2022 GMC Terrain vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured clean lines and balanced proportions, which some might have found understated, but it offered a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. This design was likely to age well, and the SUV was notably large for its class, nearly matching the interior space of a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. The Tiguan's upsizing resulted in a roomy interior, accommodating up to seven passengers with an optional third-row seat, though it was best suited for children. The interior combined modern geometric forms with a no-nonsense control layout, though it had some hard plastics and flimsy steering wheel stalks. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, and SEL trims, with sporty R-Line variants, and our test vehicle, an SEL with 4Motion AWD, was priced at $35,040.

For 2022, GMC updated the Terrain’s front styling, wheel designs, taillights, and interior trim. The new AT4 trim level featured a bolder grille, black 17-inch alloy wheels, and AT4 badges, along with a steel skid plate for off-road protection. Our test vehicle came with Ebony Twilight metallic paint, black leather interior, and several packages, bringing the MSRP to $41,810. The Terrain was available in more affordable SLE and SLT trims, with the luxurious Denali at the top. Despite its entry-level status, the Terrain's interior materials and execution did not fully meet expectations, especially given the price. The pushbutton transmission controls were not intuitive, and the storage tray was too narrow for a smartphone.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, drove the front wheels by default, with 4Motion AWD as a $1,400 option. The powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbo lag, making the Tiguan feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD, but our AWD test model averaged 22.6 mpg. Despite the powertrain's shortcomings, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and nimble handling, though it struggled over sharper bumps and lacked suspension isolation.

The 2022 GMC Terrain featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 203 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. The previously available 2.0-liter engine was discontinued, reducing the Terrain's towing capacity to 1,500 pounds. The nine-speed automatic transmission helped keep the Terrain in the torque band, but the engine felt underpowered, especially during rapid acceleration. The Terrain AT4 offered FWD, AWD, Off-Road mode, and Hill Descent Control, but torque steer was an issue in FWD mode. The AT4's 17-inch wheels and 7.9 inches of ground clearance provided a good ride on pavement, but the SUV struggled off-road, scraping its front end on uneven terrain. The Terrain's fuel economy was rated at 26 mpg, and our test model achieved 26.2 mpg.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors, tall seating hip points, and a wide range of front seat adjustments. The V-Tex leatherette upholstery and dual-zone climate control added to the comfort. The back seat offered excellent support, legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The Tiguan's cargo space ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on the presence of the third-row seat, and up to 73.5 cubic feet with the seats folded. Storage space was limited, but the cargo area was usefully shaped with deep wells.

The 2022 GMC Terrain's interior was roomy and featured power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The AT4 trim included perforated leather upholstery with caramel-color contrast stitching. The back seat was spacious, with plenty of legroom and foot room, and a rear USB charging port. The Terrain offered various storage solutions, though the tray forward of the cupholders was disappointing. Cargo space measured 29.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 63.3 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The front passenger seat could also be folded down for longer items.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan introduced the MIB3 infotainment system starting with the SE trim, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi, SiriusXM 360L, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and Car-Net connected services. The system had some quirks, and the standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims included Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation, with the latter also featuring a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system.

The 2022 GMC Terrain offered two infotainment systems: a 7-inch touchscreen for the SLE trim and an 8-inch high-definition touchscreen for the SLT, AT4, and Denali trims. Both systems included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and GMC Connected Services. The larger screen added connected navigation and a Bose premium sound system. Our test vehicle had the Infotainment Package II, which improved voice recognition and included the Bose system. The voice recognition was excellent, but the Bose speakers were less impressive. The Terrain also featured a new head-up display, front and rear park assist sensors, a surround-view camera system, and a Tire Fill Alert system.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control was standard from the SE trim, with lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist added to the SEL trim. The SEL Premium R-Line included automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims.

The 2022 GMC Terrain featured the GMC Pro Safety Package as standard, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following distance indicator. The GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, available on SLE, SLT, and AT4 trims, added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, rear parking sensors, and a Safety Alert Seat. The IIHS awarded the Terrain mostly "Good" crash-test scores, with a "Marginal" rating in the new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not evaluated the 2022 Terrain's crashworthiness at the time of this review.