When the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan goes on sale in the US next year, buyers will only have one engine option to choose from at launch: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 184 horsepower (137 kilowatts). But when the updated SUV goes on sale in Europe in a few weeks, those shoppers will have the choice of either the base Tiguan mentioned, the sporty Tiguan R with 315 hp (234 kW), or the plug-in hybrid with 241 hp (180 kW). And if we're lucky, one of those options could make their way to the US in the future.
Senior Vice President of Product Marketing for Volkswagen, Hein Schafer, told us in an interview that the Tiguan R is still being considered for the US market. And since the Tiguan doesn't arrive in the States until later in 2021, the company still has plenty of time to decide if a performance version of the crossover makes sense. As for the Tiguan plug-in hybrid – or even a traditional Tiguan hybrid – neither are likely to make their way to the US.
The Upcoming Tiguan R:
"I do believe that our group hybrid technology is very good and very strong," Schafer notes, "however it is not affordable. Looking at how much we'd invest and how much we'd sell [in the US]… that business case just doesn't make sense. No plans for a plug-in hybrid or a normal hybrid."
Even if the Tiguan R doesn't come to the US, the standard Tiguan still sounds pretty appealing. Available in four different trim levels – S, SE, SE R-Line, and SEL R-Line – the Tiguan offers new standard features like a digital instrument cluster and standard LED headlights, and options like a 10.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a suite of active safety equipment.
We'll know more about the 2022 VW Tiguan closer to its on-sale date sometime lates next year.
Gallery: 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan (EU)
