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Rising gas prices and increasing interest in compact crossover utility vehicles make this a good time for the Volkswagen Tiguan. VW’s littlest utility vehicle made its debut as a concept nearly two years ago at the Los Angeles auto show.

The Tiguan joins a segment populated by models such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda CX-7. It may be a little late to the party, but the Tiguan makes up for it by having a sweet ride, a handsomely designed cabin and an attractive design. Its cabin was also pleasant because it was well isolated from wind and road noise. Overall, the Tiguan reminded me of a smaller Touareg.

The Tiguan is available in three trim levels. Prices start at $23,200 for the S, $26,925 for the SE and $30,990 for the SEL. VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive is optional on the SE and SEL. The test car was an all-wheel- drive SE with a navigation system and it had a sticker price of $33,165. An all-wheel-drive SEL with the optional navigation system and power sunroof will have a sticker price that exceeds $36,000. Vehicle stability control is standard on all models.

The Tiguan rides on a 102.5-inch wheelbase chassis derived from the Rabbit and GTI. It is slightly shorter than a Honda CR-V and has seating for five and no third seat. The large rear hatch is hinged at the top.

Aside from the appealing exterior, the classy interior is one of the Tiguan’s strengths. The instrument panel has titanium-colored accents around the vents. The 6.5-inch high-resolution screen for the navigation and audio system has content that looks like it could have been designed by Apple Inc. It is one of the most attractive I’ve seen.

This option also includes a 30-gigabyte hard drive to store map and audio files that can be imported via an optical drive or an SD card slot. The optical drive is capable of reading CD, DVD and DVD-Audio formats. The system can also work with an iPod or USB stick. The system offers available Sirius satellite radio and Sirius traffic service that streams real-time traffic data into the navigation system.

Volkswagen’s press materials say the Tiguan’s interior was designed for optimal utility. The rear seat has six inches of fore and aft movement that can be used to increase legroom or cargo space. The rear seat also reclines. The front passenger seat folds flat to accommodate long items. The interior also includes various clips and storage bins for securing a wide variety of items.

The test car was equipped with the optional panoramic sunroof that opens up 13 square feet of roof. It was a nice feature, but one that wasn’t worth $1,300 to me.

The engine is a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 200 horsepower, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available only with the automatic transmission.

Volkswagen calls the Tiguan the GTI of sport-utility vehicles because it has a “fun-to-drive” character. I’m not sure I would go that far, but this crossover has plenty of pep once you dip into the power of the turbocharger. VW has done a great job of creating an engine with ample power right from idle.

The Environmental Protection Agency gives the engine a rating of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway with a six-speed manual transmission and 18 city and 24 highway for the automatic, including all-wheel drive. According to the test car’s on-board computer, I averaged 17 mpg in mostly city driving.

Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on the S, while the SE gets 17-inch wheels and the SEL has 18-inchers.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags. Rear-seat side airbags are optional.

Like all 2009 Volkswagens, the Tiguan is included in VW’s no-charge maintenance program for three years or 36,000 miles.

Price

The base price of the test car was $28,875. Options included the navigation system, panoramic sunroof, automatic transmission and rear side airbags. The sticker price was $33,165.

Warranty

Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SE

Engine: 2.0-liter, 200-hp 4-cyl.

Transmission: Automatic

All-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 102.5 inches

Curb weight: 3,397 lbs.

Base price: $28,875

As driven: $33,165

MPG rating: 18 city, 24 hwy.

To reach Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tom@tomstrongman.com