2023 Nissan Rogue vs 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan stood out among its competitors with a design that leaned towards conservatism, featuring a creased, folded, and symmetrical look. This approach, while not eliciting strong emotional responses, aged well and appealed to fans of simplicity and minimalism. The refreshed front styling aligned the Tiguan with Volkswagen’s larger Atlas models, featuring a restyled grille with the new VW logo and an available illuminated grille bar. Standard LED headlights, new nameplate lettering on the rear liftgate, and redesigned aluminum wheels added to its appeal. The Tiguan lineup was simplified into S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line trims, with prices ranging from $25,995 to $36,995, plus a $1,195 destination charge. The SEL R-Line test vehicle, priced at $37,970, featured a sportier look with Atlantic Blue Metallic paint and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the Tiguan SEL R-Line boasted a richer-looking cabin with perforated and piped leather upholstery, new technology, touch-sensing steering wheel and climate controls, and ambient lighting with 15 color choices. The interior featured tastefully rendered metallic accents, giving it an upscale appearance, though the hard plastic on the lower half of the cabin revealed its mass-market status. Standard features included keyless entry with push-button start and heated front seats, with remote engine starting available from the SE trim. New interior colors and a panoramic glass sunroof were also available. Overall, the updated 2022 Tiguan retained its great looks while adding extra pizzazz, keeping it fresh until a full redesign.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue featured proper proportions, chiseled styling, and just the right amount of SUV detailing to convey a rugged sense of purpose. The Rogue lineup included S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims, with prices ranging from $27,360 to $37,140, plus a $1,295 destination charge. The SV, SL, and Platinum trims offered optional Premium packages, while the new Midnight Edition package was exclusive to the SV trim. The test vehicle arrived in Platinum trim with the Premium option package, AWD, two-tone paint, and various upgrades, bringing the MSRP to $43,100.

The Platinum trim offered upscale upgrades, including soft, diamond-pattern leather seats and high-quality materials. The Rogue’s interior was designed to replace the traditional family car, comfortably fitting four people with the option to carry a fifth. The test vehicle featured a triple-zone automatic climate control system, a dual-panel panoramic sunroof, and premium semi-aniline leather upholstery with diamond-stitched inserts. Both front seats were heated, with the driver’s seat offering eight-way power adjustment. The Rogue’s rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle, making it easy to load and unload kids. The back seat was roomy but lacked comfort, with a low-mounted bottom cushion and diamond-shaped pleats that felt like sitting on bubble wrap. Storage space was plentiful, though most locations were unlined, causing potential noise and vibration.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan retained its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at 1,900 rpm. An eight-speed automatic transmission transferred power to the front wheels, with the option for VW’s 4Motion AWD, which could send up to half the power to the rear wheels. The Tiguan offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and programmable Individual driving modes, with AWD models adding Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad settings. The Hill Descent Control system engaged in Offroad mode, operating at speeds up to 19 mph. The Tiguan’s ground clearance was 7.6 inches, with shallow approach, breakover, and departure angles.

The Tiguan featured MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link independent rear suspension, with 13.4-inch vented front discs and 11.8-inch solid rear discs. The variable assist steering lightened at low speeds and firmed up at highway speeds. The engine’s torque arrived later than some turbocharged engines, causing momentary turbo lag when accelerating from a stop. The Tiguan was enjoyable to drive once the torque kicked in, though it seemed VW could extract more power from the engine. The EPA rated the R-Line with 4Motion at 24 mpg in combined driving, with the test drive averaging 24.7 mpg. The Tiguan felt nimble and responsive in normal driving but lacked outright fun when pushed, with tires and suspension not being ideal partners.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue replaced its previous 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a new turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine featuring variable compression design. The VC-Turbo engine produced 201 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 225 pound-feet of torque from 2,800 to 4,000 rpm. The CVT included paddle shifters, with power going to the front wheels unless AWD was selected. The Rogue offered Eco, Auto, and Sport driving modes, with AWD models adding Off-Road and Snow modes. Remote engine starting with climate system pre-conditioning was available.

