.

Even though the first generation Tiguan has been available in the US for nearly a decade, it hasn't been able to make much headway with consumers.

One of the major complaints from prospective buyers is the fact that the outgoing model is simply too small with too little cargo room for most families.

(Disclosure: The author of this story is an owner of a first generation Tiguan.)

VW seems to have taken these complaints to heart.

The new US spec Tiguan's wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than its European counterpart while its overall length is nearly a foot longer than the first generation model it replaces. As a result, cargo room is up 57% over the outgoing version.

VolkswagenAs my colleague Matt Debord so eloquently put it, "Tiguan— Now with more Tiguan!"

In fact, the new Tiguan can even be had with a third-row of seats. In Europe, the US spec version will be sold as the Tiguan Allspace.

"The new Tiguan demonstrates how we plan to give American customers the usability and versatility they demand without sacrificing style or Volkswagen’s trademark driving dynamics," Volkswagen's North American Region CEO Hinrich J. Woebcken said in a statement. "Every detail of the Tiguan has been thoughtfully engineered for our U.S. customers to maximize space and convenience, while retaining its performance, agility, and value."

Power for the new SUV will come courtesy of an updated 2.0 liter, 184 horsepower, turbocharged, inline four-cylinder engine coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system is available as an option.

VolkswagenInside the cabin, the Tiguan gets VW Group's stellar Digital Cockpit instrument display along with a suite of available apps. Smartphone integration comes via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mirror Link.

In addition, the SUV will feature the latest in VW's arsenal of safety tech. This includes adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and autonomous braking along with lane departure assist.

The new Tiguan will be built on VW's much praised MQB platform that's shared with the upcoming mid-size Atlas SUV. However, unlike the Atlas, the new Tiguan will be assembled in Puebla, Mexico instead of VW's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Even though the Jetta sedan is statistically Volkswagen's top seller in the US, its most important offering is actually the Tiguan crossover. Due to VW's unique position as a brand that straddles both the mainstream and the luxury segments of the US auto market, the new Tiguan gives the company the chance to reach an enormously broad spectrum of buyers. This is something the economy-minded Jetta is simply not in a position to do. 

VolkswagenIn 2016, the compact and luxury compact crossover/SUV segments accounted more than 3.6 million vehicles sold. Which means one out of every five cars that rolled off dealership lots last year was a compact SUV of some sort

With fresh styling, the latest tech, and much more room, the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan is poised to finally break through in the US market.

VW has yet to announce official pricing for the 2018 Tiguan. However, Woebcken stated that the Tiguan will be priced "very competitively with other compact SUVs."

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