2021 Hyundai Tucson vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson presented a futuristic design, accented by its upright layout that gave drivers excellent visibility of the road. The interior featured a modern and attractive dashboard, where tech features seamlessly integrated into the overall aesthetic. Trims for the Tucson included SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate, each offering varying levels of standard and optional features.

The base SE trim came with 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, a digital driver information display, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upgrading to the Value trim provided additional features like LED headlight accents, heated side mirrors, roof rails, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, HD radio, and a one-touch driver’s power window.

The SEL trim added 18-inch alloy wheels and upgraded exterior accents, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control and a USB power outlet for rear-seat passengers. The Sport trim enhanced the Tucson's exterior with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, and fog lights. It also offered interior luxuries like wireless device charging and an Infinity premium audio system.

For those seeking premium elements, the Limited trim incorporated a 360-degree camera system, integrated side-mirror turn signals, chrome accents, leather upholstery, and an eight-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat. The top-of-the-line Ultimate trim featured a color trip computer, rain-sensing wipers, an 8-inch touchscreen, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was revered for its clean lines and balanced proportions, showcasing a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. The second-generation Tiguan addressed size concerns from its predecessor, offering a larger compact crossover with a long-wheelbase version that rivaled vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.

It featured a roomy interior, supporting four to five adults comfortably, and an optional small third-row seat for seven-passenger capacity. The interior followed German design principles with geometric forms and a straightforward control layout, except for the engine start button's uncommon placement on the center console. While the cabin had some hard plastic elements, it was dressed up with shiny detailing, digital instrumentation, and an integrated touchscreen display.

The Tiguan came in S, SE, and SEL trims, with two additional sporty variants: SE R-Line Black and SEL Premium R-Line. The base model started at $25,245, with the top-tier SEL Premium R-Line reaching $39,095, not including the $1,195 destination charge.

Our test model, an SEL trim with 4Motion AWD, cost $35,040, including the destination charge.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson featured a base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque, which felt underwhelming in both city and highway driving. The SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate trims offered a more powerful 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine generating 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, which improved town driving but still felt strained at higher speeds. Both engines paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and provided options for FWD or AWD.

The Tucson delivered a comfortable and refined ride with a well-balanced suspension, ideal for daily commutes. It allowed a towing capacity of 1,500 pounds with the base engine and 2,000 pounds with the 2.4-liter engine.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan housed a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine boasting 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,600 rpm. The power was managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, defaulting to FWD but offering a 4Motion AWD system for an additional $1,400 on most models. The SEL Premium R-Line featured AWD as standard.

While the powertrain was generally adequate, it suffered from turbocharger lag, especially when quick acceleration was needed. The Tiguan's heavy curb weight of nearly 4,000 pounds added to its sluggish feel during overtaking maneuvers.

The EPA rated the Tiguan with 25 mpg in combined driving for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD, but our testing saw only 22.6 mpg with AWD. Despite this, the Tiguan's light steering, comfortable ride, and nimble handling made it well-suited for urban and suburban environments. However, its suspension could be unrefined over sharp bumps.

On highways, the Tiguan excelled with a quiet and composed ride, although its tires weren't conducive to spirited driving. Overall, it provided a pleasant experience for long road trips.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was slightly below average for the compact SUV segment. Nevertheless, it provided adequate space for weekend trips or large boxes. The Sport trim and higher came with a hands-free power liftgate for added convenience.

Inside, the Tucson provided ample front-seat headroom and legroom, with comfortable and supportive seats suitable for long journeys. The rear seats met the needs of adult passengers for short road trips. Numerous cubbies and compartments were scattered throughout the cabin, offering practical storage solutions.

In contrast, the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prided itself on comfort and ease of access, thanks to large doors and tall seating positions. The front seats had wide adjustment ranges for optimal support and visibility. The V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather well, and the dual-zone climate control kept the cabin comfortable.

The Tiguan excelled in rear-seat comfort, providing ample legroom, foot space, and occupant support. Rear passengers benefitted from air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, and soft front seatback materials, making it accommodating even for the tallest riders. The rear seat design also allowed for easy accommodation of child safety seats.

The available panoramic sunroof enhanced the cabin’s spacious feel, while storage solutions included a large glovebox and fabric-lined door panel bins. However, the Tiguan's main storage area was limited. It featured a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, which allowed for carrying long items and passengers simultaneously. The cargo space ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on the presence of the optional third-row seat, and expanded to a maximum of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen, with the larger screen available as an option on other trims. The touchscreen was user-friendly, featuring logical menu layouts and backup hard buttons for straightforward operation. Additional available features included navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

Volkswagen made significant updates to the 2021 Tiguan's infotainment system, introducing the MIB3 platform starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen with faster processing, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a host of Car-Net connected services. These services provided benefits like remote engine starting, automatic crash notification, and Family Guardian safe teen driving settings.

While the MIB3 system improved functionality, it came with some user interface quirks and subpar voice recognition technology. The standard six-speaker system in all trims except the SEL Premium R-Line struggled with sound quality at higher volumes. The SEL Premium R-Line featured a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system, known for its quality but not offered as an option on other trims.

Both the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims included Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, maintaining an understated yet functional approach to technology and information display.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided a robust suite of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. For more advanced features such as adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, a 360-degree parking monitor, and blind-spot monitoring, higher trims were necessary.

The Tucson earned high safety ratings, achieving five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" accolade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Every 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came equipped with the IQ Drive suite of advanced driver assistance systems, featuring forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim and higher added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL offered lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and the SEL Premium R-Line included automatic high-beam headlights. Parking sensors were standard on all but the S and SE trims.

Adaptive cruise control in the Tiguan provided smooth braking but was slow to react to lane changes or gaps closing ahead. The lane-keeping assist proved effective though occasionally inconsistent. The blind-spot warning indicator was visibly placed on the mirror housing.

Despite the inclusion of multiple safety systems, the Tiguan's parking sensors could be overly sensitive, sometimes causing abrupt stops. The reversing camera provided a clear view, but the top-down surround-view required SEL Premium R-Line trim. The Tiguan's safety record included a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS for the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims due to high-performing LED headlights, although complete NHTSA crash test results were pending.