2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan presented a conservative yet timeless design, distinguishing itself from its more ostentatious competitors. Its refreshed styling included a new front design that aligned with Volkswagen’s larger models, featuring a restyled grille with the new VW logo and standard LED headlights. The Tiguan was available in four trim levels in Canada, all equipped with standard 4Motion all-wheel drive. The R-Line models offered a sportier appearance, with the Comfortline R-Line Black Edition featuring a trendy blacked-out look. Inside, the Tiguan Highline R-Line boasted a luxurious cabin with leather upholstery, new technology, and ambient lighting, although the lower half of the cabin revealed its mass-market status with hard plastic materials. Standard features included heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, with additional options like a panoramic sunroof available.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe maintained the iconic Wrangler design, with subtle distinctions like blue decals and a charger port indicating its plug-in hybrid status. The interior quality was consistent across the lineup, with three grades available, each offering different levels of luxury and comfort. The Wrangler 4xe Unlimited Sahara and Unlimited Sahara High Altitude featured leather-faced seats, while the Unlimited Rubicon came with cloth seats as standard. The interior of the tested Rubicon model included Dark Saddle brown leather seats and black leather inserts, maintaining the rugged aesthetic expected of a Wrangler. Despite its hybrid nature, the Wrangler 4xe retained its off-road capabilities, with features like a fully articulating suspension and impressive ground clearance.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan continued with its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This power was managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion AWD system, which could decouple the rear axle to save fuel. The Tiguan offered various driving modes, including Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual, along with Offroad settings. However, with only 19 centimetres of ground clearance, the Tiguan was best suited for well-traveled paths. The Tiguan’s ride and handling were generally nimble and responsive, though it lacked the power and performance some might expect from a turbocharged engine. Fuel efficiency was rated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, with a test drive averaging 9.5 L/100 km.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with electric motors, delivering a total system output of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Wrangler 4xe retained its trail-rated status, featuring a Selec-trac or Rock-trac transfer case, solid axles, and impressive off-road capabilities, including 27.4 cm of ground clearance and 76 cm of water fording capability. The plug-in hybrid system offered an electric-only range of 35 kilometres, with modes to manage battery usage. The Wrangler 4xe provided a burst of energy from a stop, though it wasn’t the quietest or best-handling vehicle for everyday driving.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan was a spacious compact crossover, comparable to smaller midsize SUVs. It offered an optional third row, though this compromised cargo space. The Highline R-Line model featured comfortable leather seats with power adjustments and excellent outward visibility. The second row provided ample headroom and legroom, accommodating adults and children alike. The Tiguan’s cargo space was among the best in its class, with up to 2,078 litres available in the two-row configuration. However, the switch to touch controls on the steering wheel and dashboard proved challenging to use.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe was designed to accommodate its battery pack without sacrificing second-row space. The Sahara grades offered headroom and legroom similar to standard Wrangler models, while the Rubicon provided even more headroom with its soft-top roof. Cargo space was slightly reduced compared to other Wranglers, with 784 litres available with the seats upright and 1,908 litres with them folded. The Wrangler 4xe was easy to manage in urban settings, and the optional power-retracting roof added convenience. However, quirks like the centre stack window controls remained.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan featured standard digital gauges, with the Highline R-Line offering a more advanced Digital Cockpit Pro system. The MIB3 infotainment system, available on most trims, included an 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone mirroring, and SiriusXM radio. The Highline R-Line added a redesigned navigation system and a premium Fender audio system. However, the natural voice recognition system was disappointing. The Tiguan also offered an available Park Assist system for autonomous parking.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe ran Uconnect 4C with navigation on an 8.4-inch touchscreen, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Uconnect was praised for its intuitive interface, combining touch controls with hard buttons and dials. The Wrangler 4xe included off-road and Hybrid Electric Pages for monitoring vehicle performance. The instrument cluster featured traditional gauges with a 7-inch information display. However, the lack of wireless phone charging was surprising for a vehicle in this price range.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan came with standard Front Assist and Side Assist safety features. It also offered Travel Assist, combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assistance, and Emergency Assist, which could bring the vehicle to a stop if the driver became unresponsive. The 2021 Tiguan earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS, and the 2022 model’s improvements could enhance this score.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe shared its safety ratings with other Wranglers, receiving a Good rating in most crash tests but a Marginal rating in the driver’s side small overlap front test. The NHTSA rated the Wrangler with four stars for front crash tests and three stars for rollover resistance. Safety features were limited, with blind spot monitoring and rear park assist standard only on the Unlimited Sahara High Altitude. The Advanced Safety Group offered additional features like forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control.