The best engine for Volkswagen Tiguan: gasoline, diesel

What is the best engine in a Volkswagen Tiguan?

Before choosing the most suitable new car our garage mates begin to study it with the passport data, the first thing paying attention to the engine, what its volume and power, what with it goes in a pair transmission, what features of this engine.

In addition to this preliminary choice, which engine is better to take this or that car, affect the technical characteristics of engines, ranging from consumption to the types of engines on fuel.

The next stage of choosing the future user of the car is to study the reviews of the real owners of the previously selected model of the car in order to find out both the advantages and disadvantages of its units and assemblies, their approximate resources, as well as the repairability.

Thus, in the same order and build our review about the engines of the Volkswagen Tiguan.

What engines are equipped with Tiguan?

As for the crossover Volkswagen Tiguan it is equipped with five, let’s say, types of power plants and transmissions:

Actually, in the same order as on the table is the gradation of reliability rating of these engines, starting from top to bottom, or the more technologically advanced and newer power plants, the less they have reliability, as well as low maintainability.

1.4 TSI Volkswagen Tiguan engine with 125 horsepower output

Many in our garage community believe that this motor is purposely stifled, as its potential output is designed for 150 or more horsepower. And this is consistent with reality.

The given power unit is a modification of the turbocharged motor which was put on Volkswagen Golf since 2005 with availability of 170 horses on an output. A little bit later a 140 horsepower engine came out.

In the end, when it was removed from the attachment of this motor, which stood before along with a turbine compressor of mechanical type, the centrifugal turbine alone began to give the supercharged air only to get a modest 125 horsepower units.

Tiguan’s 1.4-liter motor, which has a hundred and fifty horsepower

More forced up to 150 horsepower 1.4 TSI engine with the designation EA211 began to be put, including in the Tiguan since 2012.

This power unit is characterized by the injectivity in the sense of tractability, efficiency, as well as excellent rates of dynamics.

Regarding the characteristics of the EA211 engines, they are summarized in the following table;

Characteristics of 1.4 TSI 125/150 hp engines.

• in the urban area;
• on the highway;
• mixed.

As for the resources of these engines, the passports indicate the mileage of 170 thousand with a sign “+” kilometers.

As for the complaints of users, the reviews most often mention the problems associated with the chain drive, namely chain stretching, as well as overheating of pistons and as a consequence – it is a lodging of rings and oil burnout. The result is an overhaul within 100k mileage.

2.0 TDI engine under the hood of Volkswagen Tiguan with a hundred and fifty horses.

Diesel engines are arguably one of the most popular among members of the European automotive community. It all started with the legendary predecessor, namely 1.9 TDI, equipped at one time with a powerful turbine, nozzle pumps, which for a certain period were replaced by the Common Rail system with a single injection pump.

Some modifications of the engines refused from this system, but in others (since 2007) it is used until now.

Characteristics of the engine 2.0 TDI 150 hp.

• in the city limits;
• outside the city
• mixed.

With respect to complaints, about the vulnerable places, it is the pump-nozzles (all explained by the fact that these devices, so to speak, charging and dispensing fuel requires high-quality fuel, which in Russian gas stations is difficult to find).

Next in descending order of frequency of complaints are faults of DPF filters. Then – deterioration of oil pumps (as a consequence of using cheap lubricants as engine lubricant), as well as the appearance of cracks in the cylinder head.

2.0 liter TSI, both 180 and 220 horsepower engines

Their characteristics are collected in the table: Characteristics of 2.0 TSI 180/220 hp engines.

In reviews of owners of Tiguan with engines in 180 and 220 horses is strongly recommended not to take crossovers with these power units, for the reasons:

• The complexity of their designs, and therefore low reliability;
• Due to the fact that motors work, using Miller cycle. These engines have recently appeared and it is not quite clear how they will behave at more weighty mileage. In other words, it is impossible to confirm or deny their 200,000 mileage ratings.
• High compression parameters in turn impose higher requirements for both fuels and oils. And in Russian conditions – it is difficult to achieve the capabilities of gas stations.

As a summary

There is no unambiguous answer to the question put in the title because every garage mate must have its own temper and rights, as the philosopher wrote in his time. Therefore, everyone must decide for himself the best choice of power plant, depending on his preferences.

One user cares about maintainability of the engine, the second – economy, and the third – the resource.

