2022 Volkswagen Tiguan review: Compassionate conservative

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The updated Tiguan has a bright, smiling face.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Even though it’s a compact SUV, the Tiguan is a big deal. Not only is it Volkswagen’s best-selling model in the US, it’s also the German automaker’s most popular nameplate globally. So for this vehicle’s redesign, VW smartly played it safe, sprucing up the Tiggy with a few minor enhancements rather than tossing everything and starting from scratch. This conservative approach isn’t the most exciting, but it’s hard to argue with the results.

LikeMostly silky powertrainLoads of interior spaceTop-quality trimmings

Don’t LikeStop-start could be smootherSlightly lethargic throttle

New, but you might not notice

If you’re unable to spot the differences between the updated Tiguan and the outgoing model, I can’t blame you. Visually, little has changed — and that’s not a bad thing. This SUV has always been cleanly designed and mature, dressed in styling that, if not pulse-quickening, is practically guaranteed to age well. The same can’t necessarily be said about the new Hyundai Tucson, for instance.

So, what’s new for 2022? Starting front and center, the Tiguan’s face has been reworked and the body has sharper lines here and there. LED headlights are standard fare and certain models feature illuminated trim on the grille. Fresh wheel designs are offered, with sizes ranging from 17 to 20 inches. As for paint colors, Oryx White and Kings Red join the palette, and ’round back, the Tiguan name is now located on the center of the liftgate for a more premium look.

2022 Volkswagen Tiguan is barely new but nicely improved

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Compassionate conservative

The Tiguan’s conservatism carries through to its cabin. While perhaps not as nice as what Mazda’s CX-5 offers, the Tiguan’s appointments are unquestionably near the top of its class, easily outshining the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. This range-topping SEL R-Line tester has acres of soft plastic, decent-quality leather and lively contrast-color stitching and piping. Everything is well built and solid, plus the ergonomics provide little to complain about.

For extra convenience, keyless entry with pushbutton start, in-vehicle Wi-Fi and heated front seats are all standard. From the SE model on up you also get remote start and dual-zone climate control with touch-sensitive controls for fan speed and temperature. This sounds like a terrible idea, but they work basically as well as a physical switch or dial, responding instantly and accurately. It’s the same story with the Tiguan’s touch-sensitive steering wheel controls. They work far better than what you get in some Mercedes-Benz models these days.

This SUV’s interior is upscale and comfortable. 

Craig Cole/Roadshow

An 8-inch digital instrument cluster is standard equipment, but the fanciest Tiguan offered comes with a 10.3-incher. Beyond that, S models are fitted with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while all other variants feature an 8-inch panel. Unfortunately, the infotainment system that lives on this crisp, easy-to-reach display is middling. This multimedia array is mostly performant, but the user interface is far from the most intuitive in the business. But hey, if it’s a problem you can always use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Both smartphone-mirroring systems are standard.

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s eight-way power-adjustable front bucket seats have all the topographical variation of Florida (read: they’re flat), but despite being less contoured than a bocce ball court, these chairs are still surprisingly livable, being both supportive and properly angled for long-haul comfort. The back bench is nearly as nice, seemingly tailor-made for lanky adults because it offers miles of room for heads and legs.

Front-wheel-drive Tiguans come with a third-row seat, something that can be handy in a pinch, but all-wheel-drive variants are two-row only. The installation rate of third-row seats in all-wheel-drive variants was only about 10%, so smartly, the automaker nixed it for 2022. There’s plenty of cargo space in this SUV. You get 37.6 cubic feet of room behind the second-row seat and up to 73.4 when that rear backrest is folded down, which you can conveniently do from the cargo area by pulling a couple latches. Front-drive models are slightly less capacious but still plenty roomy.

Drop the rear backrest and this vehicle can haul plenty of cargo.

