2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs Kia Sorento

What's the difference?

The Tiguan moves a smidge further upmarket with this facelift, now with an entry cost higher than ever, and while that might rule it out for some buyers, no matter which one you pick you’d still be getting the full experience when it comes to safety, cabin comfort, and convenience.

It's up to you to choose how you want it to look and drive, which are ultimately subjective areas anyway. On that basis I have no doubt this Tiguan will keep its buyers happy for years to come.

Much like the wider Sorento range, the GT-Line petrol is an absolute knockout and therefore should be on top of the shopping list of any family looking for a seven-seater.

In fact, the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s brilliant combination of good looks, cutting-edge technology, seven-seat versatility and overall driving comfort is worthy of Olympic gold.

While it might be hard to look past the lack of third-row curtain airbags, families that don’t need seven seats full-time should be able to, and they’ll be rewarded for doing so.

The Tiguan was already an attractive car, with many subtle angular elements which added up to something suitably sophisticated for a European SUV.

For the update, VW has mainly made changes to the Tiguan’s face to keep it in line with the incoming Golf 8’s tweaked design language.

I think it has only served to make this car look better, with more integrated light fittings swooping out of its now more gentle grille treatment. There was a pugnacious toughness about the outgoing model’s flat face that I will miss, though.

The side profile is near identical, the new car only identifiable by subtle chrome touches and new wheel choices, while the rear is freshened up with a new lower bumper treatment, contemporary Tiguan lettering across the rear, and in the case of the Elegance and R-Line, impressive LED light clusters.

The inside, which has had a significant digital overhaul is what will get buyers salivating. Even the base car scores the amazing digital dash, but the larger multimedia screens and sleek touch panels will be sure to impress.

It’s important to note that while pretty much any car can have massive screens today, not all have the processing power to match, but I’m glad to say everything in the VW is as slick and fast as it should be.

The new wheel is a really nice touch with the embedded VW logo and cool looking surrounds. It feels a bit more substantial than the outgoing unit, too, and all the functions on it are nicely laid out and ergonomic to use.

I will say that the colour scheme, no matter which variant you pick, is pretty safe. The dash, while nicely finished, is just one big slate of grey, detracting from the flashy digital overhaul.

Even the inserts are plain and subtle, perhaps a missed opportunity for VW to make the interior of its pricey mid-sizer feel a bit more special.

When was the last time a new Kia model turned this many heads? The Stinger? Probably, but the Sorento is a different beast because it’s a vehicle most people would actually buy.

Yep, the Sorento is out to make a statement from the get-go. Where its predecessor was close to anonymous, this car draws attention for all the right reasons.

This all starts up front, where an enlarged version of Kia’s signature ‘tiger nose’ grille sits loud and proud with a black mesh insert.

The striking look is made all the more attractive courtesy of daytime running lights, which trail into the bottom corners of the grille while underscoring the headlights.

Then the bumper adds a bit of aggro with its large air intake, which is flanked by black U-shaped trim. Even the bonnet is nicely creased!

Around the side, the GT-Line petrol tested here ups the visual ante with an appealing set of Dark Chrome 20-inch alloy wheels.

Chrome accents also add intrigue below the A-pillars, while the wedge-like glasshouse dials up the sportiness.

At the rear, things get quite daring, with the split, horizontal tail-lights guaranteed to stand out from the crowd.

The tailgate is also intricately ‘folded’, while the spaced-out, centred ‘Sorento’ lettering below the number plate points out the bleeding obvious.

Inside, the Sorento GT-Line petrol continues to delight, with it feeling far, far more premium than you’d expect. No, seriously.

First, black quilted Nappa leather-appointed upholstery lovingly covers the seats, armrests and door inserts, while soft-touch plastics are deployed on the upper and middle dashboard, and door shoulders.

Then there’s the cool crosshatch metallic trim, which combines with the prevalent silver and gloss-black accents, with the latter attracting fingerprints and scratching, very easily.

But the main event is a side-by-side digital screen tag team - a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen and 12.3-inch instrument cluster.

Alongside the windshield-projected head-up display, this set-up is powered by Kia’s latest software, which is a pleasure to use, even with the myriad of capacitive buttons around the place. You still get some physical controls, though.

It’s also worth mentioning the gear selection, which is a rotary dial instead of a traditional lever. There’s a learning curve, but it works well enough when you get your head around it.

Refined and digitised it may have been, but is this update still practical? One of my big worries when hopping in was that the abundance of touch elements would make it distracting to operate while driving.

