2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2023 Toyota Sienna

For many shoppers, the aesthetic of a traditional minivan like the 2023 Toyota Sienna was a hard sell, often conjuring memories of childhood vacations and Cheerio crumbs embedded in the carpet. The emergence of the 1990s body-on-frame SUV brought about a decline in the minivan's social status. However, as bulky SUVs transitioned into more aerodynamic, car-based crossovers, they began to reveal their inner minivans, sans sliding doors. This context has made the minivan's larger cargo capacity, easy access, and creative interior features an increasingly appealing option for families.

Toyota made concerted efforts to divest the Sienna of its traditional minivan style, opting to mimic the design of a Japanese bullet train for the front end. The vehicle, especially in the XSE and Platinum trims with their 20-inch wheels, showcased a significant aesthetic shift. The Sienna lineup included the base LE, XLE, sporty XSE, upper-class Limited, and top-tier Platinum trims. Additionally, the 25th Anniversary Special Edition trim positioned itself just below the Limited trim in price.

The XLE trim seemed the most attractive to value-conscious shoppers, offering standard LED fog lights, power-sliding doors, and a power liftgate—features that became invaluable as the number of children increased. The interior, especially in the Platinum trim model driven for this comparison, was adorned with high-quality brown leather upholstery and elegant wood-grain accents on the center console. The Sienna's configuration allowed seating for either seven or eight passengers, with LATCH anchors for three-across car seats in the middle row of the eight-seater trims, LE and XLE.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan arrived on the scene majorly unchanged from its extensive 2022 updates. One significant addition was a complementary five-year Car-Net Safe & Secure connected services plan for Tiguan owners. Available in S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line trims, the Tiguan offered a range of prices from $26,950 to $37,680, plus an additional destination charge of $1,295. Our test vehicle, an SEL R-Line, exhibited style and utility at a final MSRP of $38,975.

Despite various color options, wheel designs, and upholstery styles, choices remained restricted based on trim levels, presenting a challenge in finding the right look at the right price. The SEL R-Line sported an Atlantic Blue paint job, while the interior was swathed in Storm Gray leather, giving it a cozy elegance. The sporty appearance of the SEL R-Line was enhanced by its sizable 20-inch machined-finish wheels and a light bar across the grille that illuminated after dark.

Inside, the Tiguan's quality leather upholstery, soft-touch materials, and appealing artificial wood trim contributed to an upscale feel. Features like a panoramic sunroof and digital instrumentation further added to its appeal. However, it had some materials that pointed to its base price starting in the high $20,000s, yet displayed robust construction and solid assembly.

When Toyota introduced the fourth-generation Sienna in 2020, it marked a significant shift by fitting every model with a hybrid powertrain. This included a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two front-mounted electric motors, and a third rear-mounted motor for all-wheel-drive (AWD) trims. Together, these components produced a net system horsepower of 245, which, though efficient, seemed less impressive than some competitors.

The engine's power sufficed to move the sizeable and hefty Sienna, albeit with the continuously variable transmission (CVT) often laboring noisily along the rev band. This setup resulted in a less-than-perfect sound and somewhat uninspiring acceleration compared to rivals like the Honda Odyssey. Despite this, the Sienna's chassis and steering pleasantly surprised. The vehicle's platform felt sound and nimble, making it easy to maneuver around town and comfortable on highways. Toyota also provided drive modes including EV, Normal, Eco, and Sport, although the Sienna's performance wasn't dramatically impacted by switching out of Normal mode.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), the all-wheel-drive (AWD) 4Motion system added versatility. The Tiguan's SEL R-Line trim came standard with AWD, further enhancing its off-road capability with settings for Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad, allowing the power split to vary as needed.

On testing, the Tiguan's fuel efficiency delivered 22.6 mpg on a Southern California loop, close to the EPA estimated average of 24 mpg for combined driving. While the turbo-four provided adequate power for most situations, it struggled during passing or quick acceleration maneuvers, with notable turbo lag at lower speeds. Sport mode improved performance slightly but at the cost of fuel efficiency.

Driving dynamics were generally rewarding, with light and lively steering and excellent tire grip. The Tiguan felt stable and predictable in turns, adding to its driver appeal despite some quirks, like a somewhat numb brake pedal and some road noise. Navigating parking lots and close quarters was made easy with the Tiguan's excellent outward visibility and the SEL R-Line’s surround-view camera and parking sensors.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior storage solutions, ideal for families. With ample space for personal items, a large bin in the center console, numerous cupholders, and creative storage areas like a long shelf across the dash, the Sienna's utility shone brightly. Measuring over 200 inches in length on a 120.5-inch wheelbase, the Sienna was spacious, offering 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 75.2 cubic feet with seats folded, and a total cargo space of 101 cubic feet. This fell a little short of some competitors, as the middle row couldn't be fully removed or folded into the floor.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, particularly in the AWD models, offered impressive passenger and cargo space despite its smaller footprint. Its SEL R-Line trim provided exceptionally comfortable front seats with heating, ventilation, and power adjustment. Despite smaller storage bins under the center armrest, the Tiguan featured generous storage solutions overall.

The Tiguan’s cargo capacity reached 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and a total of 73.4 cubic feet with seats folded, rivaling midsize SUVs. For FWD versions with a third row, cargo capacity was lower, with 33 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.3 cubic feet overall, and just 12 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, balancing cargo space with seating versatility.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna utilized an older infotainment interface, despite newer technologies in other Toyota models. It included essential features like SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an optional navigation system, and seven USB ports. While functional physical buttons provided ease of use, the interface was clunky, particularly requiring a wired connection for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and having a tedious navigation process for audio controls.

In contrast, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured advanced digital instrumentation with standard 8-inch displays and a larger 10.25-inch display for the SEL R-Line, enhancing its high-tech appeal. The infotainment system included a touchscreen surrounded by touch-sensitive buttons and physical controls; however, the user interface introduced complexity with multi-layer processes for simple actions. Despite offering features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a premium Fender sound system, the usability suffered due to unnecessary sub-menus and reflection issues on touch-sensor-based controls.

The 2023 Toyota Sienna delivered robust safety features as standard, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. It garnered impressive safety ratings, achieving 5 stars from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS for its 2022 model, if not yet confirmed for 2023.

Similarly, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered comprehensive safety features. Standard systems included forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and an Automatic Post Collision Braking System. The IQ.Drive package, standard on higher trims, included adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and semi-autonomous driving capabilities with Travel Assist. Additional features like high-beam control, parking sensors, and an Area View surround-view camera system added to its safety profile. Though its crash-test ratings were incomplete, the Tiguan's advanced tech and optional systems provided extensive peace of mind.