2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Kia Sorento

The 2021 Kia Sorento represented a significant departure from its previous generation, shedding its jelly-bean-inspired design for a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package featured roof rails, a shark fin antenna, and a rear roof spoiler, enhancing its rugged appeal. The front showcased an expansive tiger-nose grille with a noticeable curve, complemented by squinting headlights and running lights. A silver accent between the front fender and the door added a touch of sophistication. Despite the large D-pillar, the Sorento's design was stylish and modern, with vertical rectangle taillights that were cohesive and likely to age well. The interior boasted high-value features, including heated outside mirrors, second-row air vents, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and keyless entry. The seats, especially in the SX Prestige trim, were comfortable and supportive, with real perforated leather upholstery.

In contrast, the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. Its clean lines and balanced proportions were designed to age well. The Tiguan was large for its class, providing a roomy and accommodating interior with plenty of space for four people, and an optional third-row seat expanded passenger capacity to seven. The interior featured modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout, with shiny detailing, digital instrumentation, and a flush touchscreen infotainment system. However, the presence of hard plastic and flimsy steering wheel stalks detracted from its premium feel. The Tiguan's SEL trim with 4Motion AWD and no additional options had a window sticker price of $35,040, including the destination charge.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of powertrains, with the most common being a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and was available in both FWD and AWD configurations. However, the test car featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with a wet clutch to AWD. This setup provided ample power for merging, cruising, and passing. The Sorento also had a hybrid version with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, available only in FWD. The AWD system included torque vectoring and a center-locking differential for improved traction. The suspension, consisting of McPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in the rear, ensured a smooth and comfortable ride. The Sorento's various drive modes, including Eco, Normal, and Sport, offered different driving experiences, with Sport mode providing the most responsive throttle. Despite its 4,000-pound weight, the Sorento handled corners well without excessive body lean.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with the 4Motion AWD system available as an option. While the powertrain was adequate, it suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing maneuvers or when extra power was needed. The Tiguan's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception of lethargy. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 25 mpg combined for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD, but the test vehicle averaged 22.6 mpg. Despite these drawbacks, the Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light but responsive steering, a compliant ride, refined braking, and nimble handling. However, the suspension struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and the tires lacked grip in corners. On the highway, the Tiguan was quiet and composed, making long road trips enjoyable.

The 2021 Kia Sorento was practical as a three-row SUV, but the third row was too tight for adults, making it more suitable as a four-seater. The upper trims featured second-row captain's chairs, while the lower trims had a second-row bench seat. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 12.6 cubic feet, but folding the seats increased total cargo volume to 75.5 cubic feet. The front seats and second-row captain's chairs provided ample legroom, with 41.4 inches and 41.7 inches, respectively. The Sorento offered various storage solutions, including a spot for a phone, cupholders, a center console bucket, and door pockets. The second-row seats also had built-in cupholders in the rear doors.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors and tall seating hip points for easy entry and exit. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments, ensuring proper support and excellent outward visibility. The V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided generous legroom and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for passengers. The Tiguan's 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for flexible cargo and passenger configurations. 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 cargo capacity varied from 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet. The Tiguan also featured a large panoramic sunroof, a slot for wireless smartphone charging, and deep, roomy wells in the cargo area for carrying items securely.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of tech features, with the smaller 8-inch touchscreen display standard on LX, S, and EX trims. This display included hard buttons, volume and tuning knobs, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger 10.25-inch screen on the SX and SX Prestige trims featured haptic touch buttons, retained the knobs, and was easy to navigate. However, the larger screen required a physical connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the right third of the screen displayed redundant information. The Sorento had plenty of USB ports but lacked USB-C ports. The optional Bose stereo system was decent but not exceptional. The navigation system needed improvement, particularly in voice search and Point-of-Interest search functions.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim. MIB3 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and an expanded range of features, including 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 Tiguan's MIB3 system was an improvement, but the user interface had some 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 premium audio system was a better option. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims also featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, offering an understated approach to technology and information display.

The 2021 Kia Sorento came equipped with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a driver-attention warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, and auto high beams. The test car also had a surround-view camera and front- and rear-camera views at low speeds. The adaptive cruise control worked smoothly, but the lane-keeping assist system occasionally made excessive corrections. The NHTSA awarded the Sorento four out of five stars overall, with perfect scores in side-impact crash tests. The IIHS awarded the Sorento a Top Safety Pick designation, with the SX trim levels receiving top marks for their LED headlights.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including 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 adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to accelerate when traffic cleared. The lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent. The blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see, and the parking sensors were helpful but sometimes overly sensitive. The Tiguan's reversing camera provided a clear view, and the SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view. Car-Net connected services included automatic collision notification, emergency calling, and Family Guardian alerts. The IIHS awarded the Tiguan a Top Safety Pick rating for the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, while the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.