2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan had a design that some might have found boring, but its clean lines and balanced proportions offered a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. It was large for its class, nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, thanks to its long-wheelbase version. The interior was roomy, accommodating up to seven passengers with an optional third-row seat for AWD models, though the third row was best suited for children. The cabin featured modern geometric forms and a no-nonsense control layout, with shiny detailing and a flush touchscreen display. However, it had too much hard plastic to be mistaken for an Audi, and the steering wheel stalks felt flimsy. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, and SEL trims, with sporty R-Line variants. Pricing ranged from $25,245 to $39,095, excluding the $1,195 destination charge. Our test vehicle, an SEL trim with 4Motion AWD, was priced at $35,040.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus evolved from the second-generation Lincoln MKX, which was based on the Ford Edge platform. The Nautilus, facelifted in 2019, featured attractive styling and a sharp new dash design for 2021. The cabin had clean lines, soft materials, and a large, crisp touchscreen. The "Piano Key" shifter-button layout was unconventional but easy to use. The standard 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen system was user-friendly and had almost no learning curve. The Nautilus was available in Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims. The Standard trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a power rear liftgate, and more. The Reserve trim added features like a hands-free power liftgate, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. The Black Label trim included a twin-turbo V6, AWD, 21-inch wheels, and a 19-speaker premium stereo. Our Black Label test vehicle featured 22-way Multi-Contour front seats, a cargo utility package, and more, contributing to its upscale feel.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with 4Motion AWD available for an additional $1,400 on most models and standard on the SEL Premium R-Line. The powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The Tiguan's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD, but our AWD test model averaged 22.6 mpg. The Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and refined braking action. However, it struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and its tires gave up grip early in corners. On the highway, the Tiguan was quiet and composed, making long road trips enjoyable.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Reserve and Black Label trims offered a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 with 355 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Both engines used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the four-cylinder available in FWD or AWD and the V6 standard with AWD. The twin-turbo V6 provided terrific power, especially at highway speeds, with smooth and controlled acceleration. The adaptive suspension nearly eliminated bumps, and the Nautilus felt firm and planted through corners. The engine stop-start feature conserved fuel but caused a slight delay in response. Overall, driving the Nautilus was pleasant in nearly all scenarios.

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, and the V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather. The back seat provided excellent support, generous legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The Tiguan had a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, offering between 33 and 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, depending on the presence of the third-row seat. Maximum cargo capacity ranged from 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet. Storage space was limited, but the panoramic sunroof and fabric-lined door panel bins were notable features.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus offered up to 68.8 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the Lexus RX 350 and Cadillac XT5. With the rear seats in use, it provided 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available. The Nautilus emphasized two-row comfort, with plenty of head- and legroom in the rear seats. The front seats were especially comfortable, with available 22-way multi-contour power-adjustable units. The center console and door handles featured soft-touch materials, enhancing comfort. The Nautilus had a large center console bin and deep in-door pockets for storage, with additional space below the floating center controls.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB3) starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Car-Net connected services offered remote engine starting, automatic crash notification, and Family Guardian settings. The MIB3 system was an improvement, but the voice recognition technology and standard six-speaker sound system were lacking. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came with a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high-definition graphics and a sensible menu layout. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were well-integrated, and the available wireless charging pad made phone connectivity easy. Our test model included the Revel 19-speaker premium audio system, which provided excellent sound quality.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came with 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. SE trim and above added adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The SEL Premium R-Line featured front and rear parking sensors. The Tiguan's adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist were effective but had some inconsistencies. The standard reversing camera provided a clear view, and the SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view. The Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus included the CoPilot360 package with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional features like adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, and a surround-view parking monitor were available. However, the standard backup camera was low-quality, making it difficult to see in low-light conditions.