2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

Name: 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review
Brand: Volkswagen

Price Range: $13,333 - $26,998

Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4MOTION 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan impresses with its high-tech cabin and premium materials, both of which rank high in the ever-growing field of compact three-row SUVs. It doesn't falter in many areas, but its drawbacks — a thirsty engine and slow-to-react transmission — keep it from true greatness.

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Price & Payment

120 cars

$20,519 avg. price

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Volkswagen Tiguan model years

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2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

More driver safety features are standard equipment
Volkswagen's Car-Net communication system comes standard this year
SEL trim includes heated steering wheel and automatic wipers
Part of the second Tiguan generation introduced for 2018

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.00 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$149/mo

$174/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#27 out of 29 among Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Volkswagen Tiguan from 2008-2022.}

$569/yr

vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.69x/yr

vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

12.7%

vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Reviews

3.8

50 reviews

5(52%)

4(16%)

3(8%)

2(6%)

1(18%)

See all 50 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Better than all 3 Outback’s!!!

Jennifer D, 04/27/2020

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

Very solid vehicle structurally. Nicely equipped at the SE level, I have the third row and the sunroof. This is a solid performer, the only complaint that I would say I have would be initial take off. This is easily remedied with manual shifting which provides excellent acceleration with the 180hp, which is very peppy, considering the weight of the car. The roominess in the car is …

Affordable European Luxury

Dcisive, 03/12/2020

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

First and foremost perhaps my most important aspects of a car I would like to own is the seat comfort. Having test driven Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Ford, Chevy and Mazda before coming upon a SEL Tiguan, I was instantly struck with how inert my body felt in the seats of the Tiguan. It was as if it had been moulded to my back with NO pressure points and perfect positioning without fatigue. … There was NO equal that I'd driven and the love was beginning. The steering wheel feel was superb with the controls intelligently laid out. Speaking of intelligently laid out the Infotainment system needed NO manual to operate and was full with not just radio and CD features but a TON of adjustments which allowed one to customize the car to their needs or liking electronically. The climate control was also no brainer. I was quite impressed with the construction and material qualities. There were NO creaks or noises whatsoever to be heard when driving on less then perfect roads. The view outside the front, side and back windows was virtually unobstructed (unlike all the others). The suspension absorbed most all the imperfections in the road but the car still handled like a competent car not leaning when cornering at speed (taking a 25mph curve at 50 was no big deal). The car exuded solid construction, no wind noise at high speeds and it astounded me that after putting up for several years with a Nissan Rogue I couldn't even hold a conversation with my wife in at highway speeds could easily converse with her as well as listen to the highly competent entertainment system. The lights are exceedingly bright and the exceptional fog lamp system they use illuminates off to the sides of the vehicle as well not just forward vastly increasing ones view. The Panoramic Sunroof is a real treat as is the powered rear hatch with tons of storage space. Another thing that surprised me was the mileage. The rated highway mileage is only 27mpg. However I live in a fairly rural area where the highway to a town about 25 minutes away is at 60mph speed limit. I used the amazing cruise control that maintains my distance from the vehicle in front of me and if they start to slow down it adjusts accordingly with NO input needed........AMAZING! After a week of travel back and forth to the said town, I checked my mileage and noted I got 32mpg. If I take the interstate to the nearest large city it's at 80mph. Under a week of those conditions I would drop to 28mpg. Still not unreasonable. All in all both my wife and I have been truly enjoying all aspects of this vehicle. It conveys a very luxurious feeling when driving it. Glad I went this route and passed on all the competition, which in my experiences had more weaknesses then this model has. Highly recommended.

New to VW and Loving it!

James, 09/02/2020

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

This is a perfect, affordable, great looking SUV. Im new to the brand and I love how simple Volkswagens are yet they’re so practical and easy to use. I opted for the grey SE AWD model and I’m glad I did. The white leatherette styled seating (with seat heaters) are so easy to clean. Im putting to good use the wireless phone charger. It’s also super useful to have the built in WiFi for …

Excellet mid-size SUV

SoccerDad, 03/07/2020

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

The Edmunds review appears to be directed at those in the market for a CRV, CX5 or RAV4 and considering the base Tiguan S and SE models. In that case, maybe one of the Japanese models is the way to go. If your budget allows for the higher trim SELP R-Line, the CRV, CX5 and RAV4 don't have trims that come close in my opinion. The SELP R-Line's competition includes the X3 and Q5 and it …

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2020 Tiguan Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$24,945
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$149/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	12.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Tiguan models:

Forward Collision Warning: Warns if a front collision, including with pedestrians, seems imminent. If necessary, the system can apply automatic emergency braking.
Blind-Spot Monitor: Uses rear radar sensors to warn the driver of vehicles in adjacent lanes. Also illuminates an icon in the side mirror when a vehicle enters a blind spot.
Lane Assist: Warns the driver with flashing LED of a vehicle in a blind spot. Can also apply countersteering to nudge the vehicle back into its lane.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

Price & Payment

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.00 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Better than all 3 Outback’s!!!

Affordable European Luxury

New to VW and Loving it!

Excellet mid-size SUV

2020 Tiguan Highlights

Safety

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2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

Price & Payment

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.00 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Volkswagen Tiguan Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Better than all 3 Outback’s!!!

Affordable European Luxury

New to VW and Loving it!

Excellet mid-size SUV

2020 Tiguan Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Volkswagen

Research similar vehicles

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.00 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}