2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Refresh Updates Looks, Tech

Competes with: Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4

Looks like: The current Tiguan, in most respects

Powertrain: A 184-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; eight-speed automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Fall 2021

We’ve been impressed with the Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUV, which won back-to-back Cars.com compact SUV comparison tests in 2017 and 2019. For the 2022 model year, the Tiguan is getting a mid-cycle update that includes mildly revised styling and new tech features. It’ll come in four trim levels and, like it does now, offer an available third row that increases seating capacity from five to seven.

Related: 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Review: All-Around Greatness

The updated Tiguan goes on sale soon in Europe, but it won’t be available in the U.S. until fall 2021. The European Tiguan shown here has a shorter wheelbase than the model sold in the states, but the U.S. version sees the same design changes.

Exterior

The 2022 Tiguan sees minor exterior design changes. The restyled front end gets new headlights, plus new grille and bumper designs. There are also new designs for the wheels, which range from 17 to 20 inches, and both the headlights and taillights have LED illumination. The Tiguan model name lettering has moved to the center of the liftgate, underneath Volkswagen’s updated VW badge.

Interior

The Tiguan’s interior has been modestly updated, with most of the changes meant to give the SUV more technology. An 8-inch digital instrument panel is now standard, with a 10.25-inch digital panel optional. The multimedia system has also been updated, and all trim levels but the base S trim have an 8-inch touchscreen (a 6.5-inch touchscreen is standard). Heated cloth front seats — a feature that can be difficult to find — are standard.

Other available features include a Fender premium stereo, configurable ambient lighting with 15 color choices and touch-sensitive air conditioning controls. The focus on touch-sensitive technology extends to the steering wheel, which adds touchpads and touch sliders.

Engine and Transmission

The Tiguan’s 184-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission carry over, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. Europe is scheduled to get a plug-in hybrid version and a high-performance Tiguan R rated at 315 hp, but these models are not slated for the U.S.

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  • Shop for a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan

Safety

Standard active safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and blind spot warning. SE models add adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and Travel Assist. Travel Assist is a driver assist system that can manage vehicle speed and steering from 0-130 mph, but the driver is still in control of the SUV and must keep their hands on the steering wheel. The top-of-the-line SEL R-Line version, meanwhile, gets predictive adaptive cruise control and road sign display capability.

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