2025 VW Tiguan Review: A Budget Luxury SUV with Premium Features

Exterior Design and Platform

• 🥑 The 2025 VW Tiguan features a new "avocado green pearl" color option, a pearlescent medium green with silver undertones, designed to stand out.
• 🚀 It rides on the new MQB Evo platform, shared with other Volkswagen performance models, and features a larger, chunkier design with a 184-inch length and 109-inch wheelbase.
• ✨ Notable exterior design elements include an exaggerated front grille, a continuous LED light bar, illuminated Volkswagen logo, and optional 20-inch wheels.
• 🌍 The US market receives only the long-wheelbase, two-row version of the Tiguan, unlike the short-wheelbase and three-row options available globally.

Interior Comfort and Technology

• 🪞 The interior boasts a premium feel, especially with the "brown interior" option featuring hexagon quilting, perforation, white stitching, and piping.
• 💺 The rear seats offer ample headroom and comfort for adults, though the center seat has a significant intrusion; heated rear seats and climate control vents are included.
• 📱 The cockpit is dominated by a large 15-inch touchscreen (standard 12.9-inch) with a colorful, app-based layout, though climate controls require navigating submenus.
• 💆‍♀️ Premium features include driver and front passenger massage seats with multiple programs, a feature uncommon in this vehicle class.
• 💡 Ambient lighting offers 30 settings to change the interior's vibe, including integrated lights across the dashboard, though their long-term utility is questioned.

Performance and Driving Dynamics

• 🐎 The 201 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (shared with the Golf GTI) provides decent acceleration off the line, with a torque wave around 1500 RPM.
• ⚙️ The 8-speed automatic transmission can be hesitant to downshift for passing, and the engine is described as coarse, though reliable due to its widespread use.
• 🤫 The cabin is exceptionally quiet, with good isolation from road and wind noise, contributing to a comfortable driving experience.
• 🛣️ The suspension is tuned on the firmer side, providing an adequate ride, though the 20-inch wheels may exacerbate small road imperfections.

Cargo and Practicality

• 📦 The power liftgate reveals approximately 26.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to over 58 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.
• 🏕️ The flat load floor is a significant advantage for car camping, though the cargo area might be slightly short for individuals over 6 feet tall.
• 🛠️ A spare tire (donut) is included under the cargo area, along with a subwoofer for the Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio system.

Criticisms and Competitors

• 📉 A major drawback is the lack of hybrid or plug-in hybrid options, resulting in a combined fuel economy of only 25 MPG, which is considered insufficient compared to competitors like the RAV4 Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid.
• 🖱️ The reliance on haptic controls for functions like the panoramic sunroof and the clunky interface for climate control are noted as minor frustrations.
• 🏆 The Tiguan competes with models like the RAV4, CR-V, and Nissan Rogue, offering premium features like massaging seats and a luxurious interior, positioning it as a strong contender in the budget luxury segment.