2022 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan presented a conservative yet elegant design, distinguishing itself from its competitors with a creased and symmetrical aesthetic. The refreshed front styling aligned it with Volkswagen's larger models, featuring a restyled grille with the new VW logo and standard LED headlights. The Tiguan offered four trim levels in Canada, all with standard 4Motion AWD, and prices ranged from $33,395 to $43,395. The interior of the Highline R-Line trim was upscale, with leather upholstery, ambient lighting, and new technology, although the lower half of the cabin revealed its mass-market status with hard plastics.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Passport shared its platform with the Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot, resulting in a familiar design. The Passport's new nose aimed for a tougher look, and the TrailSport trim added off-road appeal with 20.5 cm of ground clearance and traction management modes. The Passport's three trim levels in Canada included the base Sport, TrailSport, and Touring, with prices ranging from $45,570 to $52,170. The TrailSport trim featured unique 18-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, and skid plates, enhancing its SUV appearance. Inside, the Passport offered a spacious interior with quality materials, orange contrast stitching, and ample storage.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan retained its turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission paired with VW's 4Motion AWD system, which could decouple the rear axle to save fuel. The Tiguan offered driving modes like Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual, along with Offroad settings. However, with only 19 cm of ground clearance, it was best suited for well-traveled paths. The Tiguan's ride and handling were nimble and responsive, but the engine's torque arrived later than some competitors, resulting in momentary turbo lag. Fuel efficiency was rated at 9.8 L/100 km in combined driving.

The 2022 Honda Passport featured a 3.5-litre V6 engine with 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. The i-VTM4 system provided mechanical torque vectoring, delivering up to 70% of power to a single rear wheel when needed. The Passport excelled on streets and highways, offering firm, communicative ride and handling. However, its brakes could heat up and vibrate during mountain descents. Fuel efficiency was rated at 11.3 L/100 km in combined driving, with the TrailSport trim averaging 11.0 L/100 km.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan was a spacious compact crossover, comparable to smaller midsize SUVs. It offered an optional third row, though it compromised cargo space. The Highline R-Line trim featured comfortable leather seats with power adjustments, excellent visibility, and a panoramic sunroof. The second row provided ample headroom and legroom, accommodating adults and children alike. Cargo space was generous, with 1,064 litres behind the back seat and a maximum of 2,078 litres with the rear seat folded down.

The 2022 Honda Passport boasted easy entry and exit, with large, comfortable seats and standard leather upholstery. The TrailSport trim added heated rear seats, while the Touring trim offered ventilated front seats. The Passport's interior was spacious, with plenty of room for passengers and ample storage options. Cargo space was impressive, with 1,430 litres behind the rear seat and a maximum of 2,854 litres with the back seat folded down. The Passport's utility and comfort made it a practical choice for daily use.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan featured standard digital gauges, with the Highline R-Line offering a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system. The MIB3 infotainment system, available on most trims, included an 8-inch touchscreen, Car-Net connected services, and smartphone mirroring. The Highline R-Line added a redesigned navigation system and a nine-speaker Fender audio system. However, the natural voice recognition system was disappointing, and the Park Assist system was standard on the Highline R-Line.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The TrailSport trim added satellite radio, while the Touring trim featured a navigation system, a 10-speaker audio system, and HondaLink connected services. The system lacked a stereo tuning knob, but wireless smartphone charging was standard on all but the base Sport trim. The Passport's technology was functional but not advanced, with Apple CarPlay and Siri providing a better experience than the built-in navigation system.

The 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan came with standard Front Assist and Side Assist, along with available Travel Assist and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assistance, while Emergency Assist 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 LED headlights and driver aids could improve that score.

The 2022 Honda Passport included the Honda Sensing suite, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high-beam headlights. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centring assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control lacked refinement. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for front passenger protection in a frontal collision and rollover resistance, which earned four stars. The IIHS gave the Passport top ratings, except for an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.