2020 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Kia Seltos

Volkswagen completely revamped the Tiguan for the 2018 model year, marking the introduction of an all-new second-generation compact crossover SUV. This redesign not only addressed the previous Tiguan’s major flaw—its relatively small size—but also aimed to touch upon the high price point, which had often been a dealbreaker when compared to the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The result was a vehicle that maintained Volkswagen's signature stylish and conservatively German appearance but also showed signs of cost-cutting if inspected closely.

The Tiguan’s exterior retained clean and simple lines, consistent with contemporary Volkswagen designs. The new flat logo graced a horizontal grille that extended across the front fascia, blending seamlessly with the headlights. The overall look was absent of adventurous elements; there were no aggressive or cartoonish features. Volkswagen's design ethos rested on producing cars that appeared as cars, a simplistic approach that appeals to many.

Inside, however, the Tiguan’s interiors came across as plain. Volkswagen, which was once lauded for its superior interiors, added dull surfaces and hard black plastic in the Tiguan. Such a design would likely not have met Volkswagen’s high standards from a few decades ago. Describing the cockpit as "simple" was generous, while "boring" was more accurate. The brand seemed to have simplified the interior to align it with its competition, possibly reallocating funds to enhance the vehicle's electronics. The standout features inside were the optional digital dashboard and the glass-covered touchscreen infotainment system, which provided a modern, smartphone-like aesthetic.

Despite being classified as a subcompact SUV, the 2021 Kia Seltos exuded a big-car feel with its upright layout and commanding view of the road. The headlight design, although a bit busy, blended well with the grille styling. While the Seltos wasn’t designed for off-roading like a Jeep, its lower front bumper had an aggressive approach angle that hinted at its off-road capabilities. The test model featured a two-tone roof design, a popular trend among many modern SUVs, and red circles around the wheel centers that hinted at its on-road driving dynamics. The overall design comprised many elements, but they worked together harmoniously.

Inside, the Seltos showcased an intuitively straightforward design layout, consistent with modern Kias. The clean lines and seamlessly integrated tech features bore influences from more upscale brands, like Audi. The clean LCD screen for the climate controls added a layer of visual symmetry with the touchscreen atop the dash. The “handle” framing on the right side of the tray below the center stack was a nice touch, underscoring the utilitarian yet sporty nature that Kia aimed for with the Seltos.

Kia offered the Seltos in five trim levels: LX, S, EX, S Turbo, and SX Turbo. The base LX trim included 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, remote keyless entry, and power windows with a one-touch-down driver’s window, along with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims incorporated more luxurious features such as combination leatherette-and-cloth upholstery, 17-inch machine finished alloy wheels, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen in the top SX Turbo trim.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a hallmark of Volkswagen’s powertrains. This engine delivered 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, focusing more on torque than horsepower. It could drive either the front wheels or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, with AWD being a $1,300 option.

Given the Tiguan's substantial size, this torque was essential. With a curb weight of 3,757 pounds for the front-wheel-drive model and 3,847 pounds for the AWD model, the Tiguan was heavier by about 275-300 pounds compared to a Honda CR-V. Despite its weight, the Tiguan’s powertrain offered a responsive throttle with minimal turbo lag, and the automatic transmission downshifted quickly and smoothly. However, on a fully loaded Tiguan, highway passing required some patience.

Noise insulation was a strong point for the Tiguan. It had a relatively muted engine sound, and even when the turbo-four revved high, it produced deep and refined notes. The cabin was well insulated from wind noise, making it a quiet highway cruiser, though some road noise did filter through the tires and suspension on rough surfaces.

Handling was influenced by the Tiguan’s larger size. Its longer wheelbase compared to competitors made it less nimble. The Tiguan’s suspension was soft, ensuring a comfortable driving experience on uneven surfaces. The steering felt too light in normal mode but firmed up slightly in sport mode, albeit not enough to significantly improve the driving experience. While it wasn’t the most fun to drive, the Tiguan’s larger size did offer a lot of practical benefits.

The Kia Seltos offered two engine options. The LX, S, and EX trims were powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that powered either the front wheels or all four wheels. AWD was standard on the LX and EX trims and optional on the S trim.

The base engine performed adequately for city driving and parking lot maneuvers, but it lacked vigor at higher speeds. For a more robust driving experience, the turbocharged engine available in the S Turbo and SX Turbo trims was recommended. This 1.6-liter turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engine generated 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The turbocharged engine provided ample power, especially at low speeds. It could spin the tires from a green light and offered enough power for confident highway merging and passing. The steering, however, felt light until the Drive Mode dial was engaged, offering Normal, Sport, and Smart modes. In Sport mode, throttle response and shift mapping became more responsive, and the steering tightened, matching the car's brisk acceleration.

