Volkswagen Tiguan R revealed with 316 HP and it could come to America
It's the first time VW's given the Tiguan the R treatment, and it looks pretty darn good.
The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan made its debut online yesterday evening, but the German automaker also quietly revealed a new addition to the small SUV's lineup: the Tiguan R.
Right now, the hot SUV isn't confirmed for the US, but a Volkswagen representative pointed to comments from Hein Schafer, vice present of product marketing, who said the Tiguan R is "under consideration" for America. The Tiguan is a best-seller in the US, so it seems like VW would have nothing to lose.
As for the specs, it'll hit the streets with the same 316-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four the recently revealed Arteon R packs. We definitely won't get the Arteon R, but the Tiguan R would be a nice consolation prize. All the power will route to an all-wheel-drive system that packs the R-Performance Torque Vectoring, also seen in the Arteon R.
Other details are rather light, but the Tiguan R looks racy enough with visual updates, an optional Akrapovic and large 21-inch wheels. Inside, the SUV carries forward updates from the regular Tiguan with a redone cabin that includes a new steering wheel design and VW's Digital Cockpit. The latest infotainment software is onboard, too, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen in the middle of the stack. The seats are a lovely cloth design as standard, and the R gets a great-looking dark blue color.
Keep in mind, this is also the short-wheelbase version for Europe, while the US will get a larger model. It won't look as brutish, but keep some hope that VW will give the Tiguan R a green light for America. The standard Tiguan will arrive in October 2021.
