The crossover competition shows very few signs of slowing down. The body style has come to dominate the American market over the past few years. Its prominence has pushed out the wagon and is slowly doing the same to the sedan. Such fierce competition has forced automakers to innovate in order to provide a better product for cheaper prices.
So, how does the base model 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S stack up against the base model 2020 Toyota RAV4 LE? Let’s take a look.
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan S |
vs |
2020 Toyota RAV4 LE |
$24,945 | MSRP | $25,850 |
2.0L turbocharged inline 4-cyl | Engine | 2.5L inline 4-cyl |
184 hp / 221 ft-lbs | Horsepower / Torque | 203 hp / 184 ft-lbs |
FWD or AWD | Drivetrain | FWD or AWD |
8-speed shiftable automatic | Transmission | 8-speed shiftable automatic |
22 / 29 / 25 mpg | Fuel Economy | 27 / 35 / 30 mpg |
The 2020 Tiguan has an understated feel. Its quality isn’t as on-the-nose as a luxury vehicle. You notice it slowly. The premium cloth seating and soft-touch plastics are standard on the base model, but upgrades are available, like faux-leather and a panoramic sunroof. The base model RAV4, on the other hand, has cheap cloth seats, a plasticy steering, and all-around rough scratchy plastics. Something that the Tiguan has over any other crossover, not just the RAV4, is its standard three-row seating. The seating capacity of the Tiguan is a class-defining seven.
While the RAV4 does have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, it is bogged down by Toyota Entune, the clunky and outdated smartphone interface. The Tiguan also has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard, but its interface is clean and responsive. Not only that, but the 2020 Tiguan has a free five-year subscription to Volkswagen Car-Net, the proprietary Volkswagen service that keeps you and your Volkswagen connected. Every 2020 Tiguan also comes with a WiFi hotspot.