2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen had completely overhauled the Tiguan for the 2018 model year, introducing an all-new second generation of its compact crossover SUV. This redesign addressed the original Tiguan’s biggest shortcoming—its small size—and aimed to make it more competitively priced against rivals like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. The result was a vehicle that maintained a stylish and conservatively German exterior, though some cost-cutting measures were evident upon closer inspection.

The Tiguan’s exterior styling was contemporary Volkswagen, featuring clean and simple lines with a new flat logo on a horizontal grille that connected the headlights. The design was straightforward, avoiding any adventurous or cartoonish elements. Inside, however, the Tiguan’s interior was plain, with dull surfaces and hard black plastic. While the optional digital dashboard and glass-covered touchscreen infotainment system were highlights, the overall cockpit design felt simplified and less luxurious than previous Volkswagen interiors.

Lincoln made a smart move by not emulating its rivals' style when designing the Aviator. The Aviator, which arrived as a 2020 model and carried over to 2021 mostly unchanged, adopted the sharp and chrome-heavy design language of the larger Navigator. This resulted in a striking vehicle with crisp lines and a luxurious appearance.

Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a cabin defined by comfort and warmth. Soft-touch materials, chrome accents, and a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen dominated the dash. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes for alerts added to the Aviator’s air of class and luxury. The Aviator offered various trims, each adding more features and luxury, culminating in the Grand Touring Black Label trim with nearly every optional feature as standard equipment.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine drove either the front or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Tiguan’s powertrain was tuned for torque, providing a snappy throttle response and minimal turbo lag. However, with a curb weight of 3,757 pounds for the front-drive model and 3,847 pounds for the AWD model, the Tiguan was only moderately quick, especially when fully loaded.

The Tiguan’s handling was impacted by its larger size and longer wheelbase, making it less nimble than some competitors. The suspension was soft, ensuring a comfortable ride even on rough roads. The Tiguan’s steering firmed up in sport mode but remained light in normal mode. While not the most fun-to-drive compact crossover, the Tiguan offered a quiet and refined driving experience with good insulation from wind and road noise.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in its Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, increasing output to 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, with up to 21 miles of pure electric range.

The Aviator’s hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration and a smooth swell of power, though the vehicle’s heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The long wheelbase made maneuvering in tight spaces challenging. The Aviator’s drive mode selector offered modes like “Excite” and “Conserve,” with the former providing a more engaging driving experience. Overall, the Aviator was well-suited for highways and suburban driving but less composed in city environments.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in practicality, starting with its second-row seats that could slide up to seven inches fore and aft, making the third row more usable. While the third row was not spacious, it provided enough legroom for shorter adults and was comfortable for kids. Front-drive Tiguans came standard with the third row, while AWD models offered it as a $595 option.

The Tiguan’s split second-row seats folded flat, providing 65.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row collapsed. Two-row Tiguans offered 73.5 cubic feet of cargo space, more than many competitors but slightly less than the Honda CR-V. The Tiguan’s front seats offered plenty of hip and shoulder room, and the vehicle felt roomy due to its abundant glass and seating position.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, which could be power-folded to increase capacity to 41.8 cubic feet. With all rear seats folded, the Aviator offered 77.7 cubic feet of cargo space, excellent for a midsize luxury SUV. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The Aviator’s second row was particularly comfortable, especially in the Grand Touring model with captain's chairs, a center console, and a digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio controls. The use of power-button door releases was a potential issue, as they might be problematic if the battery died.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the MIB II infotainment system, which was set to be replaced by MIB3 the following year. The current system was already one of the best on the market, with a 6.5-inch touchscreen in the base S trim and an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen in higher trims. The system was responsive and user-friendly, with bright colors and graphics.

The Tiguan S had a single USB-C port, while higher trims had two USB-A ports in the front and one in the second row. A wireless charging pad was available in higher trims. VW’s Digital Cockpit, a fully digital instrument panel, was available on top SEL trims, offering customizable displays and a panoramic map view. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and a WiFi hotspot were standard.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Sync 3 infotainment system. The screen’s landscape format made for a natural layout, and the system was easy to use with a sensible menu layout. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with large icons that took up the whole screen.

The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with large, crisp graphics. The HUD used multiple muted colors, making it easy on the eyes.

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan improved its standard safety package, adding forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. However, adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assistance and LED headlights with automatic high beams were reserved for the top SEL trim. VW’s Car-Net telematics package connected the vehicle to an owner’s smartphone or watch, offering remote locking and unlocking, status checks, and vehicle location.

The Tiguan had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA, but the IIHS rated it a Top Safety Pick for SEL Premium models with LED headlights. Most Tiguans had halogen headlights, which the IIHS rated poor.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features as part of the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Grand Touring model added the Co-Pilot 360 Plus package, which included reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control.

The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade from the IIHS.