2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

Pros: Generous cargo room; well-finished interior; good ride quality with composed handling

Cons: Third-row seat is cramped; powertrain occasionally feels lackadaisical

CG Says: The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan has only minor changes, such as newly standard adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go for SE trim. Tiguan was redesigned for 2018 on a larger platform that provided more cargo room and created space for an available third-row seat, for 7-passenger capacity. (The Mitsubishi Outlander is the only other compact SUV that offers a third-row seat.) The Tiguan’s sole powertrain is a 184-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive is optional; interestingly, the third-row seat is standard on front-drive Tiguans and is available on AWD models as a $600 option. Available safety features include blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and mitigation, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, and automatic post-collision braking. Other available features include adaptive LED headlights, a hands-free power liftgate, and adaptive cruise control. Tiguan hits the mark with its spacious cabin, well-designed technology features, and classy styling inside and out. The available third-row seating is a handy addition, but it cuts into maximum cargo volume a bit and it’s cramped enough to be suitable mainly for small children. Dynamically, the Tiguan offers a comfortable, absorbent ride with composed handling, but some shoppers might wish for a bit more powertrain pep and responsiveness.