2024 Kia EV9 vs 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, following its 2022 updates, remained largely 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 R-Line trims featured sportier styling, and our test vehicle, equivalent to the Canadian Highline R-Line, showcased Atlantic Blue paint with Storm Grey leather seats. Despite the variety of exterior colours, interior colours, wheel designs, and upholstery options, choices were limited by trim level, complicating the selection of a preferred combination. The Tiguan's design, with its adaptive front lighting and light bar across the grille, aged gracefully, offering a sporty appearance with its 20-inch machined-finish wheels.

Inside, the Tiguan's cabin exuded an upscale feel, despite some materials reflecting its mid-$30,000s base price. The test vehicle boasted quality leather upholstery, artificial wood trim, soft-touch materials, digital instrumentation, and a panoramic sunroof. Standard features included keyless entry, remote start, and an 8-way power driver’s seat. The Tiguan's construction felt solid, and its conservative lines contributed to a sense of durability and elegance.

The 2024 Kia EV9 marked a bold step in Kia's EV lineup, with a design that was both distinctly Kia and cutting-edge. Its exterior featured blocky lines reminiscent of digital clock numbers, with octagonal wheel arches and a sharply angled rear window. The lighting signature was a standout, with "Star Map" daytime running lights outlining the "Digital Tiger Face" and LED headlights varying by trim. The top Land trim offered a Digital Pattern Lighting Grille, adding a constellation of light points visible when the vehicle was on. The EV9's lighting options could be expanded post-purchase, allowing owners to customize their vehicle's appearance over time.

The EV9's interior was spacious, particularly in the third row, which offered ample headroom and legroom. The second-row seats were comfortable, with contoured bolstering to minimize jostling. Cargo space was competitive, with 572 litres behind the third row, expandable to 1,231 litres with the third row folded, and 2,313 litres with only the front seats in place. The EV9's high and flat load floor facilitated easy luggage retrieval. Up front, the "floating" centre console provided limited flat surface space, but the angled wireless charging pad and large open compartment offered practical storage solutions.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system was standard, offering various driving modes, including Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual. The AWD system could send up to 50% of power to the rear wheels, with settings for Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad. Fuel economy was estimated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres, though our testing yielded 10.4 L/100 km. The Tiguan's powertrain was adequate but lacked punch at higher revs, with some turbo lag from a stop. The automatic transmission occasionally stumbled, but Sport mode improved responsiveness at the cost of fuel efficiency.

The Tiguan's dynamic qualities were commendable, with light and lively steering, excellent tire grip, and stable handling. The ride was compliant, balancing road feel with comfort. However, the brake pedal required more effort than expected, and road noise was noticeable. Visibility was excellent, aided by thin windshield pillars and variable-assist steering. The Highline R-Line trim's surround-view camera and parking sensors enhanced manoeuvrability. Overall, the Tiguan was enjoyable to drive once acclimated to its quirks.

The 2024 Kia EV9 Light trim featured a single motor, rear-wheel-drive setup with 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, offering an EPA-estimated range of 370 kilometres. The Wind model, with a 99.8-kWh battery, reduced horsepower to 201 but extended range to 489 kilometres. The top Land trim, with dual motors and AWD, delivered 379 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with ranges of 451 kilometres for the base and Premium Package versions, and 435 kilometres for the GT-Line. The EV9 GT-Line provided smooth power delivery, avoiding the aggressive acceleration typical of EVs. Handling was stable, with minimal body roll, though some mild suspension rocking was noted.

The EV9's regenerative braking system was adjustable, with paddles on the steering wheel allowing for easy customization. The i-Pedal mode enabled one-pedal driving. While charging details were not tested, Kia claimed fast charging capability, with a 10 to 80 percent charge achievable in 25 minutes on a high-speed DC fast charger.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy interior, with certain configurations featuring a standard third-row seat. However, the third row reduced cargo space, so opting for a two-row model maximized cargo capacity. The front seats were comfortable, with eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. Storage space was generous, though the centre armrest bin was small. The dashboard's touch-sensing controls were problematic, with poor ergonomics and reflective surfaces hindering usability. The Climatronic Touch climate control panel was poorly positioned, and the 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 and a spacious back seat. The hands-free power liftgate revealed a cavernous cargo area, with adjustable load floor height and convenient storage features.

The 2024 Kia EV9's third row was a standout feature, offering ample headroom and legroom. The second-row seats were comfortable, with contoured bolstering. Cargo space was competitive, with 572 litres behind the third row, expandable to 1,231 litres with the third row folded, and 2,313 litres with only the front seats in place. The high and flat load floor facilitated easy luggage retrieval. Up front, the "floating" centre console provided limited flat surface space, but the angled wireless charging pad and large open compartment offered practical storage solutions. Second-row passengers in GT-Line trims enjoyed a large drawer and tray table.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch display on most trims and a 10.25-inch display on R-Line trims. The larger display offered a sophisticated appearance and a wider array of data. The infotainment system, with a touchscreen display, varied in size from 6.5 inches on lower trims to 8 inches on higher trims. The system 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. However, the user interface was complex, with multi-layer processes for simple tasks. The voice-recognition system underperformed, likely due to inactive Car-Net Hotspot and Plus Speech add-ons.

The 2024 Kia EV9 featured a three-screen curved display, with a 12.3-inch driver information display, a 5-inch Climate Display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a wireless charging pad, were standard. The sound system varied by trim, with an eight-speaker system on lower trims and a 14-speaker Meridian Premium Audio system on higher trims. The GT-Line package included a head-up display. The EV9's connectedness was noteworthy, with over-the-air updates and the Kia Connect store offering additional features and customization options. This "future-proofing" approach allowed for ongoing upgrades and personalization.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features and driver assistance technologies. Standard features included Front Assist with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking, as well as Side Assist with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Automatic Post Collision Braking System helped avoid secondary impacts. The IQ.Drive package, standard on most models, added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Tiguan's safety technology was effective and unobtrusive, though crash-test ratings were incomplete. The IIHS awarded the 2023 Tiguan a Top Safety Pick+ rating for 2022, but this did not apply for 2023.

The 2024 Kia EV9's standard suite of advanced driver-assistance systems was comprehensive, with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, and forward collision avoidance. The Blind-spot View Monitor and reverse parking collision avoidance assist were reserved for higher trims. The EV9 had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but it received the highest rating from Euro NCAP.