2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2023 Genesis GV80

The 2023 Genesis GV80 presented a sophisticated and graceful exterior, characterized by its quad-lamp headlights and bold grille. This midsize SUV, nearly 5 metres in length, exuded a stately presence. In Canada, it came standard with 20-inch wheels, but the Prestige trim tester featured 22-inch alloy wheels. The rear design echoed the quad lamp look with four-part taillamps above the dual exhaust. Despite its boxy hands-free liftgate, the GV80 maintained an elegant appearance, especially with the matte Brunswick Green paint. Inside, the dark green quilted leather seats complemented the dash, which was split by thin horizontal air vents and adorned with metal and matte wood trim. The centre console featured three large dials for infotainment, transmission, and drive modes, while the two-spoke steering wheel added a unique touch. The 14.5-inch infotainment screen, though slightly awkwardly placed, was a minor annoyance in an otherwise spacious and luxurious interior.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, following updates in 2022, remained mostly unchanged. In Canada, it was available in Trendline, Comfortline, Comfortline R-Line Black, and Highline R-Line trims, with prices ranging from $36,675 to $47,175, plus a $2,050 destination charge. The test vehicle, equivalent to the Canadian Highline R-Line trim, featured Atlantic Blue paint and Storm Grey leather seats, a combination not available in Canada unless ordered in the Highline R-Line trim. Despite the variety of exterior colours, interior colours, wheel designs, and upholstery options, choices were restricted based on trim level. Standard equipment included keyless entry with remote start and an 8-way power driver’s seat. The Highline R-Line trim stood out for its sporty appearance, 20-inch machined-finish wheels, adaptive front lighting, and a light bar across the grille. Inside, the cabin offered quality leather upholstery, artificial wood trim, soft-touch materials, digital instrumentation, a panoramic sunroof, and robust construction.

The 2023 Genesis GV80 came standard with all-wheel drive (AWD) and offered a choice between a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, or a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 with 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The GV80 was not particularly athletic or nimble, taking about five and a half seconds to reach 100 km/h, which was slower than some competitors. However, it excelled at highway driving, with smooth power delivery and shifts. The electronically controlled suspension, combined with active noise cancellation, provided a smooth and quiet highway commute.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine generating 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, the 4Motion AWD system was standard, offering Eco, Normal, and Sport driving modes, along with an Individual mode for dynamic settings. The AWD system could send up to 50% of power to the rear wheels. The Tiguan’s fuel economy was rated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, but testing showed 10.4 L/100 km. The turbo-four engine provided adequate power, though it struggled at higher revs and exhibited turbo lag from a stop. The automatic transmission occasionally stumbled with delayed downshifts. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan offered rewarding dynamics, with excellent tire grip, stable handling, and a compliant ride. Road noise was present, but the Tiguan provided excellent outward visibility and was easy to park.

The 2023 Genesis GV80 compensated for its lack of driving excitement with luxury features. In Canada, it came standard with heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated outboard mirrors. The tester featured ventilated front and rear seats with seven-way adjustability and an Ergo driver’s seat with inflatable pockets to reduce fatigue. Nappa leather seats added to the sumptuous feel. A third row was optional, though legroom was limited to 76 centimetres. The GV80 offered a standard tri-zone climate control system and an available 21-speaker Lexicon sound system. The panoramic sunroof and suede headliner were nice touches. The GV80 boasted one of the largest cargo spaces in its class, with 988 litres behind the second row and 2,378 litres with the seats folded. Towing capacity was 2,720 kilograms with trailer brakes.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy and affordable SUV option, with certain configurations featuring a standard third-row seat. However, the third row reduced cargo space, so opting for a two-row model provided one of the largest cargo areas in the compact SUV class. The test vehicle had comfortable front seats with eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, along with a heated steering wheel. Storage space was generous, though the centre armrest bin was small. The dashboard had questionable ergonomics, with touch-sensing controls in reflective gloss black plastic that hampered usability. The Climatronic Touch climate control panel was poorly placed, and touch-sensing steering-wheel controls were difficult to discern. Despite these issues, the Tiguan excelled in passenger and cargo space, with large rear door openings, generous legroom, headroom, and foot room. The hands-free power liftgate revealed a cavernous cargo area with adjustable load floor height and handy features. With AWD, the Tiguan offered 1,064 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 2,078 litres with the seats folded.

The 2023 Genesis GV80 featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch 3D digital gauge cluster. The head-up display projected information into the driver’s field of view. The infotainment screen was slightly out of reach, and the dial was cumbersome to use, though it had a “clicky” feel. The dial could detect handwriting for navigation and radio station searches. The menu structure was inconsistent, with a learning curve. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were available, though not wirelessly. The GV80 included wireless charging, four USB ports, a 12-volt outlet, and a 110-volt outlet. Remote smart parking assist allowed the driver to maneuver the car in and out of tight spaces using the key fob.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan came with digital instrumentation, with R-Line trims featuring a 10.25-inch display. The larger display offered a sophisticated appearance and a full-panel navigation map. The infotainment system had a touchscreen display, with lower trims using a 6.5-inch screen and higher trims an 8-inch screen. The top-of-line test vehicle included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, Car-Net connected services, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Fender premium sound system. The system had a multi-layer, multi-step process for simple tasks, and the navigation map could not be displayed on both the digital instrumentation and centre screen simultaneously. The voice-recognition system did not perform well, likely due to inactive subscriptions. The Tiguan’s user interfaces introduced unnecessary complexity and distraction.

The 2023 Genesis GV80 was equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard advanced driver’s aids, including forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Blind-Spot View Monitor system displayed a video feed of the blind spot in the digital gauge cluster. Highway Drive Assist used cameras, radar, and navigation to provide hands-on/eyes-up driving aid on approved highways. The system could change lanes automatically, slow down for curves, and learn from the driver’s habits. The GV80 received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Good rating for crashworthiness from the IIHS, though the headlights and LATCH system received Acceptable ratings.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features and driver assistance technologies. Standard features included Front Assist with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, and Side Assist with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Automatic Post Collision Braking System stopped the Tiguan after a collision. The IQ.Drive package added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. Travel Assist provided semi-autonomous driving assist, while Emergency Assist detected unresponsive drivers. The Tiguan’s safety technology worked well, with minimal false alerts. However, the NHTSA’s crash-test ratings were incomplete, and the driver’s door unlatched during a side-impact test. The IIHS gave the 2023 Tiguan a Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022, but this did not apply for 2023.