2021 VW Tiguan Facelift Spotted With Golf-Like Headlights

The Arteon Shooting Brake wasn't the only new Volkswagen caught by our spies this week testing in northern Europe as they also grabbed on camera a lightly disguised prototype of the Tiguan facelift. A veritable cash cow for the VW Group, the compact crossover is due for a mid-cycle refresh that will bring a series of styling tweaks derived from the latest-generation Golf.

Although it may appear undisguised at first glance, the prototype is actually wearing camouflage on the front and rear bumpers. Perhaps a more obvious type of mascara is on the headlights, with stickers slapped onto the actual clusters to try and make us believe they won't change that much with the facelift. However, we can clearly see the LED light signature and the configuration of the headlight similar to what the Golf Mk8 has.

A similar camo has been applied at the back on the taillights where VW wants you to think they'll be simply carried over from the Tiguan available today. It's not going to be the case as the taillights are bound to go through some changes, although probably not as significant as the ones at the front. The updated model will also get the company's latest logo and should have the "TIGUAN" lettering prominently featured on the tailgate à la T-Cross, T-Roc, and Touareg.

Logic tells us the same updates are earmarked for the seven-seat Allspace version as well, with both flavors of the Tiguan to receive some mild changes inside the cabin. An updated infotainment and VW's latest safety and assistance systems are on the menu for the boxy crossover, along with some minor tweaks to the trim and upholstery.

It's unclear whether there will be any changes underneath the hood, but we are tempted to believe the Tiguan will get the Golf's 1.5-liter gasoline engine with mild-hybrid tech. It should also offer a cleaner 2.0-liter diesel, along with a plug-in hybrid derivative to follow the electrified model launched in China last year and a Tiguan GTE concept revealed back in 2015.

Rumor has it a facelift-based Tiguan R concept will be introduced sometime this year to preview a production model slated for a 2021 release. That said, we'll believe it when we'll see it...