 | Positives: Refreshed look adds flair, solid handling and steering, one of the few mid-sizers that offers a third row. |
 | Negatives: Down on power compared to competitors, loss of grip on acceleration with FWD, tight third row, weird climate controls are hard to use. |
 | Bottom Line: The Tiguan drives well and looks even better than before. In front-wheel drive, it's not as tractable or fun to drive. VW's climate controls leave much to be desired, as does the seat padding. |
Driving Experience
In this day and age, a single powertrain offering for a gas car seems strange, but the Tiguan gets 184 horsepower from a turbo four across its line. Our tester was FWD only, which made the driving experience so-so. At least the chassis and steering are famously VW, which means fun, precise, and well-sorted. It's just too bad the FWD is further hampered by less-than-stellar brakes. Altogether, the driving experience is sullied by lesser aspects of the Tiguan.
Ride Quality: The ride quality in our Tiguan was balanced, which equates to some firmness with decent damping. The Tiguan felt comfortable over most surfaces and didn't feel unsettled over pavement gaps.
Acceleration: As you probably guessed, 184 horses moving almost 4,000 pounds of curb weight doesn't equate to blistering acceleration. The Tiguan gets to 60 mph from a standstill in about 9 seconds. At least there's no CVT to ruin things further. Stomping on the gas made the front wheels take on too much, which didn't help matters.
Braking: The mushy brakes are a strike against the Tiguan, and the lack of progressiveness doesn't inspire confidence. This is so different from the rest of the VW lineup that it's downright surprising.
Steering: The steering effort, feel, and on-centeredness are all very good. We had no trouble pointing and shooting.
Handling: The Tiguan feels balanced, and body control is good. FWD only, however, prevents it from gathering enough grip for its weight.
Technology
The Tiguan, thankfully, does not yet have the same infotainment system as the ID.4 or the Golf GTI/R. But that doesn't mean it's a great system. At least it's a bit easier to decipher upon first viewing, and it's pretty straightforward. The system comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you don't have to put up with the interface if you don't want to. The tech also includes an 8" digital instrument cluster, a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless smartphone connectivity, and a wireless charger. The most frustrating aspect of the Tiguan's tech is the touch/slider climate controls which look slick but absolutely suck to use if you're not at a standstill.
Infotainment System: The Tiguan's 8" touchscreen is easy to read and recognizes your hand as you approach it. Menus are clear, as well. Responsiveness needs improvement and there's definitely some lag going on.
Controls: The thermostat touch sliders are terrible. We're not sure why VW thinks this is the way to go since you have to put your finger there and slide it while viewing the temperature on the center screen. This is the worst temperature control in the auto industry.
Styling
While the 2022 Tiguan doesn't get completely overhauled, there are some noticeable changes. The front and rear bumpers are all-new, and the lower front fascia borrows the soon-dead Arteon sedan's larger intakes and vents. There's new LED lighting in front and back, including a full light bar in front. Even the badges and VW logo have been refreshed as of 2022. The Tiguan now looks more upscale and, hence, more noticeable.
Front: The black grille and matching lower facia of the R-Line Black look great together and give the clean front end a more aggressive look.
Rear: The clean taillights have a more intricate internal signature, which adds more flair to this Teuton. We like the rear valence that sports the same shape as the front lower fascia vents and houses the tailpipes. It's a handsome back end.
Profile: The side view is handsome, albeit conventional for a crossover. We like the fender badge that transitions seamlessly to the body crease that bisects the handles and goes all the way to the taillight. Black window trim, black exterior mirrors, and black wheels from the R-Line black unify the look.
Cabin: The no-nonsense interior gets slightly dressed up with caramel-colored faux leather, aluminum pedal caps, and perforated leather on the steering wheel. It's not fancy inside, and there's a lot of grey plastic. It's also one of the few crossovers left that parks the infotainment screen into the dash, as opposed to the more contemporary on-dash position.
Comfort
The Tiguan's interior is good but not great. While there's decent room in the first two rows, seating comfort could be improved. The hard plastic at key touchpoints is a bit low-rent, as well. It's a standard VW interior, which means it's functional without much fanfare and luxury. Frankly, the Mazda CX-5 is far nicer inside.
Front Seats: Although the seating position is good, the seats feel flat and could use more cushioning and contours.
Rear Seats: The Tiguan will get the third-row option with FWD models. and AWD models are configured with two. Second-row legroom isn't huge at 36.6 inches and even tighter in row three at 27.9 inches. Adults don't quite fit.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): The turbo four is really the only noise you can hear when it's pushed hard, and there's minimal road noise at highway speeds.
Visibility: Visibility all around is very good thanks to thin pillars and well-sized windows.
Climate: Aside from the frustrating controls, the Tiguan's climate system works pretty well with good air movement from the vents.
Safety
The Tiguan is one of the safest vehicles in its class based on crash test scores from the IIHS. It also comes with a solid set of safety features that are standard equipment.
IIHS Rating: It earns the Top Safety Pick+ award thanks to "good" in every crash test. it only gets dinged with "acceptable" in the headlights and LATCH categories.
NHTSA Rating: Not tested.
Standard Tech: The standard set is huge and includes the Intelligent Crash Response System, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, rearview camera, Park Distance Control front & rear, Hill Hold Control, semi-automated driving assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping system, semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking w/ pedestrian monitoring, blind spot monitor, and rear traffic alert.
Optional Tech: None.
Storage/Cargo
The Tiguan does a good job in its segment for storage and cargo. The interior is practically laid out and convenient for small item storage. The cargo area mostly flat and wide at the base for easy laoding.
Storage Space: The large cubby at the front of the center console has a wireless charging deck and makes it easy to toss your stuff in. The medium-sized armrest and decent door pockets are also helpful, as is the small tray next to the cupholders.
Cargo Room: When the third row is in place, there's a mere 12 cubic feet of space. There are 33 cubes behind row two and a respectable 65.3 cubes with the seats folded flat.
Fuel Economy
The EPA estimates that the front-wheel drive model will be the best you'll find among the Tiguan lineup. All-wheel drive, of course, decreases those figures. We spent most of our driving with a fair amount of highway driving and some time in the city. The Tiguan came away with good figures.
Observed: 26.2 mpg.
Distance Driven: 212 miles.
Audio
The stock audio system in the Tiguan isn't anything special, but it's clear. There's not much bass to speak of, and you'd be better off upgrading to the Fender premium system but that requires choosing a higher trim level than the R-Line.