Craig Cole/Roadshow
No surprises, no problem

If you’re familiar with the Tiguan, there are absolutely no surprises under the 2022 model’s hood. This SUV is once again motivated by a 2.0-liter turbo I4, and as before, it delivers 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. On paper, these figures look pretty lackluster, but the Tiggy’s performance is surprisingly strong. It has no trouble accelerating at any speed and feels plenty punchy from 2,000 rpm to about 4,500. Even though this engine’s peak figures haven’t changed, it’s been tuned to deliver more midrange oomph and be more efficient.

This swanky SEL R-Line model with 4Motion all-wheel drive should return 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg highway. Combined, it’s rated at a competitive 24 mpg. In mixed motoring I’m averaging just about that much. An entry-level, front-drive Tiguan is, naturally, slightly more efficient, stickering at 23 mpg city and 30 on the highway. Either way, the vehicle is slightly more economical than last year. Depending on model and trim, it’s about 1 mpg more efficient.

Refinement has always been a hallmark of Volkswagen’s EA888 2.0-liter turbo engine, which does a convincing job of imitating a good V6. In this application, the engine is as smooth as ever, with scarcely any vibration being felt in the passenger compartment. Sure, it can sound a little grumbly at times, but it’s never obtrusive. The Tiguan’s standard eight-speed automatic transmission is just as refined, quickly swapping cogs as needed and willingly downshifting when you need to boogie. Prompt and polite, this gearbox is everything you could ask for.

As always, Volkswagen’s 2.0-liter turbo-four is a little jewel.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

For all this drivetrain’s virtues, it does have a couple minor downsides. First, the standard, fuel-saving automatic stop-start system, while super quick, is a bit jerky, causing the engine to judder when it fires up again. And second, the Tiguan feels a tiny bit soft when taking off from a standstill, like the throttle response is dulled. This is a minor complaint that can be rectified by being a little more aggressive than normal with the go-pedal.

Luxury-car refinement

When pushed, the Tiguan takes it all in stride. No, it’s not eager to play, but the Tiguan can handle roughhousing without issue.  Whether you’re hammering it through corners or bombing down rutted backroads, this SUV feels as solid as bedrock, like its structure is made from depleted uranium or some other incredibly dense material. The Tiguan has seemingly zero chassis flex and emits no squeaks or rattles, which makes it feel more like a luxury vehicle than something built by a mass-market manufacturer.

That structural stiffness translates into a super-refined ride. The Tiguan is firm over bumps, but never punishing, even with 20-inch wheels. Its ride is also surprisingly free of vibration or grittiness, which further underscores its luxury-rivaling refinement. As for steering feel, it is class competitive: Light to the touch but quick enough to feel agile.

Warding off accidents, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are all standard. Upping the ante, Volkswagen’s IQ Drive suite of aids is also included on all but the base S model, and there it’s priced at just $895. This includes lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and rear cross-traffic alert. Travel Assist — VW’s version of adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and lane centering — is bundled, too. In the Tiguan, this feature works as advertised, smoothly adjusting the vehicle’s speed as necessary and keeping it between the lines, though the lane-centering system isn’t quite as solid feeling as in vehicles from other manufacturers.

You could do a lot worse than the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Craig Cole/Roadshow
One of the best

The updated Tiguan should be available at Volkswagen dealers shortly. If you’re shopping for one of these SUVs, four trim levels are on the menu for 2022 instead of five like last year. The more streamlined range now includes S, SE, SE R-Line Black and highfalutin SEL R-Line, the model evaluated here. This example checks out for about $38,000 including $1,995 in delivery fees, not at all an unreasonable sum given how expensive vehicles have become. The base model is about 10 grand cheaper, with the S trim kicking off at $27,190, a starting price that puts the Tiguan right in line with competitors.

Thanks to its spacious and richly appointed interior, over-the-road refinement and generous features, the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan is one of my favorite compact SUVs. I easily prefer it over a Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4, but whether it’s better than a Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson or Mazda CX-5 is harder to say. Still, the fact that you can mention this VW in the same sentence as those segment leaders is great for the automaker and even better for drivers.

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