2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2023 Lexus GX

The 2023 Lexus GX had a commanding presence with its massive spindle grille, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and an overall height of 74.2 inches. The front end appeared ready to dominate the road, framed by large headlights that accentuated its distinctive face. The GX Black Line Special Edition returned for 2023, limited to 3,000 units and available in three paint colors: Obsidian, Eminent White Pearl, and Nori Green Pearl.

Despite its imposing front, the GX's dimensions seemed to shrink when viewed from the side. With a wheelbase of 109.8 inches, it was shorter than a two-door Jeep Wrangler. The minimal overhangs at the front and rear bumpers suggested it was built for off-road adventures. The GX's design leaned sleeker compared to Toyota's blocky designs, making it easier to navigate technical driving scenarios. Inside, the GX had a mix of luxury touches and disappointing plastic materials, with features like heated and cooled front seats, a power-retracting steering wheel, and impressive leather upholstery.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, following updates in 2022, remained mostly unchanged. The significant update was the inclusion of a complementary five-year Car-Net Safe & Secure connected services plan. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line trims, with prices ranging from $26,950 to $37,680, plus a $1,295 destination charge. Our test vehicle, an SEL R-Line, had an MSRP of $38,975.

The Tiguan offered seven exterior colors, four interior colors, four wheel designs, and three upholstery types, but choices were restricted based on trim levels. Our test vehicle featured Atlantic Blue paint and Storm Gray leather, but combinations like Noisette leather with Atlantic Blue were unavailable. The SEL R-Line stood out with its sporty appearance, 20-inch machined-finish wheels, adaptive front lighting, and a light bar across the grille. Inside, the Tiguan had an upscale look with quality leather upholstery, artificial wood trim, soft-touch materials, digital instrumentation, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2023 Lexus GX was defined by its V8 engine, which delivered a linear rise in noise and power as the accelerator was depressed. The 4.6-liter V8 produced 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While not the most powerful on paper, the V8 provided a satisfying driving experience. However, its fuel economy was a drawback, with EPA estimates of 15 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined. The GX had a 6,500-pound towing capacity but lagged behind other SUVs in this regard.

The GX's weight affected its handling, but it remained predictable and controllable through corners. The steering was vague off-center, but the brakes were strong and reliable. The GX featured a Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential, distributing power in a 40:60 front:rear split, adjustable based on wheel slip. This made it user-friendly in various driving conditions. Despite its age, the GX's driving dynamics had been improved, offering a communicative road feel.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with 4Motion all-wheel drive available. The SEL R-Line came with AWD as standard, offering various driving modes, including Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad.

The Tiguan's EPA rating was 24 mpg combined, but our test vehicle achieved 22.6 mpg. The turbo-four engine provided adequate power, but higher engine revs revealed its limitations. The automatic transmission occasionally stumbled with delayed downshifts, and turbo lag was noticeable from a stop. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan's dynamic qualities were rewarding, with excellent tire grip, stable handling, and light, lively steering. The ride quality was compliant, and road noise communicated road texture and anomalies.

The 2023 Lexus GX offered ample cubby space, with a deep center console bin, a phone space ahead of the shifter, and conveniently placed cupholders. However, it lacked USB-C ports, featuring only USB-A ports. The GX's physical controls were a blessing, with hard buttons instead of haptic-touch interfaces. The center console lid had sliding mechanisms for adjustable armrests, and the second row was comfortable with captain's chairs or a three-across bench seat.

The third row was tight, suitable only for emergencies. The side-hinged trunk door required muscle to open, and the cargo space was limited to 11.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with both rows folded. This was less than a Toyota RAV4's cargo capacity.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy interior, with FWD models featuring a standard third-row seat. However, the third row reduced cargo space, making AWD models with larger cargo areas more appealing. The SEL R-Line had comfortable front seats with eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, along with a heated steering wheel. Storage space was generous, despite a small bin under the center armrest.

The dashboard's touch-sensing controls were a drawback, with reflective gloss black plastic hampering usability. The Climatronic Touch climate control panel was poorly placed, and the touch-sensing steering-wheel controls were difficult to discern. The Tiguan excelled in passenger and cargo space, with large rear door openings, generous legroom, headroom, and foot room. The hands-free power liftgate revealed a cavernous cargo area with adjustable load floor height, deep storage wells, and handy levers for folding the seats.

With AWD, the Tiguan offered 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 73.4 cubic feet behind the front seats. FWD models had 33 cubic feet and 65.3 cubic feet, respectively, with only 12 cubic feet behind the third row.

The 2023 Lexus GX's infotainment system, revamped in 2022, already felt dated. The 10.3-inch touchscreen was an improvement, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Lexus Remote Touch Interface was still present but unnecessary. The GX included three years of Lexus Enform Remote and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium stereo with a CD player.

However, the touchscreen lagged, and the graphics were not as crisp as in competing models. The GX's off-road capability was more impressive, with a real 4WD system, downhill assist, hill-start assist, traction control, and stability control. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) leveled the vehicle in various driving conditions, and the Off-Road Package added features like a multi-terrain monitor, transmission cooler, fuel-tank protection, crawl control, and multi-terrain select system.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch display on most trims and a 10.25-inch display on the SEL R-Line. The larger display offered a sophisticated appearance and a full-panel navigation map. The center touchscreen measured 6.5 inches on the base S trim, with an 8-inch touchscreen on other trims. The SEL R-Line had wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, Car-Net connected services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Fender premium sound system.

The 8-inch system had a complex user interface, with sub-menus appearing as your hand approached the screen. Changing the radio station or adjusting safety system settings required multiple steps. The navigation map could not be displayed on both the digital instrumentation and center touchscreen simultaneously. The voice-recognition system underperformed, likely due to inactive Car-Net Hotspot and Plus Speech add-on subscriptions.

The 2023 Lexus GX had not been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, it included advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and automatic high beams. Despite its older design, the GX's safety features were up-to-date.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features, offering tech often found in luxury models. Standard features included Front Assist with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking, and Side Assist with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Automatic Post Collision Braking System helped avoid secondary impacts.

The IQ.Drive package, standard on most trims, added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Light Assist, Park Assist, parking sensors, and an Area View surround-view camera system were also available. The Tiguan's safety technology worked well, with minimal false alerts and smooth adaptive cruise control.

However, the 2023 Tiguan's crash-test ratings were incomplete. The NHTSA reported a safety concern with the driver's door unlatching during a side-impact test. The IIHS gave the 2023 Tiguan a Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022, but this did not apply for 2023.