2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV maintained a sleek and sophisticated appearance, indistinguishable from its non-hybrid counterparts except for a subtle “P400e” badge on the tailgate. The charging port was cleverly integrated into the grille, preserving the SUV's clean lines and avoiding any unnecessary styling changes. This approach underscored Land Rover's understanding that design is a crucial factor for buyers, ensuring the PHEV remained visually appealing despite its higher price tag.

Inside, the Range Rover Sport PHEV exuded luxury with high-quality materials throughout the cabin. The test vehicle, priced at $93,200 with options, featured striking Firenze Red paint, a black roof, and 21-inch aluminum wheels, enhancing its already impressive presence. The interior offered excellent front-seat comfort with heated and ventilated seats, though the narrow inboard armrests were less comfortable than the padded center console armrest. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed a tall riding position and ample thigh support, with the panoramic glass roof adding a touch of brightness to the black-on-black interior.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, on the other hand, showcased clean lines and balanced proportions, offering a conservative yet upscale and timeless aesthetic. Its larger size for a compact crossover provided a roomy and accommodating interior, nearly matching the space of larger SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. The Tiguan's interior was designed with modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout, though it featured some hard plastics and flimsy steering wheel stalks.

Comfort was a highlight inside the Tiguan, with large doors and tall seating hip points making entry and exit easy. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments and excellent outward visibility, while the back seat provided generous legroom and foot space. The optional third-row seat expanded passenger capacity to seven, though it was best suited for children. The Tiguan's cargo space was usefully shaped, with deep wells on each side and levers in the cargo area to fold the rear seatbacks flat, offering between 33 and 37.6 cubic feet of space behind the second row.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a 141-hp electric motor and a 13-kWh battery, producing a total of 398 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. Despite Land Rover's claim of up to 31 miles of all-electric driving range, the test vehicle struggled to stay in EV mode, often switching to the gasoline engine. The SUV averaged 41.9 mpg in EV mode and 25.5 mpg over a 60-mile loop, a modest improvement over previous models.

The Range Rover Sport PHEV offered quick acceleration and a comfortable ride, thanks to its adaptive air suspension and various driving modes. However, the regenerative brakes were grabby, making smooth stops difficult. The SUV retained its off-roading capability, with an 8-speed automatic transmission, permanent 4WD, and multiple traction settings. Recharging the battery took 14 hours using a standard household outlet, but the battery often failed to reach full capacity overnight.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 4Motion AWD system was optional on most models and standard on the SEL Premium R-Line. The engine suffered from turbo lag, making it feel breathless during passing maneuvers, and the test model's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception.

The Tiguan averaged 22.6 mpg during testing, slightly below the EPA's combined rating of 24 mpg for AWD models. Despite its lackluster acceleration, the Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and refined braking action. However, the suspension struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and the tires lacked grip in corners, encouraging a more relaxed driving style. On the highway, the Tiguan was quiet and composed, making long road trips enjoyable.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV's higher price tag came with a compromise in cargo space. The battery's placement beneath the raised cargo floor reduced the standard version's already tight 27.5-cubic-foot space behind the back seat. The SUV could comfortably transport five people, but practical storage was limited, especially with the optional refrigerated center console bin. Front-seat comfort was excellent, with heated and ventilated seats offering a wide range of adjustments. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed a tall riding position and good thigh support, with the panoramic glass roof adding brightness to the interior.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in comfort, with large doors and tall seating hip points making entry and exit easy. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments and excellent outward visibility, while the back seat provided generous legroom and foot space. The optional third-row seat expanded passenger capacity to seven, though it was best suited for children. The Tiguan's cargo space was usefully shaped, with deep wells on each side and levers in the cargo area to fold the rear seatbacks flat, offering between 33 and 37.6 cubic feet of space behind the second row.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system was complex and occasionally frustrating to use. Despite spending an hour setting up the system, the reviewer experienced occasional trouble accessing specific features and functions. The system sometimes behaved unexpectedly, showing information not requested or exhibiting delayed reactions to input. The lack of haptic feedback from the touchscreen added to the frustration, making the technology challenging for technophobes.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system, available starting with the SE trim. MIB3 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing times, and expanded features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The system was an improvement, but the voice recognition technology was lacking, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL Premium R-Line's nine-speaker Fender premium audio system was a better option. Both the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, offering an understated approach to technology and information display.

The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came with numerous advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), but the onboard technology could easily distract the driver. The optional Driver Assist Package included a new steering-assist system, which could be aggressive and induce head-toss. The lane-keeping assist system worked abruptly, leading the reviewer to shut off these features. Crash-test ratings were unavailable, but the SUV's nearly 5,500-pound weight provided a sense of security in collisions.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control was standard starting with SE trim, while the SEL added lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking, but was slow to accelerate when traffic cleared. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent, and the blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see. The Tiguan's parking sensors could be overly sensitive, and the reversing camera provided a clear view. The SUV earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.