2021 Cadillac Escalade vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade showcased design cues inspired by Cadillac's recent concept vehicles, particularly the Escala. The front end of the redesigned Escalade reflected this influence, while the rest of the vehicle maintained a familiar look. It featured standard 22-inch wheels, crisp creases along its sides, and tall, vertical OLED taillights that extended into the roof. The base model started at $76,195, with higher trims like the Premium Luxury and Sport offering more features and luxury, reaching up to $99,995 for the Platinum trim. Our test vehicle, equipped with Premium Luxury trim and several high-end options, had a sticker price of $102,310.

Inside, the Escalade's cabin was a significant upgrade from its predecessors. While the base Luxury trim came with black leatherette and a single wood trim choice, other trims offered standard leather with various perforation and quilting patterns. Platinum models featured semi-aniline premium leather, leather-wrapped interior panels, and a simulated suede headliner. Our test vehicle's Parchment leather and Tamo Ash wood trim looked impressive, though the light-colored carpets showed signs of soiling with less than 1,000 miles on the odometer. Despite the high price tag, some plastic elements in the lower dashboard and door panels were hard to overlook.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan, with its clean lines and balanced proportions, offered a conservative yet upscale design that promised to age well. It was notably large for its class, nearly matching the interior space of a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. This second-generation model corrected the size issues of its predecessor, providing a roomy and accommodating interior. The Tiguan could comfortably seat four people, with the option to carry five or even seven with the available third-row seat, though the third row was best suited for children.

Inside, the Tiguan featured modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout. The engine start button's placement on the center console was an oddity, but the cabin's somber tones were offset by shiny detailing and a well-integrated touchscreen infotainment system. However, the Tiguan's interior had more hard plastic than an Audi, and the steering wheel stalks felt somewhat flimsy. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, and SEL trims, with sporty R-Line variants offering additional design and equipment upgrades. Our test vehicle, an SEL with 4Motion AWD, had a window sticker price of $35,040.

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade offered a choice between a standard 6.2-liter V8 engine and a no-cost 3.0-liter turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder engine. Most buyers preferred the V8 for its sound and performance, delivering 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic transmission. The V8 featured direct fuel injection, an automatic stop/start system, and Dynamic Fuel Management technology, allowing it to operate on as few as two cylinders to improve fuel economy. Our 4WD test vehicle averaged 15.9 mpg on a 140-mile test loop, close to the EPA's estimate of 16 mpg combined.

The turbo-diesel engine produced 277 horsepower and the same torque as the V8, available sooner in the rev range. While official fuel economy estimates for the diesel Escalade were not final, the same engine achieved up to 27 mpg combined in the Chevy Silverado. The Escalade's ride and handling were significantly improved, thanks to a new independent rear suspension, Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 adaptive dampers, and 4-Corner Air Ride suspension. These features provided a smoother, more controlled ride, with minimal body motion and head toss. The Escalade excelled on freeways, offering a quiet and comfortable ride, though the brake pedal could have offered better modulation.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels, with 4Motion AWD available as an option. The engine was adequate but suffered from turbo lag, making it feel breathless during passing maneuvers or when merging onto freeways. Our AWD test vehicle averaged 22.6 mpg, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 24 mpg combined.

Despite its powertrain's shortcomings, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and refined braking action. It was nimble and maneuverable, ideal for urban and suburban driving. However, the suspension struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and the tires lost grip early in corners, encouraging a slower pace on curvy roads. On the highway, the Tiguan was quiet and composed, making long road trips more enjoyable.

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade's redesigned interior offered significant improvements in passenger room, comfort, and cargo capacity. The new independent rear suspension allowed for a lower floor, contributing to a more spacious cabin. Front-seat occupants enjoyed heated and ventilated seats, with massaging seats available in Platinum trim. The second-row captain's chairs were heated and offered generous leg support, while the power-release seats provided easy access to the third row, which could now comfortably accommodate adults.

Cargo capacity was also impressive, with 25.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 63 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 109.1 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. The extended-length Escalade ESV offered even more space, with 42.9, 81.5, and 126.6 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third, second, and first rows, respectively.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors, tall seating hip points, and a wide range of front seat adjustments. The V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided excellent support, generous legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for passengers. The Tiguan's large panoramic sunroof was a welcome feature, though storage space was limited.

The Tiguan's 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for flexible cargo and passenger arrangements. Cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on whether the SUV had the optional third-row seat. Maximum capacity ranged from 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet, providing ample space for various needs.

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade boasted a 38-inch curved OLED display, offering greater pixel density than a 4K television. The display included a 14.2-inch instrumentation screen and a 16.9-inch infotainment screen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. However, switching between different display views required navigating through multiple menus, which was less than ideal while driving. The voice recognition system struggled with some commands, and drivers could not change climate settings using voice commands.

The Escalade's AR navigation system superimposed directional turn arrows onto the camera view, and a 19-speaker AKG premium sound system was standard. The optional 36-speaker AKG Reference sound system provided sensational audio quality. A full-color head-up display was standard for all but the base Luxury trim, offering a wealth of information related to speed, audio, navigation, and a paired smartphone.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB3) platform, available starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing times, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a range of Car-Net connected services. However, the voice recognition technology was lacking, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with certain music tracks.

The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, offering an understated approach to technology and information display. The SEL Premium R-Line also included a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system, which was not available on lower trims.

The 2021 Cadillac Escalade's safety features included forward collision warning, automatic forward emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and a Safety Alert Seat. Teen Driver technology, parking assist sensors, a surround-view camera system, and a rear-seat reminder were also standard. Premium Luxury and Sport trims added blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The optional Driver Assist Tech Package included higher-speed forward emergency braking, rear emergency braking, automatic seatbelt tightening, and adaptive cruise control.

During testing, the Escalade's advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) worked smoothly, though there were a couple of false alarms. The forward-collision warning system issued an alert when no threat existed, and the adaptive cruise control mistakenly applied the brakes when identifying a slow-moving semi-truck as an obstacle. Later in the model year, Cadillac planned to offer its next-generation Super Cruise technology, providing hands-free, autonomous driving on limited-access highways.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came with the IQ Drive collection of ADAS, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. SE trim and above added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL included lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors.

During testing, the adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to recognize vehicles cutting into the gap ahead. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent, and the blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see. The parking sensors were helpful but sometimes overly sensitive, and the standard reversing camera provided a clear view. The SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view vantage point, and automatic post-collision braking was standard for all Tiguans. The Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.