The best engine for Volkswagen Tiguan: choose thoughtfully

Author: Valeria Filinovich 05.06.2020 Time to read: 4 min 32,050 views No comments yet

The Volkswagen Tiguan is in ninth place in the sales ranking. The crossover is supplied to the Russian market from the Kaluga plant. With what engine is better to buy a Volkswagen Tiguan?

What engines are put on the Volkswagen Tiguan

Before buying, the future owner of the car studies reviews, compares the power, passability, the volume of the power unit and many other characteristics. Therefore, there is a reasonable question about what engine is better to take the Volkswagen Tiguan.

There are five types of engines that are installed on the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Volkswagen Tiguan engines last different amounts of time depending on the design features.

Volkswagen Tiguan with TDI

Engine Ratings

First, let’s answer what’s better: a Tiguan with a 1.4 or 2.0 engine displacement? The owners of the first variant complain that the designers miscalculated with the service life of the pistons.

The biggest service life is in the 1.4L motor, 125 horses. The next version – 1.4L with 150 hp surpasses its predecessor with a reliable turbocharger and additional phase shifter on the intake. The powertrain version has won many victories, but has proved weak for a large crossover. Active use and heat exposure led to detonation and even piston burnout.

Volkswagen’s 1.4 TSI motor on the Tiguan (photo)

Reliability

Many people wonder which engine on the Volkswagen Tiguan is the most reliable. First about the bad – owners have the most problems with the 2.0L motors in the Tiguan.

• Stretching and rubbing of the belt chain structure in Tiguan engines leads to many troubles due to overkinking of the teeth. True, the faulty element makes an increased noise, and the driver can timely notice and fix the problem.
• An equally common problem is increased oil consumption. The piston system and rings are designed incorrectly, which in the process of operation leads to clogging of the ducts with excess oil and to coking of the system.

The most powerful engines in the line are the 180 and 200 hp gasoline power units. These engines have a different intake system, compression ratio, electronic control units and other technical elements. Tiguan engines are characterized by turbocharging and high power.

So, which engine on the Volkswagen Tiguan is the most reliable? There is no unambiguous answer, but, according to the reviews of owners, the optimal options:

1. 1.4 liters, 150 hp. The advantage is a reliable turbine and a second phase shifter.
2. The 2.0 liter, 150 hp is characterized by economy and traction. The disadvantages are increased noise and high demand for diesel fuel quality.

Information about the most reliable Tiguan engine is not documented, so we can say that a more powerful power unit is suitable for out-of-town use. With the additional reserve of the 220 hp motor it is possible to get acquainted only on a freeway.

The engine on the VW Tiguan 2015

The best options

Which engine is better in the Tiguan? According to the reviews of owners, it is difficult to say that one type of motor is problematic and the other is not. Reliability and stable operation depends on timely maintenance and the use of quality consumables and fuel and lubricants.

In Europe the engines for new Tiguan are available with capacity of 130 and 150 hp and volume of 1,5 liters. Therefore, with what engine it is better to take Tiguan, depends on preferences of a future car owner.

The 2.0 liter power unit adapted to the European norms became a little more powerful – 190, 220 and 230 hp. Russian requirements have not been reviewed, so there are no plans to upgrade the engines.

Engine options for the 2017 VW Tiguan

Answering the question about what engine is better to take the Tiguan, let’s also pay attention to the cost of the cars.

• The 1.4 liters version with 125 hp is actively sold not only because the price starts from 1.43 million rubles, but because of the combination of acceptable acceleration, the clear operation of the manual transmission and the long stroke clutch.
• For the 2.0L version. 150 and 180 hp is characterized by a long service life – about 300 thousand km.
• The 1.4 L, 125 hp All Inclusive version can be bought for 1.5 million rubles.
• The Highline 2.0, 180 hp variant will cost Br2.330, and Sportline – Br2.5 million.
• The combination of the same options and 220 hp will cost 2.4 and 2.6 million rubles, respectively.

Thus, the question of which engine is better in the Volkswagen Tiguan should be answered by the buyer himself, preliminarily evaluating the primary qualities for himself. For one, speed and power are important, and for the other – reliable operation during the entire service life or low fuel consumption.

Which engine is better on Tiguan, 2.0 TSI or TDI, the video below will tell: