2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The engine under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0 L Inline-4 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. For 2021 the Tiguan gains a new 8-inch infotainment unit that comes with a more intuitive user interface and is easier to use. The Tiguan’s high-end SE trim also gains adaptive cruise control as a standard feature for this model year. The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan competes with the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and the Toyota RAV4. Let’s see how the Tiguan performs against these reputed rivals. 

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan comes in five trim options. The base trim is named S and comes with basic but a feature-rich interior for the starting price that is just above $25,000. The SEL trim follows the base trim and comes with major upgrades over the S trim. The SE trim also comes in an R-Line Black variant with exclusive styling and larger wheels. The higher-end SEL trim comes with some extra features while the SEL Premium R-Line trim comes specced up with a whole lot of extra features which bumps up the price significantly up to around $40,000. 

All trims are equipped with the same Turbocharged 2.0 L Inline-4 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Every trim comes in a 2WD drivetrain configuration as standard while 4Motion AWD is optional except for the SEL Premium R-Line trim which is exclusively AWD. Similarly, all trims come with a standard third row of seating in the standard FWD model, but this extra row is optional in AWD models. There are a whole lot of optional features available with each trim of the Tiguan that include different sets of wheels. The following table shows the trims, detailed feature list, and the prices of the Tiguan-

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The SEL trim would be the best choice as it comes with an extensive set of features. The SEL trim is available in both 2WD as well as 4Motion AWD drivetrain configurations. This one being the ideal choice is because it offers a lot more features over the lower trims while being significantly cheaper than the highest-end trim. And as all trims come with the same engine, the SEL comes with the most features you would get for the price paid.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan S comes with a single powertrain option which is a 2.0 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. All trims except the SEL Premium R-Line have an FWD drivetrain as standard with the option to upgrade to AWD. However, the topmost trim is equipped with AWD as standard. The engine produces a healthy but not surprising power output of 184 hp and 221 lb-ft. The transmission in the Tiguan is not the best, in fact, it is among the most unresponsive ones in the segment. 

The 2021 Tiguan is underpowered and there is no getting around that fact. The Tiguan takes 8.3 seconds to reach a speed of 60mph while the quarter-mile time is 16.3 seconds. These figures are not the best in the segment and the engine also is not the most powerful or smooth. The engine gets noisy when pushed hard, it generates considerable noise that creeps into the cabin and makes the in-cabin feel uncomfortable. Overall the Tiguan is a mildly underpowered machine offering sub-par performance.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 is the absolute best performer in terms of power outputs as well as speed. It smokes all of the competition in terms of 0 to 60 as well as quarter-mile times. The Volkswagen however, produces the most torque, which doesn’t actually help it much in straight-line speed. The Honda CR-V is also a capable contender and stands head to head to the RAV4 in the speed run. 

How well does the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Drive and Handle?

In the handling department also, the Tiguan pretty much disappoints. It is not the most agile or engaging machine to drive in the segment. The transmission, although feels clunky sometimes, performs at an above-average level with the 2.0 L engine. Equipped with the 4Motion AWD drivetrain, the Tiguan gets more grip and goes through corners with more stability. However, the ride quality in the 2021 Tiguan is very comfortable. 

Volkswagen has tuned the Tiguan to deliver more to the ride comfort side than handling or driving dynamics. The lower trims with the smaller high-profile tires tend to deliver more comfort. However, the higher-end trims with larger wheels enhance the handing of the Tiguan while sacrificing ride quality. In conclusion, the Tiguan doesn’t shine in providing good handling and driving dynamics or even a properly engaging driving experience. 

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan? 

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan comes with a strong set of brakes and a respectable stopping distance. The Tiguan is equipped with bigger 13.4-inch rotors in the front and 11.8-inch ones in the rear. This combination works efficiently and stops at a speed of 60mph in 127ft which is a very good distance. Even with a higher curb weight of 3,735 lbs, the Tiguan performs impressively in the braking department. 

There is no defeating the Tiguan as it offers the best braking and stops impressively under immediate situations. The Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5 are just below the Tiguan in terms of stopping power whereas the Toyota RAV4 is a bit behind. Despite being the strongest and fastest, the RAV4 couldn’t hold up with the rest of the competition in bringing all that performance to a stop. However, that makes the CR-V which provides both powerful performance and brakes a better choice. 

Despite being the least powered among these machines, the Tiguans still don’t surprise us by delivering super impressive fuel efficiency figures. The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan’s powertrain combo provides a fuel economy of 23mpg in the city, 29 on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 25mpg. Combined with a pretty big 15.9-gallon fuel capacity, the Tiguan manages to reach a distance of around 400 miles in combined driving and road conditions. These figures as we mentioned earlier are far from being impressive. 

The irony in this fuel economy comparison is that the most powerful options among these vehicles also happen to be the most fuel-efficient ones. Yes, you hear that right, the Toyota RAV4, and the Honda CR-V, both of which are impressively powerful, deliver the best-combined fuel efficiency of 30mpg. The RAV4 which has a bigger tank than the CR-V provides the most combined range of 435miles. The extra row and added heft of the Tiguan keep it much lower in the charts while comparing the efficiency figures.

The interior of the 2021 Tiguan consists of some changes including some new tech upgrades. The Tiguan has a spacious interior made up of high-quality materials and elements. The dashboard is neatly organized with a simple and uncluttered button arrangement. The interior can be trimmed in color themes including Storm Gray or Titan Black in the lower trims, while the highest-end SEL R-Line trim can also be configured in a unique Saffron and Back color code. The cabin of the Tiguan comes with dual-zone climate control and the seats are trimmed in cloth in the base trims while the highest end trims come with leather-covered seats. 

