2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2022 Honda Passport's new styling closely resembled the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, especially from the doors forward. This similarity was due to the shared vehicle platform that Honda also used for the Odyssey minivan and the Pilot three-row SUV. Essentially, the Passport was a shorter version of the Pilot, minus the third-row seat and with distinct styling.

Honda aimed to give the Passport a tougher look with its new nose design, which was applied across all three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite. The TrailSport trim, new for 2022, was designed to appeal to off-road enthusiasts, though it was more about aesthetics than actual capability. The TrailSport featured standard all-wheel drive, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and traction management driving modes for various conditions. Prices ranged from $37,870 to $45,430, with the TrailSport model we tested costing $44,095.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, following updates in 2022, remained mostly unchanged. The most significant update was the addition of a complementary five-year Car-Net Safe & Secure connected services plan. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line trims, with prices ranging from $26,950 to $37,680. Our test vehicle, an SEL R-Line, had an MSRP of $38,975.

Despite offering seven exterior colors, four interior colors, and various wheel designs, the Tiguan's choices were restricted based on trim level. Our test vehicle came in Atlantic Blue with Storm Gray leather, but certain combinations, like pairing Atlantic Blue with Noisette leather, were not available. The SEL R-Line stood out for its sporty appearance, 20-inch wheels, adaptive front lighting, and a light bar across the grille. Inside, the Tiguan featured quality materials, digital instrumentation, a panoramic sunroof, and robust construction.

The 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard on the EX-L trim, while all-wheel drive was standard on the TrailSport and Elite trims. The V6 engine was smooth and powerful, with the Passport averaging 21.3 mpg in various driving conditions. The i-VTM4 AWD system could deliver up to 70% of the engine's power to a single rear wheel when needed, enhancing the vehicle's performance on twisty roads and off-road trails.

The Passport offered a firm, communicative ride and athletic handling, making it enjoyable to drive on streets and highways. However, the brakes could heat up and vibrate during mountain descents, which was concerning given the Passport's 5,000-pound towing capacity.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with VW's 4Motion AWD system available. The SEL R-Line trim included AWD as standard, with various driving modes for different conditions. The Tiguan averaged 22.6 mpg in combined driving during our tests.

The Tiguan's turbo-four engine provided adequate power, but the automatic transmission could be slow to downshift, and there was noticeable turbo lag from a stop. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan's dynamic qualities were rewarding, with excellent tire grip, stable handling, and a compliant ride. The variable-assist steering made it easy to park, and the SEL R-Line's surround-view camera and parking sensors were helpful.

The 2022 Honda Passport offered easy entry and exit, with large, comfortable front seats featuring leather upholstery and heating. The Elite trim added ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom, headroom, and a slightly elevated seating position, with large side windows enhancing the airy feel. The Passport provided plenty of storage, including a massive center console bin and generous cargo space, measuring 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded down.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, especially in AWD trims, offered a spacious interior with comfortable front seats featuring eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The dashboard, however, had questionable ergonomics, with touch-sensing controls that were difficult to use. The Tiguan excelled in passenger and cargo space, with large rear door openings and a roomy back seat. The cargo area was generous, with 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded down in AWD models.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services. The system was simple but lacked advanced features, and the navigation system was clunky to use. Wireless smartphone charging was standard.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch display on most trims and a 10.25-inch display on the SEL R-Line. The infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, Car-Net connected services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Fender premium sound system. However, the touch-sensitive controls and multi-layer menus were frustrating to use, and the voice-recognition system did not perform well.

The 2022 Honda Passport came with the Honda Sensing suite of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, a rear-seat reminder system, and a seatbelt reminder system. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control was not smooth. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rating for front passenger protection in a frontal-impact collision and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings, except for an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured standard Front Assist and Side Assist, including forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The IQ.Drive package added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Tiguan also offered Light Assist, Park Assist, parking sensors, and an Area View surround-view camera system. The safety technology worked well, but the NHTSA's crash-test ratings were incomplete, and the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022 did not apply for 2023.