2022 Jeep Wrangler vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured clean lines and balanced proportions, offering a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. While some might have found its understated styling boring, the design was likely to age well. The Tiguan was large for its class, nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, thanks to its long-wheelbase version. 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 three of those passengers would need to be children.

Inside, the Tiguan combined modern geometric forms with a no-nonsense control layout, typical of German automakers. The cabin featured shiny detailing, available digital instrumentation, and a flush touchscreen infotainment system. 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. The test vehicle, an SEL trim with 4Motion AWD, had a window sticker of $35,040, including the destination charge.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler required buyers to choose between the classic two-door or the more practical four-door model. Engine options included a turbocharged four-cylinder, gasoline V6, turbodiesel V6, gas V8, or plug-in hybrid powertrain, with the turbo-four and V6 engines coming standard with a six-speed manual transmission. The Wrangler came in four core trims: Sport, Sport S, Sahara, and Rubicon, with numerous special editions. Pricing ranged from about $30,000 to $80,000, excluding the destination charge.

The test vehicle was the new High Tide special edition, based on the four-door Sport S trim. It featured LED exterior lighting, a body-color hardtop with a Sunrider Fliptop, a Gorilla Glass windshield, and High Tide or Beach hood decals. The Xtreme Recon package added a 1.5-inch suspension lift, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, 35-inch BF Goodrich T/A KO2 tires, and a 4.56 rear axle ratio. The test vehicle also had a gasoline V6 engine with eTorque mild hybrid electrification, an automatic transmission, Selec-Trac full-time 4WD, and several option packages, bringing the MSRP to $58,845, including the $1,595 destination charge.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with 4Motion AWD available for $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 or when extra power was needed. The Tiguan's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception of lethargy.

The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg in combined driving with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD. During testing, the AWD model averaged 22.6 mpg. Despite the powertrain's shortcomings, the Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light but responsive steering, a compliant ride, refined braking action, and nimble handling. However, the suspension's lack of isolation resulted in an unrefined character over sharp speed bumps and railroad tracks. On curvy roads, the Tiguan's tires gave up grip early, and the suspension allowed too much body motion, encouraging slower driving. On the highway, the Tiguan was remarkably quiet and composed.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler High Tide had a 3.6-liter V6 engine with eTorque mild-hybrid electrification, producing 285 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. The eight-speed automatic transmission was a mandatory $4,000 option, and the test vehicle also had the optional Selec-Trac full-time 4WD system. The EPA rated the Wrangler Unlimited with the eTorque V6 at 21 mpg in combined driving, but the Xtreme Recon Package modifications reduced this to an average of 17.6 mpg on the evaluation route and 16.8 mpg over a week of driving.

Driving a Wrangler was a unique and immersive experience, engaging all the senses. The Wrangler's rough-and-tumble driving experience, frequent fuel stops, and loud cabin were well-known traits that enthusiasts loved. The Wrangler encouraged exploration and added a sense of excitement, but it also required constant steering corrections and heightened awareness. The Wrangler's unique character and capabilities made it a joy to drive in off-road conditions, but it was tiring on long-distance drives.

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 visibility. The perforated V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided excellent support, 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 versatile cargo carrying, with cargo volume ranging from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and a maximum capacity of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler High Tide's raised suspension made entry and exit challenging, especially for shorter or less-limber individuals. The manual height adjuster for the driver's seat required regular re-adjustment. The Wrangler's seats were comfortable, with durable cloth upholstery and a mix of plastic and rubber interior materials. Visibility was a mixed bag, with some areas offering excellent views and others requiring adjustments. Rear-seat passengers faced similar entry and exit difficulties but found agreeable accommodations once inside. Storage was limited, with netting on the lower door panels, a small tray on the dashboard, and a deep center console box. The Wrangler Unlimited offered 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB) platform called MIB3, available starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing times, and expanded features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation. However, the voice recognition technology and standard six-speaker sound system had some quirks and limitations. The SEL Premium R-Line's nine-speaker Fender premium audio system was a notable upgrade.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler High Tide, based on Sport S trim, had a relatively basic infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The optional Uconnect 8.4 infotainment system offered upgrades such as satellite radio, connected services, and a navigation system, bundled with an Alpine premium sound system. The test vehicle included remote engine starting, satellite radio, passive keyless entry, single-zone automatic climate control, and heated front seats and steering wheel from the Cold Weather Group.

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 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 reversing camera provided a clear view, and the SEL Premium R-Line offered a top-down surround-view vantage point. The Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler High Tide included the Safety Group and Advanced Safety Group. The Safety Group added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors, while the Advanced Safety Group included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Wrangler's small side mirrors and tall center of gravity made the Safety Group a worthy upgrade. However, the Wrangler's crash-test ratings were mediocre, with a three-star rating for rollover resistance from the NHTSA and Marginal ratings from the IIHS for small overlap crash-test protection and side-impact test. Headlight performance was rated Poor for standard lights and Marginal for LED upgrades.