Despite its upright design and 7.3 inches of ground clearance, the Seltos exhibited minimal body roll in turns. Sport mode made turn-in feel quick and nimble, and higher-speed turns felt planted and level. The ride remained smooth over bumps, delivering a combination of attributes more typical of a luxury SUV.

While the performance of the Tiguan might not have been its strongest suit, its practicality made up for it. The second row of seats could slide up to seven inches fore and aft, making the third row more useful. Though the third row wasn’t spacious, it offered enough legroom for shorter adults, and children might even find it cozy.

Front-drive Tiguans included the third row as standard, while AWD models were standard five-seaters with the third row available as a $595 option. The main issue with the third row was the low cushion position relative to the floor, though it was still roomier than many third rows in larger vehicles. Accessing the third row was easy, thanks to a simple latch at the top of either outboard second-row seat.

The second-row seats folded flat, increasing the cargo hold to 65.7 cubic feet with the third row collapsed. In two-row Tiguans, this cargo space bumped up to 73.5 cubic feet, surpassing the capacity available in the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4 but falling short of the 75.8 cubic feet offered by the Honda CR-V.

The driver’s seat provided a roomy feel, comparable to midsize SUVs like the Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot. The Tiguan’s wide beam allowed for plenty of hip and shoulder room in the front seats. The vehicle seemed roomier due to its abundant glass and seating position, making the Tiguan feel larger than it was. This sense of spaciousness could appeal to those downsizing from larger SUVs as well as those upgrading from smaller vehicles.

The Kia Seltos offered substantial cargo space for a subcompact SUV, boasting 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expanding to 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. This capacity made it one of the most spacious in its segment, even outclassing some compact SUVs. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover that also functioned as a tray for small items.

Storage was ample, with numerous cubbies and compartments spread throughout both rows. Front passengers enjoyed large door cubbies, bottle holders, a spacious center console, and a tray between the driver and front passenger.

The Seltos provided impressive rear-seat space, with generous headroom and legroom, a feature that was once rare among subcompact SUVs. This spaciousness set the Seltos apart, delivering comfort typically expected from higher-tier small crossovers.

Volkswagen equipped the Tiguan with an infotainment system dubbed "MIB II," though it was set to be upgraded to "MIB3" the following year. The current system was highly regarded, making it one of the best in the market despite the impending update. The base S trim featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen display, standard for many competitors, while SE and higher trims offered an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen, praised for its responsiveness and display quality.

The Tiguan S included a single USB-C port in the front, while higher trims had two USB-A ports in front of the gearshift lever and a third in the second row. A wireless charging pad was available in higher trims, providing another charging option.

VW’s Digital Cockpit, available on top SEL trims, featured a fully digital, customizable instrument panel, capable of displaying a panoramic map. This helped Volkswagen stay ahead of the curve, complementing the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces, Bluetooth connectivity, and a WiFi hotspot.

The base S trim of the Seltos came with a 3.5-inch TFT digital screen in the instrument panel and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The range-topping SX Turbo trim offered a Bose premium sound system, a 7-inch digital display screen in the instrument panel, and a large 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This large touchscreen could display Apple CarPlay/Android Auto while still having excess space for radio, climate, or navigation data.

However, plugging in a smartphone via USB sometimes resulted in the system defaulting to the phone’s audio output, which could be frustrating. Another quirk involved the two USB ports: only one allowed data connection, while the backlit one only provided power. Despite these inconveniences, Kia’s infotainment system was intuitive, helped by a home button and redundant hard buttons below the touchscreen, ensuring simple menu navigation.

Volkswagen enhanced the Tiguan’s standard safety package for the 2020 model year, adding forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional safety features such as adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and LED headlights with automatic high beams were reserved for the top SEL trim. Compared to the base models of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, which included adaptive cruise features, VW's offerings were limited but were set to improve in 2021.

2020 Tiguan models featured VW’s Car-Net, a telematics package that connected to an owner’s smartphone or watch via an app, offering remote locking and unlocking, status checks, and vehicle location for five years. Higher trim levels with navigation could receive real-time parking information and points of interest from an owner's phone. Car-Net provided roadside assistance and geofencing for teen drivers, with an upgrade plan available for $99 per year, including emergency assistance and antitheft features.

The Tiguan earned a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) but only for the SEL Premium models with LED headlights. Most Tiguans, equipped with halogen headlights, received a poor rating.

The Kia Seltos came standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches. All trims except the base LX included advanced driver-assistance systems like forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams.

The EX trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included adaptive cruise control with idle stop-and-go and cyclist detection. The SX trim also featured a function that could determine if it was safe to exit the vehicle when parallel-parked.

While these features were not standard, their presence set the Seltos apart in its class. The Kia Seltos's infotainment system also featured a “driver assistance” alert, letting drivers know when the vehicle ahead had pulled away during stops, preventing delayed reactions at traffic lights.