2023 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

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 and interior colours, alloy 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, and impressive digital instrumentation. A panoramic sunroof and robust construction added to its appeal. Standard features included keyless entry with remote start and an 8-way power driver’s seat. The Tiguan's interior was well-assembled, providing a solid and comfortable environment for occupants.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, was a true crossover, sharing its underpinnings with the regular Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry. It was larger than its competitors, with a length of 5,115 millimetres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase, offering a spacious interior. The Grand Highlander's design was conservative yet rugged, drawing inspiration from off-road vehicles like the 4Runner. It featured a trapezoidal grille with a horizontal slit between narrow headlights, giving it a distinctive look. Available in XLE, Limited, and Platinum trims, the Grand Highlander offered black Softex synthetic leather on the XLE, with real leather on higher trims. The Platinum Hybrid trim could be equipped with Portobello upholstery.

Inside, the Grand Highlander provided a comfortable and well-built environment, with a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat and heated front seats as standard. The Limited and Platinum trims added ventilation, and a large centre console offered ample storage. Second-row sunshades and a removable centre console enhanced rear passenger comfort. The Grand Highlander excelled as a road-trip vehicle, with quality materials and seamless construction, promising durability over time.

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. The Tiguan's fuel economy averaged 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres, though our testing loop yielded 10.4 L/100 km. The turbo-four engine provided adequate power, but higher engine revs lacked motive force, and the automatic transmission occasionally stumbled with delayed downshifts. The Tiguan's dynamic qualities were rewarding, with excellent tire grip and stable handling, though the brake pedal required more effort than expected. The ride was compliant, offering a good balance between road feel and comfort.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options: a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains were AWD in Canada. The Hybrid Max delivered impressive acceleration, with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander's size made it less maneuverable than the smaller Highlander, with some body roll and numb steering feel. However, the brakes were solid, and acceleration was adequate. The Grand Highlander offered Sport, Eco, and Normal drive modes, with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models. Sport mode improved steering and throttle response, while Eco mode dulled them.

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 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 problematic, with reflections and poor ergonomics hampering 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.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its rivals, offering a spacious interior with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres. Behind the second-row seats, it provided 1,640 litres, and with all three rows up, 583 litres were available. The Grand Highlander was comfortable, with good outward visibility and ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row. A six-foot adult could comfortably sit in the third row, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan featured digital instrumentation, with R-Line trims offering a larger 10.25-inch display. The infotainment system had a touchscreen display, with lower trims using a 6.5-inch screen and higher trims an 8-inch screen. 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 complicating simple tasks. The voice-recognition system underperformed, often lacking a data connection, limiting its usefulness.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering an intelligent assistant via a connected-services subscription. The system included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were available. While Toyota's tech had improved, shoppers were advised to review subscription options carefully.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan excelled in safety features, with standard Front Assist and Side Assist, including forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking. The IQ.Drive package added adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Tiguan's safety technology worked well, with minimal false alerts. However, crash-test ratings were incomplete, with concerns about the driver's door unlatching during side-impact tests.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard, with features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Traffic jam assist and a head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum grade. Adaptive cruise control was standard, with four following-distance settings.