The touch panel climate unit from the previous car was starting to look and feel a little old, but there’s still a part of me that will miss how easy to use it was.

But the new touch climate panel not only looks good, it’s pretty easy to use too. It just takes a few days of getting used to it.

What I really missed was a volume dial and tactile shortcut buttons on the R-Line’s massive 9.2-inch touch-only screen. It’s a little usability gripe that will get on some people’s nerves.

The same goes for the touch elements on the R-Line’s wheel. They look and feel super cool with odd vibrating feedback, although at times I did fumble things that should be simple like cruise functions and volume. Sometimes the old ways are the best.

It sounds like I’m complaining about the Tiguan’s digital overhaul, but most of it is for the best. The instrument cluster (once an Audi exclusive feature) is one of the best on the market in terms of its look and usability, and the large multimedia screens make it really easy to jab at what function you’re looking for while remaining concentrated on the road.

The cabin is also excellent, with a tall but suitable driving position, big storage bins in the doors, big cupholders and cutaways in the tidy centre console, as well as a small centre console box and odd little pop-open tray atop the dash.

The new Tiguan is USB-C only in terms of connectivity, so bring a converter.

The back seat offers excellent amounts of room for my 182cm (6'0") frame, behind my own driving position. It’s super practical back there, too, with even the base car scoring a third adjustable climate zone with movable vents, USB-C outlet, and a 12V outlet.

There are pockets on the back of the front seats, big bottle holders in the door and drop-down armrest, and weird little pockets atop the seats, too. It’s one of the best rear seats in the mid-size SUV class in terms of amenities for passengers.

The boot is a large 615L VDA regardless of variant. This is also great for the mid-size SUV class, and it fit our entire CarsGuide luggage set with space to spare.

Every Tiguan variant also has a space saver spare under the boot floor, and little cutaways behind the rear wheel arches to maximise storage space.

The power tailgate is a boost, too, although it remains odd that the R-Line misses out on the gesture control.

Measuring 4.8mm long (with a 2815mm wheelbase), 1.9m wide, and 1.7m tall, the Sorento GT-Line petrol is on the smaller side for a large SUV, but that doesn’t mean bad things for practicality.

For example, the boot’s cargo capacity is a useful 187L (VDA), but stow the 50/50 split-fold third row (via handy pull tabs) and it increases to a competitive 616L, while shelving the 60/40 split-fold second row (via two latches) will grow it to a cavernous 2011L.

Better yet, four tie-down points and two bag hooks are on hand to secure loose items, while the load lip is tiny and the floor flat, making bulkier loads easier to deal with.

And yes, a 12V power outlet is also in tow, while the load cover can be stowed underfloor when not in use.

The third row is accessed via one-touch buttons, which mercifully tumble the second row forward. With the latter in its rearmost position, a 184cm (6'0") frame like mine needs to split its legs, with knees pressed against the backrest in front, but a centimetre of legroom is on offer.

Amenities-wise, each of the two seats gets its own USB-A port, cupholder and rectangular cubby, which are located to the sides. Not too shabby.

Things get even better in the second row, where the bench manually slides and reclines. Behind my driving position, I have a massive eight centimetres of legroom as well as roughly four centimetres of headroom. And the central tunnel is small, so three adults can sit abreast with no complaints.

Better yet, there are two USB-A ports are in the front seat backrests, plus another at the rear of the centre console, right next to a 12V power outlet. Map pockets are also on hand alongside storage nets. You don’t see that every day.

Then there’s the second-row cupholder overload, with the fold-down armrest featuring two, while another two are incorporated into the door armrests. And yes, the rear door bins can also accommodate two regular bottles.

And when it comes to fitting child seats, five top-tether and four ISOFIX anchorage points are split between the second and third rows. Yep, it’s pretty easy being a parent here.

In the first row, a wireless smartphone charger, three USB ports and a 12V power outlet take up most of the centre stack’s cubby, while two cupholders and a small cubby are located behind.

And the central bin is not only large, but features a removeable tray, while the glove box is also on the larger side.

Finally, the front door bins can also take one regular bottle each and still have enough space for other paraphernalia.

Priced from $61,070, plus on-road costs, the GT-Line petrol sits second from the top of the Sorento range, with only its diesel counterpart going $3000 higher.

The GT-Line's generous standard equipment list includes, four drive modes ('Eco', 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Smart'), dusk-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 'Dark Chrome' 20-inch alloy wheels (with a full-size spare), auto-folding side mirrors with heating, roof rails, keyless entry, rear privacy glass, and a hands-free power-operated tailgate.

