While we haven't had the pleasure of piloting a 2009 VW Tiguan quite yet, our good friends at Popular Mechanics have thrown the mini-ute around a bit and pronounced it more Golf than Touareg — a good thing. Powered only by the 2.0-liter turbo mill making 200 HP and 207 lb-ft of twist, the Tiguan ends up being one of the most powerful soft-roaders in the neighborhood. It may not be our bag, but it's true. Plus, if you're a buyer electing to be honest about your vehicular needs and choose a FWD Tiguan, you can get a proper manual transaxle; drivers requiring 4Motion are saddled with only a slushbox.

[Popular Mechanics]