2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan showcased a clean and balanced aesthetic that emphasized conservative, upscale, and timeless lines. This SUV, despite its understated styling, possessed a beauty that appealed to those with a taste for elegance that aged well. Volkswagen had learned from the first-generation Tiguan's mistake of offering a size that did not resonate with the compact crossover market, correcting course with a second-generation model that included a long-wheelbase version. As a result, the Tiguan was nearly as spacious inside as competitors like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. Moreover, the Tiguan's upsizing brought a roomy and accommodating interior suitable for four to five adults comfortably, and a third-row seat could extend capacity to seven, with at least three being children. The third row was optional for AWD Tiguans. The interior design mirrored many German automakers' penchant for modern geometric forms and practical layouts, though the engine start button's positioning on the center console was unusual. Despite its somber tones, Volkswagen added shiny detailing, optional digital instrumentation, and a seamlessly integrated touchscreen infotainment system. However, the Tiguan's extensive use of hard plastic and the flimsy feel of the steering wheel stalks made it clear this was not an Audi. The 2021 Tiguan came in S, SE, and SEL trims, with sporty R-Line variants enhancing these offerings. Prices ranged from $25,245 to $39,095, exclusive of a $1,195 destination charge from its Puebla, Mexico, plant. A typical test vehicle with SEL trim, 4Motion AWD, and no options cost $35,040, including the destination charge. In contrast, the 2021 Ford Escape straddled the line between SUV and hatchback, with a curved nose and sleek roofline reminiscent of a larger Ford Focus. This gave the Escape a car-like appearance but maintained the tall ride height characteristic of an SUV. It was less truck-like than rivals such as the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, though more generic compared to the 2021 Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape offered new appearance packages across three of its four trims, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package, adding features like 19-inch alloy wheels and unique upholstery and trim details. Despite the exterior cohesiveness, the interior design featured odd choices, such as an angular instrument cluster that clashed with the overall aesthetics, and materials felt low-rent, even in the top-tier Titanium trim. The lack of standard leather in the Titanium trim and the necessity to upgrade to SEL for dual-zone climate control highlighted these discrepancies.

Every 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 lb-ft of torque at a low 1,600 rpm. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels by default, offered an optional 4Motion AWD system for $1,400, standard on the SEL Premium R-Line. Though the powertrain was adequate, it exhibited turbocharger lag, causing a delay in acceleration. Once the turbo spooled up, the engine delivered a satisfying performance. However, the Tiguan’s nearly 4,000-pound curb weight made the engine feel less vigorous during tasks like passing or freeway entry. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined for FWD models and 24 mpg for AWD. However, real-world testing yielded an average of 22.6 mpg for the AWD variant, with no significant fuel economy rewards for the drivetrain lag. Despite this, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience, with light but responsive steering, a soft ride, refined braking, and nimble handling ideal for urban environments. Unrefined characteristics emerged over sharp speed bumps and railroad tracks. The SUV remained quiet and composed on the highway, enhancing long road trip experiences. The 2021 Ford Escape offered more powertrain flexibility, including two gasoline engines and hybrid options. The base model featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine generating 181 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque, combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission. AWD was optional. A more powerful 2.0-liter turbo-four engine delivered 250 hp and 280 lb-ft, available exclusively with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, offering 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery facilitated significant electric-only driving, but it only came in FWD. While the three-cylinder engine seemed an unlikely choice for an SUV, it proved adequate, and the hybrid’s seamless transition between electric and gasoline propulsion was commendable. However, the 2020 Escape's chassis tuning issues, including sloppy suspension and steering, persisted into 2021, making all models less enjoyable to drive. For 2021, Ford also included a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package for 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models, with the 2.0-liter variant having a 3,500-pound towing capacity.

The Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with easy ingress and egress due to its large doors and tall seating positions, while front seats offered extensive adjustments, ensuring support and excellent visibility. The perforated V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather effectively, and the dual-zone climate control system worked well. Rear-seat space was generous, with excellent legroom and back support. Features like air conditioning vents, USB ports, and soft front seatback material added to passenger comfort. Importantly, the Tiguan accommodated reverse-facing child seats with ample clearance. Optional features included a large panoramic sunroof with a wind deflector to minimize noise and buffeting. While overall storage space was limited, the Tiguan offered a well-designed cargo area with deep wells and a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat. Cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on the presence of a third row, and a maximum of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet with seats folded. The Ford Escape, despite its car-like exterior, boasted commendable interior space, matching or surpassing traditional compact SUVs. It offered near-class-leading headroom and legroom, thanks to a standard sliding rear seat that provided 40.7 inches of legroom in non-hybrid models. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models sacrificed some space due to battery placement. Cargo capacity for gasoline models was 33.5 cubic feet with the rear seat up, extending to 37.5 cubic feet by sliding the rear seat forward. Folding the rear seat provided up to 65.4 cubic feet. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids offered slightly less space, with 30.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 60.8 cubic feet with seats folded. Competitors like the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester offered more cargo space.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan's most notable tech update was the introduction of the MIB3 infotainment platform, available from the SE trim onward. MIB3 featured an 8-inch touchscreen, faster response times, and expanded features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for four devices, SiriusXM 360L, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Car-Net connected services included remote engine start, crash notifications, and Family Guardian settings. However, some quirks in the user interface and subpar voice recognition were noted, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled at moderate volumes. The SEL Premium R-Line offered a nine-speaker Fender audio system, reserved for top trims. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, providing an understated yet informative display. The 2021 Ford Escape utilized Ford's older Sync 3 infotainment system, with the base S trim sporting a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The SE trim upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM radio, while the Titanium trim added a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Sync 3 remained user-friendly but lacked the upgraded features of Sync 4, missing out on wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Volkswagen's IQ Drive suite of advanced driving aids equipped the 2021 Tiguan with forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert as standard. SE trims and above added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL included lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, and the SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high beams and parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control handled mixed driving conditions smoothly, though it recognized vehicles cutting in slowly and accelerated gradually when the way was clear. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent, and the parking sensors sometimes mistook the street for a collision threat, causing unnecessary full stops. The standard reversing camera provided clear visibility, with a surround-view available on SEL Premium R-Line. The 2021 Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line specs, thanks to high-performing LED headlights, though NHTSA hadn’t completed its crash tests. The 2021 Ford Escape received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and LATCH anchor ease, and strong performance on front-crash prevention tech. However, it earned only "Acceptable" and "Marginal" ratings for headlights. NHTSA awarded the Escape a five-star overall rating, with five stars in frontal and side crashes and four stars in rollover tests. Standard features under Ford's Co-Pilot360 included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control with lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.