The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan has a bolder exterior and enhanced standard technology inside.  So the compact SUV that offers an available third-row of seating is refreshed for this model year.

Both looking at and driving the new Tiguan is impressive.  Because the new model is a major contrast to the very first Tiguan introduced in the United States.

Additionally, Tiguan has become Volkswagen’s best-selling vehicle.  Both here in the United States and globally!  And that makes all kinds of sense as you’ll see as we unpack this review.

⇒ Ontario Volkswagen is Southern California’s VW HQ ⇐

2022 VW Tiguan Top-3:

1.  Styling
   
2.  Interior
   
3.  Drive
   

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’22 VW Tiguan SEL w/ R-Line

2022 VW Tiguan – What’s New

The most noticeable 2022 Tiguan update is the bolder new front end.  And it now comes standard with LED headlights.

Moreover, that refreshed front end looks great with the LEDs.  And when you go inside the update that is immediately appreciated is the Digitial Cockpit – now standard across all trims.

109.9″ wheelbase and 186.1″ overall length

Trims And Prices

Volkswagen provides four primary trim configurations to choose from for Tiguan 2022.

2022 VW Tiguan Trims & MSRPs:

• S $25,995
  
• SE $29,495
  
• SE R-Line Black $32,295
  
• SEL R-Line $36,595
  

*Starting manufacturers suggested retail prices

The 2022 VW Tiguan I drove is pictured in this review.  And it’s the SEL R-Line trim with 4Motion – what Volkswagen calls its all-wheel drive.

And our thanks as always to our friends at Ontario Volkswagen in the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario California for providing the Tiguan for this review.

Engine, Transmission, And MPG

As The Peoples carmaker often does, it keeps it simple offering one engine and one transmission in the 2022 Tiguan.

So, after you decide your trim configuration and options, all you need to select is 2WD or AWD/4MOTION.

VW Digital Cockpit Standard

Engine

Under the hood, Tiguan includes an impressively quick 184 horsepower 2.0L inline turbocharged 4-cylinder.  And it puts out 221 pound-feet of torque.

Transmission

Then that engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.  And when you go with the two-wheel-drive option it’s front-wheel drive.  Or, you can opt for Volkswagen’s 4MOTION.  And that’s what my test driver had – it’s quick and nimble.  Great fun to drive.

Fuel Economy

As you can expect, when you have a single-engine and transmission, the fuel economy range is pretty close.

But when you go with 2WD you get 26 MPG combined.  And that breaks down to 23 in the city and 30 on the highway.

Conversely, with all-wheel-drive, you get a combined 25 MPG.  Broken down that’s 22-city and 29-highway.

Finally, if you go with the R-Line AWD those numbers change slightly.  Combined is 24 MPG with 21-city and 28-highway.

Curb Weight: 3,765/3,856 lbs

What’s The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Look Like?

So when it comes to the looks of the refreshed 2022 VW Tiguan – that’s where I really take a step back.

Because when Tiguan first hit the US market in 2008… I found it to be lacking in the department of aesthetical appeal.  But fast-forward to now, and there’s a night-and-day difference.  It’s great-looking, especially with its adjusted front-end.

Plus, and it’s difficult to display in an online image, but there’s an available LED lightbar.  It spans the entire grill – headlight to headlight and looks very cool.

No doubt the 2022 Tiguan is a Volkswagen, but it’s sharp.  European sharp and athletic.

1,500 lbs towing capacity

Inside ’22 Tiguan

Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit highlights the interior updates of the new Tiguan.  But to be clear the rest of the interior is to be appreciated as well.

Because, if you’re a regular iDriveSoCal reader, listener, or watcher, then you know I’m a big fan of interior engineering.  And VW’s is almost always both tight and right.

Tight from a perspective of how everything fits together and the quality of materials and connecting joints and surfaces.  And right from a perspective of thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

For instance, I love how when you fold the backseats down, they lock into place in the downward position.  This way they won’t cause your load to shift.  I appreciate those little details.

Up to 73.4 cu-ft of cargo space

Optional Third Row

And the easy option to forget about Tiguan is its optional 3rd row of seating.  For sure, that option isn’t intended for adults.

But if you want to get a compact SUV with a third row of seating – your options are very, very few.  And for families with small kiddos having that third row can be a game-changer.

Starting MSRP $25,995

Infotainment And Safety Tech

Back to VW’s Digital Cockpit for a moment.  It’s now standard across all Tiguan trims.  And that’s great because it takes the driving experience to another level.

Replacing the standard analog in-dash instrumentation with a digital screen that’s entirely configurable is the future without a doubt.

Because it allows you to set the instruments to whatever view you like.  But on top of that, you can save a number of profiles for easy access whenever you switch drivers or switch driving styles.  (I love having one for my day-to-day city driving and then another for my road trips.)

IQ.DRIVE

Also standard, on all but the base model where it’s available, is Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE.

So, it is VW’s suite of driver assistance tech.  And the overall feature set falls under the categories of safety as well as convenience.

2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Top-3

1.  Styling: With its new frontend featuring a bolder look and LED lights the 2022 Tiguan just got even better looking.  European styling and performance at a very affordable price.
   
2.  Interior: From VW’s Digital Cockpit to the already smartly designed and engineered interior, inside Tiguan delivers creature comforts and convenience.
   
3.  Drive: Although 184 HP may not sound like a lot, it’s a great driving SUV.  It’s fun, surprisingly quick, and handles great too.
   

Ontario VW – SoCal’s Volkswagen HQ

 

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