The interior of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan is spacious and comes with a plush first and second row with lots of space on offer. The seats are also comfortable and offer adequate support and won’t tire you during long journeys. The third row, however, is seriously cramped and can only seat children or could be used to store delicate luggage. The Tiguan, however, even with the third row put down, offers just a very similar cargo area to the competition. With the third row upright in position, the Tiguan’s cargo capacity drops down to just 12.0 cu-ft which is not usable.

The Volkswagen Tiguan has a spacious interior, but with the added third row, the space gets limited. The third row not only is cramped, but it also carves from the space of the first and second rows. The Honda CR-V is the most spacious offering the most spacious first and second row available. It also comes with the most spacious cargo area measuring 39.2 cu-ft which makes it a better choice in terms of space also. Overall, the build quality of these vehicles on the inside is on par with each other, but the CR-V fares better providing a more spacious interior. The following are some of the most important interior features of the Volkswagen Tiguan-

• 10-way power driver's seat including power-adjustable lumbar support with 3-position memory function
• Climatronic dual-zone automatic climate control with 2nd-row air vent
• Heated front seats
• Interior ambient lighting
• Leather-wrapped, heated steering wheel 
• Vienna leather seating surfaces (top trim)

How intuitive is the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan comes with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the base trim, which is upgraded to a larger 8-inch unit in the higher trims. A 10.3” digital instrument cluster is also equipped in the higher trims. App-Connect (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, navigation, wireless charger, Bluetooth, SiriusXM Radio, etc are also standard features. As for audio, the lower trims are equipped with a 6-speaker unit while the higher trims can also be equipped with a 400W premium 9-speaker Fender audio system with a subwoofer.

Some highlights of the infotainment system include-

• Discover Media touchscreen navigation system with 8-inch color display
• 10.3” digital cluster
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Climatronic Touch climate controls
• Fender Premium Audio System
• SiriusXM with 360L with a 3-month trial subscription

However sluggish the performance of the 2021 Tiguan is, it has a clean and nice exterior. The Tiguan looks sleek and stylish with an elegant and sharp design language. The front end has the most typical VW grille and headlamps that surprisingly just never get old or boring. The front end also features an all-LED lighting system in the top-end trim which looks super nice. The alloy wheels in the Tiguan vary across the trims with sizes ranging from 17-inches in the base trim to 20-inch ones in the high-end R-Line trim. 

The R-Line trims also come with specific exterior touches including an R-Line design grille, badging, intakes, side sills, bumpers, exterior trim along a body-color lower cladding. The Tiguan is available in six available color options all of which are free of cost options. The Tiguan comes with a powered tailgate while an optional Trailer Hitch kit is also an available feature that enables the vehicle to tow up to 1,500 lbs. Overall the 2021 Tiguan is a simple and classy-looking crossover from the outside.

The Tiguan undoubtedly is the best-looking machine among all of these competitors. It comes with the simplest styling, but with a bold and stylish design language. The Tiguan is also the longest and heaviest while also having the longest wheelbase. The RAV4 and the CR-V are the lightest whereas the RAV4 is also the most practical one with a maximum ground clearance of 8.4-inches. The following are some of the most important exterior features of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan- 

• Standard 17" wide multi-spoke two-tone machined alloy wheels
• Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS)
• Power tilting/sliding panoramic sunroof
• Fog Lights with low-speed corner-illuminating feature
• 17" Corvara Winter Wheels in Brilliant Silver
• 19" Gloss Black Wheels
• 20" Kapstadt Wheels in Galvano Grey

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan comes equipped with a set of high-tech safety features which makes it a safe vehicle. The Tiguan has also been safety tested by IIHS which also awarded it with the Top Safety Pick award which further concretes that this is a safe machine. Whereas NHTSA has not given the Tiguan an overall score, but the Tiguan score an outstanding 5-star rating in all f the side safety tests while also receiving a 4-star rating for rollover risk with an indicated rollover risk of 16.80% which is good considering the size and heft of this machine. The following are some of the most important safety features in the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan-

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Blind Spot Monitor (Side Assist)
• Lane Assist
• Rear Traffic Alert
• Area View
• Front Assist
• Light Assist
• Park Distance Control with Maneuver Braking

2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is more powerful and more fuel-efficient than the Tiguan, while also providing more space in the first and second rows. It also comes with more cargo capacity while also being a better handling vehicle. The Tiguan has a better-looking exterior along with a more intuitive and updated infotainment unit. However, the CR-V is still the best option offering a far more superior package than the Tiguan. 

2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Mazda CX-5

The Mazda CX-5 is a great contender, but only performs similarly to the Tiguan in terms of power output, but it handles significantly better than the Tiguan. The VW and the Mazda are equally good looking while the Tiguan comes with a more interior space. However, the Mazda is more spacious on the inside whereas it has a much smaller cargo capacity which is disappointing. However, the Mazda is the more responsive and engaging to drive SUV which makes it the better choice among these two. 

2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 is the second-best option among all of these cars and stands just below the CR-V. It is the most powerful and drives enthusiastically with engaging driving dynamics. It also offers a good fuel economy which is much higher than the Tiguan. All of these positives of the RAV4 make it the obvious better choice over the Tiguan. The Tiguan is an underwhelming contender when placed against the Toyota RAV4. 

The Volkswagen Tiguan is just about its exterior beauty and is a disappointment otherwise. It comes with a pretty good interior with updated and intuitive tech laid out nicely. The seats are also comfortable and supportive, but the interior space is limited and not as much as the rivals. The engine, handling, and performance of the Tiguan have not improved at all, and it is a clumsy vehicle offering sub-par levels of engagement. So this is not the vehicle you should go for in this segment, unless you need a third row for your children, as there are much better options.