2010 Volkswagen Tiguan

A year after its debut, the Volkswagen Tiguan has solidified its place as critics' favorite sporty, small SUV. Testers say its nimble handling and quality build -- and its price -- place it above more common choices like the 2010 Honda CR-V (Base MSRP: $21,545 to $27,745) but not quite up to the level of the luxury 2010 Audi Q5 (Base MSRP: $37,350). The 2010 version adds standard Bluetooth to the SE and SEL trims and a Wolfsburg Edition with special wheels, badging and leatherette upholstery, but the Tiguan is otherwise unchanged from 2009. See our report on the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan (Est. $23,200 to $32,940) for a full analysis of this vehicle.

Fuel economy remains the same as in 2009. With front-wheel drive, expect 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/21 mpg combined from the Tiguan's 2-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine and standard six-speed manual transmission. Overall fuel economy stays the same with the optional six-speed automatic, dropping 1 mpg with all-wheel drive.

Crash ratings are among the best-in-class. The 2010 Tiguan earns the highest possible front, side, rear and rollover roof-strength ratings in government and independent tests, with 4 stars (out of 5) in government rollover-resistance tests. The Tiguan includes all of the usual standard safety features for this class -- antilock brakes, traction and stability control, and front, front-side and curtain airbags. Rear-side airbags are optional, but the Tiguan achieves top side-crash ratings even without them.