Inside, add push-button start, a 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system, satellite navigation, (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, digital radio, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a windshield-projected head-up display, a wireless smartphone charger and a panoramic sunroof feature.

And then there’s the heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard middle seats, 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, 10-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, black quilted Nappa leather-appointed upholstery, ambient lighting and second-row sunshade blinds.

Seven paintwork options are available, with our test vehicle finished in 'Snow White Pearl', which costs $695 extra, bringing the price as tested to $61,765.

For reference, the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s direct rival is the related Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander petrol ($61,700), while it also faces competition from the Mazda CX-9 Azami FWD ($66,190) and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 162TSI Highline ($53,190).

The Tiguan maintains a relatively complex engine line-up for the class.

The entry level Life can be chosen with its own set of engines. The cheapest of which is the 110 TSI. It’s a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 110kW/250Nm driving the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. The 110 TSI is the only front-drive option left in the Tiguan range.

Next up is the 132 TSI. It’s a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol producing 132kW/320Nm driving all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The Elegance and R-Line are available with the same two higher-powered engine choices. This includes the 162 TSI 2.0-litre turbo-petrol which produces 162kW/350Nm, or the 147 TDI 2.0-litre turbo-diesel which produces 147kW/400Nm. Either engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and drives all four wheels.

Volkswagen’s engine options here are generally punchier than many of its rivals, some of which still make do with older naturally aspirated units.

Missing from the picture for this update is the word seemingly on every buyer’s lips at the moment – hybrid.

There are hybrid variants available overseas, but due to ongoing issues with Australia’s relatively poor fuel quality, VW has been unable to launch them here. Things could change in the near future, however…

As its name suggests, the Sorento GT-Line petrol is motivated by a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 petrol engine.

This 'new' 'Smartstream' unit produces a hearty 200kW of power at 6300rpm and 332Nm of torque at 5000rpm.

And in tow is a dependable eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (with paddle-shifters) and a basic front-wheel-drive system.

But if you’d prefer a 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive instead, the GT-Line diesel will do the trick for $3000 more.

The Sorento line-up will add eco-friendly Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid petrol-electric powertrain options later this year, but it remains to be seen if they will be available in the GT-Line grade.

For reference, both versions of the Sorento GT-Line have a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked).

Whiz-bang dual-clutch automatics are meant to make for lower fuel numbers, and it certainly seems to be the case for the Tiguan, at least on its official figures.

The 110 TSI Life we tested for this range review has an official/combined consumption figure of 7.7L/100km, while our test car saw around 8.5L/100km.

Meanwhile the 162 TSI R-Line also sampled has an official figure of 8.5L/100km, and our car returned a dash-reported 8.9L/100km.

Keep in mind these tests took place over only a handful of days rather than our usual weekly test, so take our numbers with a grain of salt.

Either way, they are impressive for mid-size SUVs, particularly in the case of the all-wheel drive 162 TSI.

On the downside, all Tiguans require a minimum of 95RON as the engines are incompatible with our cheapest entry-level 91.

This is due to our particularly poor fuel quality standards, which look set to clean up if our fuel refineries get an upgrade in 2024.

The Sorento GT-Line petrol’s fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test (ADR 81/02) is 9.7L/100km, while its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are 222g/km.

Reasonable numbers, but in the real world we averaged a higher 11.7L/100km over 209km of driving, and I'm not sure how much better anyone else could do in mixed conditions.

For that reason alone, the Sorento’s upcoming ‘self-charging’ hybrid version is shaping up as the go-to option for family buyers, particularly in and around the city.

In good news, though, the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s 67L fuel tank takes more affordable 91RON petrol at minimum, which is always a win for the budget-conscious.

And for what it’s worth, the alternative Sorento GT-Line diesel uses 6.1L/100km and emits 159g/km, although it will take years to recoup the $3000 difference in cost and make the initial investment worthwhile.

Given that so much is similar across the Tiguan range in terms of its spec and fitment, which variant you choose primarily influences the experience behind the wheel.

It’s a shame, for example, that the entry-level 110 TSI hasn’t been tweaked for this facelift, as our gripes with this variant still stand.

The 1.4-litre turbo is efficient and reasonably punchy for its size, but has an annoying power lull when it comes to a stop which can work with the dual-clutch to make for some laggy, glitchy moments.

