2022 Mazda CX-5 vs 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured clean lines and balanced proportions, which some might have found boring, but it had a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic that was likely to age well. It was large for its class, nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, thanks to its long-wheelbase version. The interior was roomy and accommodating, with plenty of space for four people, and could carry five if necessary. An optional small third-row seat expanded passenger capacity to seven, though at least three of those passengers needed to be children. The interior combined modern geometric forms with a no-nonsense control layout, though the engine start button's location on the center console was unusual. The cabin featured shiny detailing, digital instrumentation, and a flush touchscreen infotainment system, but it had too much hard plastic to be mistaken for an Audi.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 had new LED headlights and taillights, revised bumpers, a redesigned grille, and fresh alloy wheel designs. The top-of-the-line Signature trim featured body-color lower exterior trim, emphasizing Mazda's premium brand aspirations. The interior remained unchanged stylistically, with the Signature trim offering luxurious Nappa leather upholstery, real wood trim, and polished metallic accents. The seats were new for 2022, providing improved comfort. Mazda also introduced a more confusing trim lineup, with the CX-5 2.5 S and CX-5 2.5 Turbo as the main options. The 2.5 Turbo offered a turbocharged engine, while the 2.5 S did not. Prices ranged from $25,900 to $38,650, with our test vehicle, the 2.5 Turbo, totaling $39,445.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with 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. An eight-speed automatic transmission sent power to the front wheels by default, with the 4Motion AWD system available as a $1,400 option on most models and standard on the SEL Premium R-Line. The powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The Tiguan's 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. The Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, refined braking, and nimble handling, though it struggled over sharp speed bumps and railroad tracks. On curvy roads, the Tiguan's tires lost grip early, and the suspension allowed too much body motion, encouraging slower driving. However, it was quiet and composed on the highway.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S had a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The six-speed automatic transmission was revised for more responsive performance, and AWD was standard. The EPA rated this powertrain at 26 mpg combined. The CX-5 2.5 Turbo offered 256 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on premium gas, or 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet on regular gas. The EPA rated the Turbo at 24 mpg combined, but our test model averaged 21.1 mpg. The 2.5 Turbo trims and 2.5 S Premium and Premium Plus featured Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) with Normal, Sport, and Off-Road modes. The 2022 CX-5 had increased structural rigidity and reworked suspension tuning, resulting in a quieter, smoother, and sportier ride. The improved driving dynamics nearly eliminated body roll, ride chop, and weight toss, providing sure-footed grip and a blend of compliance and composure. The added sense of solidity and cabin quietude enhanced Mazda's premium brand aspirations.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors, tall seating hip points, and a wide range of front seat adjustments. The perforated V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat offered excellent support, generous legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The panoramic sunroof was enjoyable, though storage space was limited. The Tiguan had a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, providing flexibility for carrying long items and passengers. Cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on the third-row seat option, with a maximum capacity of 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 addressed previous complaints about its ride and front seats with new furnishings. The new seats provided better support and a sportier driving position. All trims except the 2.5 S base included a height-adjustable front passenger seat. The 2.5 Turbo test vehicle featured leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The back seat remained snug but offered heated outboard cushions and air conditioning vents. The control layout was frustrating due to the lack of a touchscreen display and natural voice recognition, but the center console controls became easier to use over time. Storage space was limited, with a small center armrest bin and door panel bins. Cargo space was 30.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 59.3 cubic feet with the back seat folded, comparing favorably to entry-level luxury SUVs but less so against mainstream compact crossovers.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB) platform called MIB3, available starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and expanded features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and Car-Net connected services. The MIB3 system was an improvement, but the user interface had quirks, and the voice recognition technology was lacking. The standard six-speaker sound system struggled with bass-heavy music, while the SEL Premium R-Line's nine-speaker Fender premium audio system performed better. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 retained the Mazda Connect infotainment system with a 10.25-inch display, which was not touch-sensitive. Mazda believed touchscreens caused driver distraction, and the system lacked natural voice recognition. Instead, users had to operate the system with center console and steering wheel controls. Over time, users acclimated to Mazda's approach, but the lack of a touchscreen was a drawback. Mazda Connect needed improved voice recognition technology. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with text-messaging support, E911 automatic emergency notification, and Mazda Connected Services. The CX-5 included a three-year trial subscription to connected services, except for WiFi, which was free for three months or 2GB of data. Starting with the 2.5 S Premium trim, the CX-5 featured a 10-speaker Bose premium sound system, which performed adequately. SiriusXM satellite radio was also standard from this trim level.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came 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. SE trim added adaptive cruise control, while the SEL included lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to recognize vehicles cutting into the gap ahead. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent. The blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see. The parking sensors were helpful but could be overly sensitive. The standard reversing camera provided a clear view, with a top-down surround-view available on the SEL Premium R-Line. Automatic post-collision braking was standard. Car-Net connected services included automatic collision notification, emergency calling, and Family Guardian alerts. The 2021 Tiguan earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS in SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, but the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 featured the i-Activsense package of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The 2.5 S Premium trim added adaptive headlights, while the 2.5 Turbo Signature included a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, automatic rear braking, and a driver monitoring system. Traffic Jam Assist was also available on the Signature trim. The i-Activsense system was mostly agreeable, though it had a delay in recognizing cars cutting into the gap ahead. The head-up display showed blind-spot warnings, reducing the need to look at the side mirror. The 2022 CX-5 earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS, a distinction few rivals could match.