2023 Lexus RX vs 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan stood out among its competitors with a design that was both conservative and timeless. Its refreshed front styling aligned it with Volkswagen’s larger models, featuring a new grille, standard LED headlights, and redesigned aluminum wheels. The SEL R-Line trim, in particular, boasted a sportier look with blacked-out elements and a striking Atlantic Blue Metallic paint. Inside, the Tiguan SEL R-Line offered a luxurious cabin with perforated leather upholstery, new technology, and ambient lighting, though the lower half of the cabin's hard plastic betrayed its mass-market status.

In contrast, the 2023 Lexus RX presented a more modern and sophisticated exterior, with a shorter height, broader width, and longer wheelbase. The spindle-style grille, upswept body sides, and light-blade taillight design gave it a fresh yet familiar look. Inside, the RX featured a thoroughly modern interior with fewer buttons, digital instrumentation, and a choice between a 9.8-inch or 14-inch touchscreen display. The RX 350 Luxury trim offered semi-aniline leather upholstery and a heated wood-and-leather steering wheel, while the F Sport Handling trim provided sportier black NuLuxe seats and Dark Graphite trim.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan retained its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, driving either the front wheels or VW’s 4Motion AWD system. The Tiguan offered various driving modes, including Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual, with additional Offroad settings for AWD models. Despite its enjoyable drive, the Tiguan's engine exhibited some turbo lag, and its fuel economy was modest at 24 mpg combined for the R-Line with 4Motion.

The 2023 Lexus RX 350 featured a new turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine offered better performance at higher altitudes and improved fuel economy compared to the outgoing V6. The RX 350 Luxury trim displayed occasional torque steer and excess body motion, while the F Sport Handling trim, with its adaptive damping suspension, provided a more secure and responsive ride. Lexus estimated the RX 350 FWD would achieve 25 mpg combined, while the AWD version would return 24 mpg, though real-world results were slightly lower.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in interior space, with a roomy cabin that could be compared to smaller midsize SUVs. The SEL R-Line trim offered comfortable leather seats with eight-way power adjustment, excellent outward visibility, and a panoramic sunroof. The second row was spacious enough for adults, and the cargo space was generous, with up to 73.4 cubic feet available in AWD models.

The 2023 Lexus RX 350 provided a comfortable and modern interior, with the Luxury trim offering semi-aniline leather seats with ten-way power adjustment and a heated wood-and-leather steering wheel. The F Sport Handling trim featured sportier seats with Dark Graphite trim. The back seat was roomy and supportive, though taller passengers might find headroom tight. The RX 350 offered improved cargo space over the previous generation, with 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan came with standard digital instrumentation, with the SEL R-Line featuring a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system. The MIB3 infotainment system, available in most trims, included an 8-inch touchscreen, standard Car-Net connected services, and a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system. However, the natural voice recognition feature required a subscription and was not active during testing.

The 2023 Lexus RX introduced the new Lexus Interface infotainment system, available with a 9.8-inch or 14-inch touchscreen display. It included wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and various connected services. The Intelligent Assistant natural voice recognition worked well, though it occasionally provided inaccurate results. The RX also offered user profiles, a 21-speaker Mark Levinson premium sound system, and available digital rearview mirror and digital key technology.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan featured standard Front Assist and Side Assist, with significant improvements to its IQ Drive system, including Travel Assist and Emergency Assist. The 2021 Tiguan earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS, and the 2022 model's enhancements aimed to improve this score.

The 2023 Lexus RX came with Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, which included new features like motorcycle detection, evasive steering assistance, and intersection turn assistance. It also introduced Proactive Driving Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, and Advanced Park Assist. However, some features, like the curve-speed reduction technology and unmarked adaptive cruise controls, had room for improvement.