2022 Volvo XC90 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. This design was likely to age well. The Tiguan was large for its class, nearly as spacious inside as a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, thanks to its long-wheelbase version. This upsizing resulted in a roomy interior with plenty of space for four people, and it 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 it had some oddities like the engine start button's location. 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.

Volvo had come a long way from its box-shaped cars and wagons of the past, and the 2022 XC90 was a testament to this evolution. The XC90 had a great stance and a sleek profile, with a long roofline and pronounced wheel arches that emphasized athleticism. Superior fit and finish conveyed quality, and the LED detail in the headlights, called "Thor's Hammer," added a nod to its Swedish heritage. The interior was described in terms like "Scandinavian Modern" and "Swedish Luxury," with natural wood and metal trim bringing an authentic feel. Exquisite details like the sliding wood tambor cover on the center console and the clear crystal gear selector handle indicated a luxury vehicle. Volvo had committed to going leather-free by 2030, but the XC90 could still be fitted with Nappa leather. The non-leather option was a "tailored wool blend" upholstery, which was easy to care for and long-lasting.

Every 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at a low 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 with SEL Premium R-Line. This powertrain was adequate but suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing or freeway merging. The Tiguan returned 25 mpg in combined driving with FWD and 24 mpg with AWD, according to the EPA. During testing, the Tiguan AWD averaged 22.6 mpg. The Tiguan provided a pleasurable driving experience with light but responsive steering, a soft ride, refined braking, and tossable handling. However, it struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks, and its tires gave up grip early in corners. The Tiguan was remarkably quiet and composed on the highway, making long road trips enjoyable.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains: T5, T6, and T8. T5 models had a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. T6 models featured a supercharged and turbocharged version of that engine, delivering 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. The T8 had a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a combined 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque. T5 models were FWD with available AWD, while T6 and T8 models were AWD only. All XC90 models used a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. The T8 had an 18-mile EV range, with the extended range variant offering up to 36 miles. The XC90 handled like a smaller SUV, with minimal body roll and controlled handling. The T8 Inscription extended range provided spirited acceleration, with the electric motor eliminating turbo lag and smoothing power delivery. The XC90 was fun to drive, though not a hot rod.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors and tall seating hip points for easy entry and exit. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments for proper support and excellent visibility. The Tiguan's perforated V-Tex leatherette upholstery mimicked real leather, and the dual-zone climate control system was effective. The back seat provided excellent occupant support, generous legroom, and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports. The Tiguan had a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, allowing owners to carry long items and four passengers simultaneously. Cargo volume ranged from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row, depending on whether the SUV had the optional third-row seat. Maximum capacity ranged from 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet.

The 2022 Volvo XC90 came in six-passenger and seven-passenger configurations, with captain's chairs or three-across seating in the second row. The third row was suitable for kids but lacked legroom and thigh support for adults. The XC90 could carry up to 15.9 cubic feet of luggage behind its third row, 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 85.7 cubic feet with both rows folded. The XC90 could tow between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds, depending on the configuration. The interior featured ample storage space, comfortable seating, and an airy cabin with a standard laminated panoramic moonroof. The air-conditioning system performed well during a heat wave, cooling rapidly and effectively.

Volkswagen made few changes to the 2021 Tiguan, with the most significant being the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB) platform called MIB3. Available starting with the SE trim, MIB3 equipped the Tiguan with an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and an expanded offering of features and services. Highlights included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and a long list of Car-Net connected services. The MIB3 infotainment system was an improvement, but the user interface had quirks, and the voice recognition technology was lacking. The six-speaker sound system in all trims except the SEL Premium R-Line struggled with bass-heavy music. The SEL Premium R-Line featured a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system. Both the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line had Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation.

Volvo's Sensus infotainment system in the 2022 XC90 offered tablet-like functionality with familiar gestures like pinch, pull, and swipe. However, the system in the test car was glitchy and slow to respond. It worked better with Apple CarPlay, and the XC90 also had Android Auto capability. The touchscreen interface was a nine-inch diagonal, portrait-oriented unit mounted in the center stack, minimizing the time a driver's eyes needed to be off the road. A 12.3-inch digital instrument panel offered easy configuration and crisp graphics. The $1,650 Advanced package included a head-up display, a 360-degree surround view camera system, and an advanced air cleaner. The XC90 came with standard Harman Kardon Premium Sound, with a $3,200 Bowers & Wilkins upgrade available. The XC90 had two front USB-A ports, two rear USB-C ports, a WiFi hotspot, and the Volvo Care smartphone app for remote vehicle controls.

Volkswagen equipped every 2021 Tiguan with its 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. Starting with SE trim, the SUV had adaptive cruise control. The SEL added lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, while the SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights. The Tiguan's parking sensors beeped with increasing intensity as you approached an object, and the standard reversing camera provided a clear view to the rear. The 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 Volvo XC90 came with a long list of safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking assist, rain-sensing wipers, slippery road alert, lane-keeping aid, adaptive cruise control, oncoming lane mitigation, and road-sign recognition. Volvo's Pilot Assist system combined several safety features to keep the car in its lane with minimal driver intervention on highways. The XC90 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.