2022 VW Tiguan | Surprise, It's Well Done

We review the new 2022 VW Tiguan, which starts at around $25,000. We detail the good and bad and discuss how it compares to others in the midsize SUV segment. Others to consider are the Mazda CX5, Toyota RAV4, Ford Edge, Chevy Blazer, Honda Passport, and Kia Sportage.

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00:00 Interior and Exterior Discussions
3:59 Mechanical Impressions and Costs
5:44 Driving Impressions
10:21 Final Thoughts

[nicogi]

I really love how concise your videos are! You manage to fit absolutely everything we need to know in 12 minutes. Some others can't do that in 25-30 minute videos. Keep up the great work guys! :)

[danconzett]

I bought a 22 Tiguan SE R-line black, 6 months ago. I’m not in any way disappointed with this vehicle. It’s super comfortable and really nice to drive. It’s not “fast” but it can get out of its own way just fine. The AWD makes it great in the snow. I personally think it’s nicer then the 22 Audi Q3 another family member of mine bought, although that’s debatable . I think the thought of it driving like a larger golf is spot on. I came from a ‘17 gti and that was my first thought of the tiguan.

Cargo space is amazing. I can fit 2 rear facing infant seats without having to adjust the front seats.

I think the gripes about the haptic controls are valid but it isn’t really as horrible as many are making it out to be. I lived through an Iowa winter with it and it’s not a huge deal. Time will tell how durable those piano black faces are.

[johnm]

I love that you test the audio systems, and keep the manufacturers on the hook for that, and also the other cost-cutting areas that other review miss.

[bobswadley]

I've had my Tiguan for two years and I absolutely love it. The ride and drivetrain performance are extraordinary. It has that "planted" feel on the road which makes it much easier to drive. And let's face it, it is much more attractive than the other CUV's out there.

[macalvarezLA]

VW. Quality. Refined. Power that's relevant. We have 2 now.

[thrillhax]

I’ve owned a 2020 Tiguan for over a year. Here are some of my experiences:
1. The interior is an amazing place to be; it is high quality and comfortable.
2. Highway MPG is great, I got around 31-34 when mostly using highways.

Now I ended up getting rid of it due to some headaches:
1. Rattles in the cabin.
2. Constant service trips. Sunglasses holder broke several times. Suspension creak when going over bumps. Factory fit and finish issues.

This car is very well thought out. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to have been screwed on well. I don’t miss it like it miss my MK4 VR6 Jetta

[stephenhill]

Love my Tiguan 1.5 petrol DSG 2021 regular size 5 seater. Smooth, comfortable, spacious. It really is a work of art. The haptics temp controls are fine for me; I don't understand why everyone gripes about them. It's a car that grows on you the more you drive it and it really becomes part of the family.

[HandsomeAlex]

I share your guys' disdain for CUVs/SUVs, but your reviews on everything are so darn good, I watch them all.

[hellkitty]

My brother and his wife were pro-Toyota for decades. That ended when his wife, an Avalon driver since 1998, saw the new one and was stunned on how Toyota screwed it up so badly. Somehow, they eneded up at the VW dealer and she saw the Arteon and was in love. They bought an SEL R-Line and it is really sleek. He traded his daily RAV4 for a Tiguan SEL R-Line and said similar things mentioned here. The structure feels far more substantial, the highway driving experience is borderline luxury car, and the space efficiency is great. I changed his oil for him(shockingly easy on a VW) and he was at about 48K trouble-free miles(he drives 105mi round trip per day).

[Albus_Rex]

Canadian buyer here, bought the 22 Tiguan Comfortline R-Line (Your SE R line with some difference like the nicer digital gauge screen and AWD standard) and absolutely love it. Whenever I drive people around in it like friends and family, they always remark about how comfortable it is. My dad said it was like riding in a limo. Personally, mine came from the factory, never driven on the road or test driven and I paid to have it sprayed top to bottom to prevent rust as we use lots of road salt here. Having driven it in some nasty weather it felt very sturdy and I had complete confidence in it to perform. People will harp on the Horse power numbers, but really it doesn't feel slow. For me, I loved the German design elements and styling and it's an absolutely pleasant and smooth cruiser. I'm not out here trying to win stop light street races. It does get the suggest MPG for AWD for me, but I have pushed it further with very smooth accelerations and stops. I got the all blacked out Tig and people honestly think it costs more than it did.

Let me just say this though, because every car reviewer hates this about the Tig... I actually like the Steering wheel and HVAC controls. Perhaps because I'm an Zoomer (mid 20's) but I like the way it lights up and looks and I've never had difficulties operating it. Everything about it made sense for me to use on a daily basis but I get it's a personal preference thing.

Another thing to note. My purchase came with Sirius satellite radio... Please VW let us opt out of this. I don't want it, Spotify is better and I already have it. Sirius will not stop calling me to purchase since the trial ended. (Which I didn't use once)

[Society.]

I've always felt like if reliability wasn't a concern on these cars, or at least the stigma of reliability, VW should be selling way more of these. Definitely one of the most usable, refined CUVs in this segment for the money.

I say stigma because for the last ten years I believe these cars to be reliable with the proper maintenance. Cost of ownership still higher than your typical JDM picks though.

[calebj]

VW fixed the EA888 lineup in 2014 with the gen3 introduction, so I feel like they've been good engines as of late. Good torque down low makes the engines fun to drive with

[james]

The issue with this segment is its incredibly over saturated and they're all so close. It's really a question of "does it give you the fuel economy you want" and "do you like the interior" because that's what's selling 99% of these. Anything else is just a bonus

[AriaLaurel]

It's amazing how much you guys make me enjoy reviews for vehicles I have no interest in. Informative, entertaining, and immaculately produced.

[michaelsteele]

Bought my ‘22 Tiguan SE FWD in December to replace a ‘17 Golf that was getting high in mileage. Agree that overall it drives very smooth and feels very solid, which is why I like VW’s. Engine isn’t very exciting, but once you get going it’s fine, and very capable on the highway. Have been averaging 26 mpg in mixed driving. So far no issues. One other advantage was not having to pay over MSRP like many of the Tiguan’s competitors.

[jtkent]

My wife recently bought a brand new Tiguan R-line in white and absolutely loves it. It’s an SE but has 4-motion optioned on it. The R-line is definitely the better looking trim especially with the black wheels.

[RodneyPinSC]

Love the cross-comparison!

Very, very helpful.

Thank you guys for more great work.

[ghost]

My family car is a 2012 tiguan and it's getting close to replacement time. If it wasn't for the fact that I want to go more upscale and larger I would hands down go with another tiguan. It has been incredibly reliable at 170000 miles.

[sirgalahad]

Here is why this is a better SUV. You can drop it an inch with H&R Sport Springs, and then you can go out and get you a nice set of BBS or VMR wheels, and add on some Michelin Pilot Sports on it, and it will look every bit as good as a Audi SQ5 or BMW X5 at half the price. I did those mods to mine, and it's amazing how many people stop me to ask "wow, what kind of SUV is that?" And they are blown away when I tell them how little I paid for it compared to what it looks like.

[MarioFromMario]

I just bought one recently and love it. We test-drove a CX-5 fully anticipating to drive away in one, but were surprised at how firm the handling was. That's great if you want sporty handling, but it felt like driving a jackhammer. The Tiguan in comparison felt like driving on a couch. Can't recommend it enough to anyone cross-shopping the two if you prefer lighter and more comfortable handling.