2025 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas was available in Canada in four trim levels: Comfortline, Peak Edition, Highline, and Execline. The Peak Edition had an off-road-ready appearance, while the Execline was the sportiest with the most standard equipment. A five-passenger version, the Atlas Cross Sport, offered a more rakish design but was otherwise similar to the three-row Atlas. Prices ranged from $50,995 to $60,995, excluding destination charges and fees. The Atlas Execline, tested in Mountain Lake Blue with a Shetland Beige leather interior, was at the top of this price range. Its polished aluminum detailing, front and rear light bars, and 21-inch wheels gave it a chiseled, muscular, and upscale appearance. Inside, diamond-stitched leather, metallic accents, and artificial wood created a warm and inviting environment, complemented by digital instrumentation and a large infotainment touchscreen.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan underwent a complete redesign, marking the start of its third generation. It adopted sleek modernity from VW's electric vehicles, most evident in the front with narrower headlights and a plastic trim element inspired by the ID.4 EV. The grille appeared larger, with smaller actual openings and prominent air intakes. The rear had a sportier tapering hatch, enhanced by a black contrasting roof and dark-tinted windows. The Tiguan's interior modernization included a tablet-like infotainment display and a digital instrument panel. The dashboard was more minimalist, with physical climate controls moved to the bottom of the central touchscreen. Materials quality was average for the class, with soft-touch materials and padded sections where contact was most likely. The rear seats had more durable plastic materials, and covering the hard plastic centre console and door handles would have improved the interior impression.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas featured a new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous engine options. It produced 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and VW’s 4Motion AWD system. Despite initial concerns about the engine's capability in an eight-passenger SUV with a 2,268-kilogram tow rating, it proved refined and satisfying for daily driving tasks. The engine's maximum torque curve between 1,600 rpm and 4,500 rpm was generous, and Sport mode added a pleasing engine note. However, the ride quality was disappointing, with a brittle suspension over road surface anomalies and excessive body motions at highway speeds. Handling was predictable, with the tires being the weakest dynamic link. The brakes resisted rumble, vibration, and fade under duress.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 201 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4Motion AWD in Canada. The Tiguan's acceleration was expected to be similar to its predecessor, reaching 100 km/h in about 8.5 seconds. The drivetrain delivered power smoothly and linearly, with confident highway acceleration. Braking was smooth and easy to modulate, and the suspension favoured comfort while maintaining composure on winding roads. The Tiguan's cabin was quiet, with well-silenced tire noise and undetectable wind noise at highway speeds. A more powerful Turbo version was anticipated for 2026, offering 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas excelled in form and function, designed for carrying people in comfort. It featured a comfortable third-row seat and a cavernous cargo area. The Execline model's front seats were heated, ventilated, and massaging, with excellent outward visibility. The second-row bench seat accommodated three adults comfortably, with significant leg-, foot-, and headroom. Access to the third-row seat was outstanding, with generous clearance and adequate leg support. Storage space was commendable in all three rows, with practical and nicely finished compartments. The Atlas offered 583 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 1,571 litres with the third row folded and 2,735 litres with the second row down.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan returned without a third row of seats, increasing second-row legroom by nearly 4 centimetres. The elimination of capacitive-touch buttons improved usability, with old-style controls on the steering wheel. Outward visibility was comparable to other small SUVs, with narrow front roof pillars and a sufficiently large rear window. The centre console offered more storage, with cupholders, a smartphone slot, and a deep armrest bin. The Tiguan could hold up to 1,668 litres of cargo behind the first-row seatbacks, with remote seatback releases and a power liftgate standard on most trims.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas used VW Group’s third-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB3) operating system with a 12-inch touchscreen display. It lacked traditional stereo and climate controls, relying on touch-sensing buttons and a touch-and-slide volume control. The native digital voice assistant was unreliable, making wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto preferable for navigation and music streaming. The Atlas Execline’s Harman Kardon audio system was impressive, but the MIB3 system had user-experience glitches, such as incorrect song titles on SiriusXM radio and confusing navigation screens.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with a digital instrument panel and a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, with a 15-inch display on the top trim. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were complemented by a wireless phone charger with a cooling fan. A new volume knob on the centre console was easier to use than capacitive-touch sliders. The standard audio system had seven speakers, with a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system available on the top trim. VW's Car-Net system included remote monitoring and control.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas featured standard driver assistance features under the IQ.Drive umbrella, including Front Assist, Side Assist, Lane Assist, Emergency Assist, and Travel Assist. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and a rear cross-traffic alert system were also standard. The Atlas earned a five-star overall safety rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and was a 2024 IIHS “Top Safety Pick.”

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan's crash test results were not yet available. Standard advanced safety features included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, safe passenger exit warnings, parking sensors, and automatic high beams. The Highline R-Line added a head-up display, surround-view camera system, and a traffic sign reader. The safety and driver assist features functioned as expected, with no false alarms or oversensitivity issues.