The new VC-Turbo powertrain felt responsive in urban and suburban driving, though the CVT’s simulated gear changes could be dramatic. The drivetrain lacked passing power on the highway, and the engine’s unusual note and vibration through the accelerator pedal might be off-putting to some drivers. The EPA rated the test vehicle at 31 mpg in combined driving, but it averaged 28.9 mpg during the evaluation. The Rogue featured brake-induced ride quality and cornering enhancements, with Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control. The suspension design included struts in front and a multi-link rear, with automatic brake hold, hill start assist, and 19-inch alloy wheels. The Rogue handled speed humps and bumps well but exhibited more body motion on undulating pavement. The steering felt lifeless, but the overall handling was secure and consistent.

The 2022 VW Tiguan was a giant among compact crossover SUVs, with a spacious interior comparable to smaller midsize SUVs. FWD models featured a standard third-row seat, while 4Motion models did not. The SEL R-Line test vehicle offered exceptional comfort, with leather-wrapped front seats providing eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The tall driving position and excellent outward visibility, along with a panoramic glass sunroof, added to the comfort. The second row was roomy and comfortable for adults, with rear air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and ample storage.

The Tiguan switched to touch controls on the steering wheel and dashboard, which looked sophisticated but were harder to use. Cargo space was among the best in the class, with FWD models offering 12 cubic feet behind the third row, 33 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 65.5 cubic feet with the second row folded. The 4Motion model provided 37.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seat folded, comparable to midsize SUVs.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue served as a replacement for the traditional family car, comfortably fitting four people with the option to carry a fifth. The Platinum test vehicle featured a triple-zone automatic climate control system, a dual-panel panoramic sunroof, and premium semi-aniline leather upholstery with diamond-stitched inserts. Both front seats were heated, with the driver’s seat offering eight-way power adjustment. The Rogue’s rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle, making it easy to load and unload kids. The back seat was roomy but lacked comfort, with a low-mounted bottom cushion and diamond-shaped pleats that felt like sitting on bubble wrap. Storage space was plentiful, though most locations were unlined, causing potential noise and vibration.

The Rogue’s cargo space was up to 36.5 cubic feet behind the back seat, with the Divide-N-Hide feature allowing for six different configurations. Folding the back seats down created up to 74.1 cubic feet of volume, with underfloor storage areas included.

The 2022 Tiguan featured standard digital instrumentation, with most versions using an 8-inch display and the SEL R-Line featuring a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system. The MIB3 infotainment system, introduced last year, carried over in all but the base Tiguan S, which used MIB2 with a 6.5-inch touchscreen. The MIB3 system included an 8-inch touchscreen, Car-Net connected services, App-Connect smartphone mirroring, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The SEL R-Line added a redesigned navigation system and a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system.

Natural voice recognition was a touted improvement, but it required a Plus Speech upgrade and an active Car-Net Hotspot subscription. The Remote Access plan was complimentary for five years, allowing remote engine start, door lock operation, and vehicle location tracking. The Safe & Secure plan offered automatic crash notification and emergency assistance, while the Hotspot plan provided a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Tiguan also offered an available Park Assist system, standard with SEL R-Line trim.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue used an older infotainment system with a standard 8-inch or available 9-inch touchscreen, paired with stereo volume and tuning knobs and main menu buttons. The test vehicle had the 9-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, NissanConnect services with a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a navigation system with a door-to-door function. It also featured a wireless smartphone charging pad and a Bose premium audio system. Alexa Built-in was new for 2023 and standard in the Rogue Platinum.

The voice recognition technology struggled with basic commands, failing to find specific locations and points of interest. The test vehicle also had a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a head-up display, both of which worked well.

The 2022 Tiguan featured standard Front Assist (forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection) and Side Assist (blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert). The IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems included Travel Assist, which combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance, and Emergency Assist, which operated when Travel Assist was active. The 2021 Tiguan earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS, with hopes for improved scores in 2022.

The 2023 Nissan Rogue came with 10 airbags, a rear-seat reminder system, and Safety Shield 360, which included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. NissanConnect services offered automatic collision notification, emergency assistance calling, and safe teen driver technology. Higher trims included ProPilot Assist with Navi-link, combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. The Rogue earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS for 2022 and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, though it received lower scores in updated crash tests.