2021 Chrysler Pacifica vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica underwent a mid-generation refresh, resulting in a revised exterior. New standard LED headlights flanked the Pacifica’s new hexagonal grille, giving the front end a more muscular aesthetic compared to the previous three years. Despite this shift, the original design’s sophistication remained evident, especially as the eye moved from the front to the sides and rear. The back featured a new all-LED taillamp running the width of the model, with the Chrysler wing badge at its center. Chrysler also introduced six new wheel designs and the S Appearance Package, which included darkened features and black accents.

Inside, the Pacifica differentiated itself from competitors like the Toyota Sienna and Kia Sedona. While the Sienna emphasized spaciousness and the Sedona opted for a utility-vehicle-like design, the Pacifica balanced practicality with premium touches, especially in the top trims. The Pacifica Pinnacle, the highest grade, offered comfort, soft-touch materials, and classy finishes. The flat dashboard, anchored by a 10.1-inch touchscreen, featured Piano Black plastic trim with wood accents and real metal surrounds, making it the poshest new minivan on the market. Quilted leather seats, suede center row pillows, and Beber floor mats completed the upscale look.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan boasted clean lines and balanced proportions, resulting in a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. While some might have found its styling boring, the Tiguan’s design was likely to age well. The second-generation model corrected the size issues of its predecessor, offering a long-wheelbase version that made it nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. This upsizing resulted in a roomy interior with plenty of space for four people, and the optional third-row seat expanded capacity to seven, though it was best suited for children.

Inside, the Tiguan combined modern geometric forms with a no-nonsense control layout. The cabin featured shiny detailing, available digital instrumentation, and a well-integrated touchscreen infotainment system. However, the Tiguan’s interior had too much hard plastic to be mistaken for an Audi, and the steering wheel stalks felt flimsy. The SEL trim, tested with 4Motion AWD, had a window sticker price of $35,040, including the destination charge.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica offered two powertrain options: a traditional 3.6-liter V6 engine with 287 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, and a V6 hybrid engine paired with a dual-motor electrically variable transmission and a 16-kilowatt-hour battery, achieving 260 horsepower from the engine and 198 horsepower from its motors. The base Pacifica Touring and Touring L came standard with the V6 engine, while the upmarket Limited and Pinnacle trims offered either AWD or the hybrid powertrain. The AWD system, new to the Pacifica lineup, activated on-demand based on various driving conditions and deactivated to improve fuel efficiency when not needed. The Pacifica Hybrid had an all-electric range of over 30 miles and a total range of over 500 miles, delivering 82 MPGe and 30 mpg combined. The traditional V6 Pacifica achieved 19 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined, with AWD models seeing a slight decrease in fuel efficiency.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with the 4Motion AWD system available as a $1,400 option on most models and standard on the SEL Premium R-Line. The Tiguan’s powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making it feel breathless during passing maneuvers or when extra power was needed. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, but testing showed an average of 22.6 mpg for the AWD model. Despite its powertrain shortcomings, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light but responsive steering, a compliant ride, refined braking, and nimble handling. However, it struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and its tires gave up grip early in corners.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica was designed with family life in mind, offering spacious seating and practical storage solutions. The front seats provided ample space and a feeling of togetherness, with a padded center console lid replacing armrests. Storage options included an under-stack area with a rubberized bin, power-sliding rear doors, three-zone climate control, power windows, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, Stow ’n Go bucket seats with in-floor storage bins, and a Stow ’n Go third-row bench seat. The second-row under-console storage slid outward, providing a bin for charging cords, tissues, headphones, and art supplies. The second- and third-row seats offered plenty of legroom, with Stow ’n Go seats available even on AWD models. The Pacifica’s cargo area was spacious, with best-in-class total storage of 227.6 liters in the Pinnacle trim.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort, with large doors and tall seating hip points making entry and exit easy. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments for proper support and excellent visibility, with V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicking the real thing. The back seat provided generous legroom and foot space, air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, and soft front seatback material for added comfort. The Tiguan’s 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for carrying long items and four passengers simultaneously. 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, with maximum capacity ranging from 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica featured advanced technology, including hands-free sliding doors on mid-grade and above models. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system offered a modern and customizable interface, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The second-row in-seat entertainment system remained an option, with four new games added to the existing roster. The Pacifica offered a six-speaker sound system, with 13-speaker Alpine and 19- and 20-speaker Harman Kardon upgrades available. The Pinnacle model included FamCam, an interior monitoring camera with a rear-facing child seat view, split-view display, and zoom-to-seat feature.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and expanded features. Highlights included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and Car-Net connected services. The MIB3 system was an improvement, but the user interface had quirks, and the voice recognition technology was lacking. The standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music, while the SEL Premium R-Line’s nine-speaker Fender audio system offered better performance. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation.

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica came standard with 97 safety features, increasing to 100 in the Pinnacle trim. Key safety technologies included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, advanced brake assist, third-row lockout, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. The Pacifica received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with IQ Drive, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim 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. The Tiguan’s adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were effective but had some inconsistencies. The blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see, and the parking sensors were helpful but sometimes overly sensitive. The Tiguan earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.