2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2024 Lexus GX

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan maintained its design from the previous year, offering a range of trims in Canada, including Trendline, Comfortline, Comfortline R-Line Black, and Highline R-Line. The R-Line trims featured sportier styling, with prices ranging from $36,675 to $47,175, plus a $2,050 destination charge. Despite the variety of exterior colours, interior options, and wheel designs, choices were limited by trim level, making it challenging to find the perfect combination. The test vehicle, equivalent to the Canadian Highline R-Line trim, showcased Atlantic Blue paint and Storm Grey leather seats, a combination not available in Canada unless opting for the Highline R-Line. The Tiguan's design was conservative yet aging gracefully, with features like adaptive front lighting and a light bar across the grille enhancing its appeal. Inside, the cabin exuded an upscale feel with quality materials, digital instrumentation, and a panoramic sunroof, though some materials reminded of its mid-$30,000s starting price.

The 2024 Lexus GX underwent a significant redesign, distinguishing itself from the previous model with a more geometric and aggressive look. The spindle grille was less pronounced, flanked by standard triple-beam LED headlights. The GX's front end stood more vertically, with a flat hood featuring humps above the front wheels for better off-road awareness. The side profile was minimalistic, with a low window beltline for improved visibility. Lexus offered the GX in a single trim with five packages: Premium, Overtrail, Luxury, Overtrail+, and Executive. The Luxury models focused on opulence, while the Overtrail packages emphasized off-roading capabilities. The interior blended luxury with utilitarian materials, featuring a 14-inch touchscreen and physical controls for off-road functions. The GX was less luxurious than some competitors but felt like a premium SUV ready for rugged use.

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 Tiguan came standard with VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, offering various driving modes like Eco, Normal, and Sport. The AWD system could send up to 50% of power to the rear wheels, with settings for Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad. The Tiguan's fuel economy was rated at 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres, though testing showed 10.4 L/100 km. The turbo-four engine provided adequate power, but higher revs revealed a lack of motive force. The automatic transmission occasionally stumbled, and turbo lag was noticeable from a stop. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan's dynamic qualities were rewarding, with excellent tire grip and stable handling. The ride was compliant, and road noise communicated road texture. Visibility was excellent, aided by thin windshield pillars and variable-assist steering.

The 2024 Lexus GX transitioned from a V8 to a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine, delivering 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The torque was available low in the rev range, enhancing off-road capability. Built on the GA-F truck platform, the GX featured a stiffer chassis for improved stability. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated confidently, and the standard full-time four-wheel drive included a locking Torsen limited-slip centre differential. The Overtrail packages added a locking rear differential and the Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS) for enhanced off-road performance. The GX accelerated well, with effective brakes, though testing conditions were favourable. Despite its size, the GX demonstrated controlled behaviour on-road, a pleasant surprise given its off-road prowess. Off-road testing was limited due to weather conditions, but the GX's capabilities were evident.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy interior, with some configurations featuring a 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 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 a usability issue, with reflections and placement hampering functionality. The Tiguan excelled in passenger and cargo space, with large rear door openings and ample legroom, headroom, and foot room. The cargo area was cavernous, with an adjustable load floor and handy features like levers for folding seats. With AWD, the Tiguan offered 1,064 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 2,078 litres behind the front seats.

The 2024 Lexus GX's interior was minimalist and sophisticated, with fewer physical buttons than its predecessor. Important controls remained, with rotary knobs for climate control and physical buttons for off-road features. The GX provided comfortable space for six-foot-tall adults in the first and second rows, with 1,047 millimetres of legroom in the front and 933 mm in the second row. The third row, available in certain packages, was tight for adults. The GX excelled in cargo space, with 292 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,138 litres with it folded. Total cargo space measured 2,178 litres, with Overtrail models offering even more capacity.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with R-Line trims boasting a larger 10.25-inch display. The infotainment system varied by trim, with an 8-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a nine-speaker Fender premium sound system. However, the user interface was complex, with sub-menus and multi-step processes for simple tasks. The voice-recognition system underperformed, likely due to inactive subscriptions. Despite these quirks, the Tiguan's technology offered a range of features, though the user experience could be improved.

The 2024 Lexus GX housed a 14-inch touchscreen, with USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad for front-seat passengers. The Lexus Interface infotainment system supported Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with an intelligent voice assistant available through a subscription. Remote Connect offered remote locking, unlocking, and diagnostics, with subscription costs after an initial trial. The GX's audio system varied by package, with a 10-speaker system standard and a 21-speaker Mark Levinson stereo in higher trims. While the Lexus Interface was user-friendly, subscription costs for features were a consideration for long-term ownership.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features, offering tech often found in luxury models. 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 added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Tiguan's safety technology was effective and unobtrusive. However, crash-test ratings were incomplete, with concerns about the driver's door unlatching during a side-impact test.

The 2024 Lexus GX received significant safety upgrades with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, offering pre-collision detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and road-sign recognition. Proactive driving assist was a new feature, enhancing safety during adaptive cruise control use. While crash-test ratings were unavailable, the GX's modern architecture and advanced driver assistance systems inspired confidence in its safety offerings.