2025 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Land Rover Defender presented a rugged yet customizable aesthetic, with the Defender 110 four-door model striking a balance in design. Despite the Defender 90 appearing stubby and the 130 carrying excessive visual mass over its rear wheels, all models maintained an appealingly robust look. The Defender offered a wide range of customization options, with base prices starting at $58,525 for the 90 model and reaching up to $153,625 for the new Defender OCTA. Our test vehicle, a Defender 130 in X trim, featured the Extended Black Exterior Pack and upgraded interior materials, bringing the MSRP to $106,092. The test model, painted in Gondwana Stone, lacked the new matte paint protection film, and its color clashed with the orange brake calipers and delicate twin-spoke wheels. Inside, the Defender X boasted premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, with an industrial-themed cabin that emphasized quality materials over traditional luxury.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan underwent a complete redesign, marking the start of its third generation. It adopted a sleek, modern look inspired by VW's electric vehicles, particularly evident in the narrower headlights and illuminated VW badge and light bar on the top SEL R-Line trim. The grille appeared larger, with smaller actual openings and prominent air intakes. The Tiguan's side profile featured a sportier tapering hatch, enhanced by a black contrasting roof and dark-tinted windows. The rear showcased a single bar taillight spanning the liftgate, with an oversized plastic trim piece echoing the front grille. Inside, the Tiguan embraced modernization with a tablet-like infotainment display and a digital instrument panel. The dashboard adopted a minimalist design, with climate controls integrated into the central touchscreen. The gear selector moved to the steering column, freeing up storage space. Materials quality was average for the class, with soft-touch materials in key areas and durable plastics in the rear seats.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender's test vehicle featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Coupled with a mild-hybrid system, it provided robust acceleration and a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. The Defender 130 X accelerated to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, with an adaptive air suspension and Terrain Response 2 driving modes enhancing off-road capability. Despite its off-road prowess, the Defender 130 was primarily driven on pavement, where it excelled in absorbing bumps and maintaining a smooth ride. However, its 5,685-pound curb weight and fluid steering limited its agility on twisty roads. The test vehicle's observed fuel economy was 16.2 mpg, below the expected 19 mpg.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 201 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission was standard, with front-wheel drive and optional 4Motion all-wheel drive. The Tiguan's acceleration was expected to reach 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, offering smooth and linear power delivery. The suspension favored comfort, effectively smoothing over road imperfections while maintaining composure on winding roads. The Tiguan's cabin was quiet, with minimal tire and wind noise. While not sporty, the Tiguan was appropriately tuned for a balance of performance and comfort. A more powerful Turbo version was anticipated for 2026, offering 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 offered three rows of spacious seating, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The tall seating position provided excellent forward visibility, though the square side mirrors seemed undersized. A panoramic sunroof and fixed glass panel over the third row enhanced the open and airy feel. The Defender 130's third-row seat was heated and roomy, providing comfort for adults. However, the side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, with a high load floor. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 15.3 cubic feet, expanding to 43.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 89 cubic feet with all rear seats down.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan returned without a third row, increasing second-row legroom by 1.5 inches. The elimination of capacitive-touch buttons improved usability, with traditional controls on the steering wheel. Outward visibility was comparable to other small SUVs, with narrow front roof pillars and a sufficiently sized rear window. The center console offered ample storage, with cupholders, a smartphone slot, and a deep armrest bin. Cargo capacity was not finalized, but the new area appeared smaller than the previous generation's 37.6 cubic feet. The angled liftgate hatch limited loading of bulkier items, though remote seatback releases and a power liftgate added convenience.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system's response to voice commands was slower than preferred, but accuracy was impressive. The user experience was more intuitive, with fewer dead ends. The Defender also included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system. The Meridian premium sound system delivered impressive audio quality.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with a digital instrument panel and a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, with an optional 15-inch display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, paired with a wireless phone charger. Capacitive-touch sliders adorned the infotainment screen frame, but a new volume knob improved usability. The Tiguan introduced Atmospheres, a feature combining ambient lighting and audio settings to enhance mood. The standard audio system had seven speakers, with a 12-speaker Harman Kardon system available on the top trim. VW's Car-Net system offered remote monitoring and control, plus a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with several driver aids, including automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. A lane-centering assist feature was available with adaptive cruise control. The Defender's safety features operated transparently, though the lane-keep assist occasionally attempted to steer the vehicle into a turnout area. Crash-test ratings were unavailable at press time.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan included standard advanced safety features such as frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, safe passenger exit warnings, parking proximity sensors, automatic high beams, and a driver condition monitor. The Emergency Assist system automatically slowed the vehicle to a stop if the driver was incapacitated. The SE R-Line added a head-up display, while the top SEL R-Line included a surround-view camera system, traffic sign reader, and semi-automated parking system. The safety features functioned as expected, with no false alarms or oversensitivity issues.