2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors were a standout, making it easy to load children into car seats even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey offered a spacious and comfortable third-row seat, accommodating additional passengers like grandparents or carpoolers without hassle. With ample cargo space, it could transform into a cargo hauler by folding down or removing seats, rivaling the capacity of larger SUVs. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Odyssey maintained a sense of style, especially in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels and quality interior materials.

In contrast, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan presented a more compact SUV option with a sporty flair, especially in the SEL R-Line trim. It featured a sleek design with sizable 20-inch machined-finish wheels and adaptive front lighting. The Tiguan's interior was upscale, with quality leather upholstery, artificial wood trim, and a panoramic sunroof. However, its design choices, like touch-sensing controls, were not always user-friendly. The Tiguan offered a spacious cabin with excellent visibility and a generous cargo area, especially in AWD models without the third-row seat. Despite some ergonomic quirks, the Tiguan's overall look and feel were appealing to those seeking a stylish and practical SUV.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a robust 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. While it lacked the all-wheel-drive and hybrid options available in some competitors, the Odyssey offered a respectable EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. During testing, it averaged 22.6 mpg on a varied driving route. The Odyssey's driving dynamics were enjoyable, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, though its brakes tended to heat up on long descents, leading to pedal vibration.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, on the other hand, came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered both front-wheel and all-wheel-drive options. The Tiguan's EPA fuel economy estimate was 24 mpg in combined driving, but it achieved 22.6 mpg during testing. While the Tiguan's powertrain had some quirks, such as turbo lag and delayed downshifts, its dynamic qualities were rewarding. The Tiguan provided a stable and predictable ride, with excellent tire grip and nimble handling, making it enjoyable to drive despite its powertrain's limitations.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey excelled in interior space and versatility. Its low ride height and wide-opening doors made entry and exit easy. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The minivan offered impressive storage solutions, including a handy floor tray and an onboard vacuum cleaner. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, enhancing passenger comfort and safety. The third-row seat was spacious enough for adults, and the Odyssey provided 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind it, expanding to 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy interior, especially in AWD models without the third-row seat. The SEL R-Line trim featured comfortable front seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. However, the dashboard's touch-sensing controls were not user-friendly, affecting usability. The Tiguan's rear seat was spacious, with generous legroom and headroom, and the cargo area was cavernous, accommodating full-size suitcases. With AWD, the Tiguan offered 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, making it competitive with some midsize SUVs.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with a range of technology features, though its infotainment system was becoming outdated compared to rivals. Starting with the EX trim, it offered an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring and Elite trims added navigation, CabinWatch, and CabinTalk technologies. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display, but it was considered behind the times. The Elite trim featured an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad, but the overall infotainment experience was underwhelming, needing a significant upgrade in future redesigns.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan boasted digital instrumentation, with the SEL R-Line featuring a 10.25-inch display. The infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a nine-speaker Fender premium sound system. However, the system's user interface was complex, with sub-menus and touch-sensing controls that added unnecessary complexity. The voice-recognition system was also lacking, often failing to perform as expected. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan's technology package was comprehensive, though it required acclimation to its unique interface.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was well-equipped with safety features, including the Honda Sensing suite, which offered adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. However, the system lacked refinement, sometimes issuing false alerts or responding too sharply. The Odyssey earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, highlighting its crashworthiness.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features, offering tech often found in luxury models. Standard features included Front Assist and Side Assist, with the IQ.Drive package adding adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and more. The Tiguan's safety technology worked smoothly, with minimal false alerts. However, its crash-test ratings were incomplete, with concerns about the driver's door unlatching during a side-impact test. The IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022, but this did not apply for 2023.