Ahead of the Geneva motor show, Volkswagen revealed a larger, stretched version of its Tiguan compact SUV. Because “long-wheelbase Tiguan” doesn’t work well for marketing materials, VW decided to call the longer crossover the Tiguan Allspace. The Tiguan’s wheelbase has been stretched by 4.3 inches, which goes a long way toward a hefty 8.5-inch bump in total length. That brings total length to 183 inches — an inch longer than the Jeep Cherokee.
The extra length allows VW to throw a pair of seats in the rear, turning the two-row Tiguan into a three-row seven-seater. It’ll also give you some much-needed extra storage space, especially when folding down the second- and third-row seats. With standard roof rails, VW hopes the Tiguan Allspace will appeal to folks who like to go on road trips or camping adventures.
Volkswagen borrowed styling cues from its latest large SUV, the VW Atlas, for the front fascia and the crossover’s entire profile. Still, VW says you’ll still be able to get an off-road version of the front fascia as part of an off-road package that also includes extra underbody protection and a front bumper that’ll allow for a seven-degree increase in approach angle.
Powering the base-spec Tiguan Allspace is the same 147 hp 1.4-liter turbocharged I4 you’ll find in the regular Tiguan. You’ll also be able to nab the larger 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in either 177 hp or 217 hp form. In Europe, you’ll be able to find some TDI variants, but we don’t think those will come stateside anytime...ever. The four-cylinder engine will feed a standard 4Motion all-wheel drive system by way of a DSG automatic transmission.
VW will also offer tech features like LED headlights, keyless entry and a 9.2-inch gesture control infotainment system. Dubbed Discover Pro, the system is the first to offer gesture controls in a Tiguan, which might help keep your screen free from fingerprints. VW will also offer the driving convenience features like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, automatic high beams, park assist and Traffic Jam assist, a system that essentially allows for automated driving while stuck in traffic.
The VW Tiguan Allspace will join the VW Atlas in 2017. It’s unclear how the specifications will change as the Tiguan Allspace gets ready to come stateside (all the above specs and features we have now are for European models), but we do know the Allspace will be available this summer. There also isn’t any word on pricing, but we imagine it’ll fall somewhere between the standard Tiguan and the Atlas, probably starting in the low $30K range.