2017 Volkswagen Tiguan

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2017 models.

Volkswagen Tiguan
Pictured: Volkswagen Tiguan III IMG 8823 (cropped). Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Body styles
2.0 4motion 4dr SUV, 2.0 FWD 4dr SUV
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Horsepower
200 hp
Transmission
6-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Seats
5
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
MPG (best)
22 combined · 20 city / 24 hwy
Length
174.4 in
Curb weight
3,393–3,591 lb
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
4 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Few owner complaints76 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 321 for similar models.

Watch out for

  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 18 similar 2017 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is a small SUV offered with a 2.0L 4-cyl turbo engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It measures about 174 inches long and 71 inches wide on a 102-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,591 lb (2.0 4motion 4dr SUV).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 22 MPG combined (20 city / 24 highway), 9% worse than the 2017 small SUV average of 24.3 MPG, for an estimated $3,750 a year in fuel.

NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.

It has 4 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the air bags.

What changed for 2017

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2016 Tiguan — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2016; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2016 Tiguan →

Trims, performance & features

Engine200 hp2.0L turbo 4-cyl
Transmission6-speed automatic
DriveFWD · AWD/4WD
Seating5 seats · 2 rows

Trims

S, LimitedS 4 Motion, Limited 4MotionWolfsburg 4MotionSport 4MotionWolfsburg

Safety & driver-assist features

Backup cameraStandard
Automatic high beamsStandard
Adaptive driving beamStandard
Keyless startStandard

Built in: Osnabruck, Germany

NHTSA vPIC, as reported by the manufacturer for 5 2017 Tiguan configurations; may not list every trim. How we calculate this →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
2.0 4motion 4dr SUV174.4 in71.3 in66.9 in102.4 in61.8 / 61.8 in3,591 lb57/43
2.0 FWD 4dr SUV174.4 in71.3 in66.9 in102.4 in61.8 / 61.8 in3,393 lb57/43

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Tiguan2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S6)Front-Wheel Drive20 / 24 / 22-9%$3,750412
Tiguan 4motion2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S6)All-Wheel Drive20 / 23 / 21-8%$3,900424
5/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
5/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Spend $6,750Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
24.3 MPG2017 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2017 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Similar 2017 small SUVs

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan (this car)22 MPGNot rated4
2017 Toyota RAV432 MPGNot rated3
2017 Honda CR-V30 MPG★★★★★7
2017 Hyundai Tucson28 MPG★★★★★3
2017 Subaru Forester28 MPGNot rated1
2017 Mazda CX-527 MPGNot rated1
2017 Kia Sportage26 MPGNot rated4

Recalls (4)

Unknown Or Other · May 5, 2021

NHTSA campaign 21V321000 · 46 vehicles

Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Risk
Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
Fix
Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
Unknown Or Other · May 16, 2018

NHTSA campaign 18V329000 · 252 vehicles

Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk
If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Air Bags › Frontal · Feb 9, 2018

NHTSA campaign 18V102000 · 3,768 vehicles

Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. The front driver air bag installed on these vehicles may not be intended for use in vehicles sold in the United States. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk
In the event of a crash, the incorrect air bags may not protect the driver as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel and front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69V2.
Seat Belts › Pretensioner · Dec 29, 2016

NHTSA campaign 16V955000 · 5,947 vehicles

Problem
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
Risk
In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Fix
Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

76Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
6Involved a crash
0Involved a fire
4Injuries reported
26,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Air Bags24
Engine15
Steering13
Electrical System12
Unknown Or Other9
Fuel/Propulsion System6
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette6
Power Train5
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
22/11: 123/02: 123/06: 123/07: 223/08: 123/09: 123/10: 123/12: 224/03: 124/05: 124/06: 125/01: 125/03: 125/04: 125/06: 325/07: 125/08: 325/10: 126/03: 126/04: 126/06: 126/08: 126/09: 126/10: 122/1123/0723/1024/0525/0325/0726/0326/08max 3

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 4 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Air Bags — 24 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
  3. Engine — 15 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
  4. Steering — 13 owner reports. Turn lock-to-lock while parked and on the road; listen for noises and feel for heavy or loose steering.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 26,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Tiguan years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2027 Tiguan29184.3 inNot rated00
2026 Tiguan29184.3 inNot rated037
2025 Tiguan29184.3 in★★★★★356
2024 Tiguan27185.8 in★★★★★276
2023 Tiguan27185.8 in★★★★★170
2022 Tiguan26185.8 inNot rated5273
2021 Tiguan25185.8 in★★★★★5144
2020 Tiguan25185.8 in★★★★★3141
2019 Tiguan25185.8 in★★★★★5195
2018 Tiguan24185.8 in★★★★★14294
2016 Tiguan23174.4 inNot rated297
2015 Tiguan23174.4 inNot rated462

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Volkswagen. How we calculate this →