Where the base car shines, though, is its ride. Like the Golf below it, the 110 TSI Life strikes a fine balance between ride quality and comfort, proving to insulate the cabin well from bumps and road impurities, while giving it enough driver engagement in the corners to feel a little like a giant hatch.

If you want to read more about the 110 Life, we have a variant review of the new one here.

We weren’t able to test the mid-grade Elegance, nor did we sample the 147 TDI diesel for this test, but we did have a chance to drive the top-spec 162 TSI R-Line.

Straight away it’s evident there's a strong case for paying the extra for more grunt. This engine is excellent in terms of the power on offer, and the way it's delivered.

The big boost in these raw figures helps it deal with the extra weight of an all-wheel drive system, and the extra low-down torque makes it an even better match for the snappy dual-clutch automatic.

This has the effect of removing most of the annoying jerky moments from stop-start traffic, while allowing the driver to make the most of the benefits of the instantaneous dual-clutch shifts when accelerating in a straight line.

The all-wheel drive system, more aggressive tyres, and a sharper steering tune in the R-Line make it an absolute pleasure to turn into corners at speed, offering a handling prowess that betrays its shape and relative heft.

Certainly then, there’s something to be said for splashing out on the larger engine, but the R-Line isn’t without its downsides.

The huge wheels conspire to make the ride a tad harsh when bouncing off suburban road imperfections, so if you’re primarily plodding around town and not seeking thrills on the weekend it may be worth considering the Elegance with its smaller 19-inch alloys.

Stay tuned for a future variant review with driving impressions for the 147 TDI, and of course the Allspace and full-fat R when they become available next year.

As far as family-focused seven-seaters go, the Sorento GT-Line petrol is nice to drive around town, although it is a little unrefined in some areas.

For example, off the line and at low speed, the engine-transmission combination isn’t as smooth as you’d expect it to be. It just feels a bit lazy and clunky.

This is a shame, because once you're up and running, the naturally aspirated V6 delivers pleasing performance, even if it doesn’t feel quite as quick as its outputs suggest.

And the torque-converter automatic behaves just the way you’d want it to, eventually proving to be responsive when required, while also being subtle with its gear changes.

Better yet, the suspension (MacPherson strut front/multi-link rear) lacks adaptive dampers but is no worse off for it, with it being more than comfortable in its own right, despite the obvious threat posed by the 20-inch alloy wheels.

Indeed, this set-up deals with speed humps and road imperfections really well. And with ride quality almost always flawless, children will have few complaints to make, including in the third row.

Parents will also have a good time when driving thanks to the electric power steering, which is on the lighter side, making low-speed manoeuvres, including parking, easier to perform.

This system is also quite direct, but not sports-car quick, so you certainly won’t be fooled into thinking you’re driving something very different. That said, its balanced nature is well suited here.

And when it comes to handling, the effects of the local tuning program are once again apparent, with relatively strong body control demonstrated in spite of a 1835kg tare mass.

Again, we’re not talking about a sports car here, but cornering can be enjoyable so long as understeer and traction can be managed.

Yep, the front wheels can be spun quite easily in the wet and dry, and not just off the line…

ANCAP awarded the entire Sorento line-up its maximum five-star safety rating under its 2020 standard.

Advanced driver-assist systems in the GT-Line petrol extend to front autonomous emergency braking (with intersection assist and pedestrian and cyclist detection), lane-keep and steering assist, adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist, active blind-spot monitoring (with cameras) and rear cross-traffic alert, remote park assist, rear AEB, surround-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors, 'Rear Occupant Alert' and 'Safe Exit Assist.'

Other standard safety equipment includes seven airbags (dual front, front-side and curtain, plus front-centre), anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist and the usual electronic and traction control systems.

But it's important to call out that the curtain airbags don’t extend to the third row, which is extremely disappointing for a family-focused seven-seater. Buyer beware.

Volkswagen continues with a competitive five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, the industry standard when it comes to its primarily Japanese rivals.

It will have more of a fight on its hands when Kia’s next-generation Sportage finally arrives.

Servicing is covered by a capped price program, but the best way to keep the cost down is to purchase the pre-paid service packs which cover you for three years at $1200, or five years at $2400, regardless of variant.

Doing so brings the cost down to very competitive levels, although not to the absurd lows of Toyota.

As with all Kia models, the Sorento GT-Line petrol comes with an industry-leading seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with no strings attached. It also gets seven years of roadside assistance.

And the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Capped-price servicing is available for the first seven visits, costing $3449 in total, for an average of about $493, which isn’t too bad.