2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

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 the R-Line versions offering sportier styling. Prices ranged from $36,675 to $47,175, plus a $2,050 destination charge. The U.S. specification test vehicle was similar to the Canadian Highline R-Line trim. Despite offering six exterior colours, four interior colours, four alloy wheel designs, and three upholstery types, choices were limited by trim level, complicating the selection of a preferred combination. The test vehicle featured Atlantic Blue paint and Storm Grey leather seats, a combination exclusive to the Highline R-Line trim in Canada. Standard features included keyless entry with remote start and an 8-way power driver’s seat. The Highline R-Line trim was favoured for its sporty look and 20-inch machined-finish wheels, with adaptive front lighting and a light bar across the grille enhancing its appeal. Inside, the Tiguan's cabin was upscale, with quality leather upholstery, artificial wood trim, soft-touch materials, digital instrumentation, and a panoramic sunroof, all contributing to a solidly assembled feel.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was a more rugged counterpart to the CX-5, with a design that was 3.5 cm lower, 7.6 cm wider, and nearly 15 cm longer, featuring an 11.7 cm wheelbase stretch. Its broad-shouldered proportions were highlighted by square wheel arches and fake air vents. Available in GS-L, GT, and Meridian Edition trims in Canada, the CX-50 offered 17-inch wheels on the GS-L and 20-inch wheels on the GT. The test car, a Meridian Edition, emphasized an active-lifestyle image with all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels, a black hood graphic, and pronounced rocker-panel trim. The Apex Package added a roof platform and splash guards. The CX-50's earthy colour palette included Polymetal Grey Metallic or Zircon Sand Metallic paint and Terracotta leather upholstery. The interior was pleasing, with an infotainment screen on a shelf and impressive material quality. However, the CX-50 didn’t fully meet Mazda’s upscale aspirations, with standard half-leatherette seats and a manually adjustable passenger seat on base models reminding of its traditional market position.

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 Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes. The AWD system featured Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad settings, varying power distribution between the front and rear wheels. The Tiguan R-Line trims had a combined fuel economy rating of 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 limited motive force, and the automatic transmission occasionally stumbled with delayed downshifts. The Tiguan’s dynamic qualities were rewarding, with excellent tire grip and stability, though the brake pedal required more effort than expected. The ride was compliant, with minimal road noise, and the vehicle offered excellent outward visibility and nimble handling.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, with turbocharging on higher trims. The base engine produced 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, while the turbo engine offered 256 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93-octane gasoline, or 227 hp and 310 lb-ft on 87-octane fuel. A six-speed automatic transmission and AWD were standard, with Normal, Sport, and Off-road driving modes, and a Towing mode on turbo models. The CX-50’s towing capacity increased from 907 kg to 1,587 kg on turbo models. While sharing powertrains with the CX-5, the CX-50 offered a different driving experience, being a good daily driver but lacking the sporty dynamics of the CX-5. The Meridian Edition’s all-terrain tires provided limited grip and higher noise levels, with additional wind noise from the roof platform. Despite these, the CX-50 was well-mannered, though the Meridian Edition might be best avoided unless off-road capabilities were a priority.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a roomy interior, with certain configurations featuring a standard third-row seat, though this reduced cargo space. The test vehicle had comfortable front seats with eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a heated steering wheel. Storage space was generous, though the centre armrest bin was small. The dashboard’s touch-sensing controls were problematic, with reflections and placement issues affecting usability. 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 handy features for convenience. With AWD, the Tiguan offered 1,064 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 2,078 litres behind the front seats, comparable to some midsize SUVs.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 had similar passenger space to the CX-5, with slightly less headroom and more legroom. It offered 889 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 1,595 litres with them folded, trailing most competitors. The power liftgate eased cargo access, but the area wasn’t ideal for dirty or bulky items. The interior layout was sensible, with adequate storage space and a substantial shifter and rotary infotainment controller on the centre console. While some automakers reduced shifter size for more console space, Mazda maintained functionality without compromise.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with R-Line trims having a larger 10.25-inch display. The infotainment system had a touchscreen display, with an 8-inch screen on higher trims. 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. However, the system’s user interface was complex, with multi-layer processes for simple tasks. The voice-recognition system underperformed, likely due to inactive subscriptions, highlighting the need for a conversational system to ease use.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 had a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, operated via a rotary controller and buttons on the centre console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with higher trims offering wireless phone charging, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The touchscreen-free interface required adjustment but provided physical feedback, easing use without distraction. The infotainment system felt dated, with basic functions and plain graphics, appealing to buyers seeking simplicity over excessive tech.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features, with standard Front Assist and Side Assist, including forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, 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, with concerns over the driver’s door unlatching during a side-impact test.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was a 2023 Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, it received a low score for nighttime pedestrian detection, and standard headlights were rated “Average.” NHTSA ratings were incomplete, with five-star frontal and four-star rollover crash-test ratings. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Optional features included emergency lane-keeping, rear automatic braking, traffic-jam assist, and a 360-degree camera system.