2022 Kia Seltos 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 a long-wheelbase version. The interior was roomy, accommodating up to seven passengers with an optional third-row seat, though it was best suited for children. The cabin featured modern geometric forms, a no-nonsense control layout, and shiny detailing, but it had too much hard plastic to be mistaken for an Audi.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Seltos positioned itself between the smaller Soul and the larger Sportage, offering five trim levels. Our test vehicle, the Nightfall Edition, featured matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a turbocharged engine, and a dual-clutch transmission. The Seltos had an appealing design, though the headlights and intricate wheels were points of contention. Inside, it displayed a good sense of style with contrast-color dashboard panels and metallic accents, but the shiny hard plastic made the interior look cheap. Despite this, the build quality was excellent, and the controls were logically arranged.

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 as an option. 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 with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, but our test vehicle averaged 22.6 mpg. Despite its powertrain issues, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light steering, a compliant ride, and nimble handling, though it struggled over sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks.

The 2022 Kia Seltos offered two engine options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The turbo engine provided a more engaging driving experience, though the DCT exhibited some quirks. The Seltos had Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes, with Smart mode balancing fuel efficiency and responsiveness. The EPA rated the Seltos Nightfall Edition at 27 mpg combined, which matched our test results. The AWD system had a Lock function for even power distribution at lower speeds, but the Seltos struggled with speed bumps and uneven pavement, exhibiting lateral rocking motions and a bouncy ride.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in 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, legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The Tiguan had a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat and a usefully shaped cargo space, with cargo volume ranging from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2022 Kia Seltos impressed with its roomy interior, making it easy to live with daily. The Nightfall Edition had a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel. The front passenger seat was not height-adjustable but provided proper leg support. The Nightfall Edition featured cloth upholstery with Sofino simulated leather bolsters, a single-zone automatic climate control system, and heated front seats. The rear seat offered generous legroom and footroom, with rear air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a center armrest with cupholders. Cargo space measured 26.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim, offering an 8-inch touchscreen, 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 system 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 featured a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line also included Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation.

For 2022, Kia expanded the availability of its 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system to the S trim level, with the system standard on the EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX trims. The system included Bluetooth for two devices, a navigation system, connected services, satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a cable connection. The system was intuitive to use, with physical buttons and knobs for primary functions. However, the voice recognition system was frustrating, and the purple theme color was odd. The Seltos offered a native conversational voice recognition system with an active subscription to connected services.

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. Adaptive cruise control was standard starting with the SE trim, while the SEL added 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 earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, but the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.

The 2022 Kia Seltos included forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Seltos EX added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim featured adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, Highway Driving Assist, and Safe Exit Assist. The Seltos earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for the SX trim and an overall rating of four stars from the NHTSA.