2024 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2025 Jeep Wrangler

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan presented itself as a stylish and premium-looking compact SUV, especially when compared to its non-European counterparts. Its design elements, such as standard LED headlights and taillights, along with an illuminated grille light line on the SEL R-Line trim, contributed to its upscale appearance. The exterior design was complemented by silver roof rails on the SEL R-Line, while the lower trims featured black rails. The rear end showcased the model name in a fashionable all-caps style, accompanied by the classic Volkswagen badge. However, the color options were somewhat limited, with the base Tiguan S only available in grayscale colors. The configurator on Volkswagen’s website proved to be a bit challenging when trying to match specific interior and exterior color combinations.

Inside, the Tiguan offered a range of features across its trims. The base Tiguan S included heated front seats and cloth seating surfaces, while the SE trim added leatherette upholstery, an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, and a power tailgate. The SE R-Line came with a panoramic sunroof, and the top-tier SEL R-Line upgraded to real leather, front-seat ventilation, a heated steering wheel, and three-position driver’s seat memory. The SEL R-Line also provided eight-way power adjustability for the front passenger’s seat, enhancing comfort and convenience for both driver and passengers.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler, on the other hand, was a rugged and iconic vehicle, embodying themes of American freedom and adventure. The Sport S trim we encountered in Honolulu was a black-on-black hardtop with dark gray wheels, which was not ideal for the tropical climate. However, once behind the wheel with the windows down and the overhead panels removed, the color became less of a concern. The Wrangler was available in various trims, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392, with the latter featuring a powerful 470-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine. The Wrangler’s design was rooted in its military heritage, with a seven-slot front grille and a Made in the U.S.A. label from Toledo, Ohio.

Despite its nearly $50,000 sticker price, the Wrangler Sport S had a simple interior with gray fabric dashboard trim, metallic accents, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The emphasis was on function over form, as Wranglers were designed to get dirty and withstand rugged conditions. The vehicle’s appeal lay in its capability to go almost anywhere, with standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and generous approach and departure angles. However, the Wrangler’s ride was rough, and its steering felt disconnected, creating a unique driving experience that was both nostalgic and adventurous.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan was equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, offering a more traditional driving experience compared to the common continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). The Tiguan came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), while Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD) was available for an additional $1,500 on the lower trims and standard on the top SEL R-Line trim. Opting for AWD also provided a slightly larger 15.9-gallon fuel tank, accommodating the AWD system’s impact on fuel economy. The base Tiguan S achieved 27 mpg combined, while AWD models saw a decrease to 25 mpg combined, and the sporty R-Line AWD trims were rated at 24 mpg combined.

During our test drive of the Tiguan SEL R-Line, we experienced mixed performance results. The power delivery felt inconsistent, with noticeable turbo and transmission lag during acceleration. The gas pedal was touchy, even in Eco mode, and the brake pedal had excessive travel, making it poorly matched with the accelerator. The steering was light and somewhat rubbery, providing increased resistance as the wheel turned but feeling eager to return to center. Despite these issues, visibility and handling were commendable, making the Tiguan feel more maneuverable than expected for its size. Road noise was minimal, and the ride was comfortable, though the seating surfaces drew some complaints from passengers.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler offered a choice between a 3.6-liter V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder engine produced 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, offering 15 hp less but 35 lb-ft more than the V6. The turbocharged engine was more fuel-efficient, with an EPA rating of 21 mpg combined, compared to 19-20 mpg for the V6. Our rental Wrangler Sport S was equipped with the four-cylinder engine, and during our time in Hawaii, we averaged 19.2 mpg with four passengers, air conditioning, and windows down.

The Wrangler’s standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and narrow width made it well-suited for Hawaii’s terrain. Its slow steering and sloppy handling were less of a concern due to the island’s low speed limits and traffic. However, the Wrangler’s three-star rollover resistance rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was a point of caution. The ride was rough, with constant jiggles and jolts, and the disconnected steering feel was noticeable on Honolulu’s freeways. Despite these challenges, the Wrangler’s off-road capabilities were impressive, with the right version able to tackle challenging terrains.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan offered a spacious interior, with the top-trim SEL R-Line featuring firm seats in both rows. While front-wheel-drive Tiguans could seat seven, the all-wheel-drive models, including the SEL R-Line, were limited to five seats. This configuration allowed for more interior space dedicated to luggage or gear. The two-row Tiguan provided 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. In contrast, the three-row Tiguan offered 12 cubic feet behind the third row, 33 cubic feet with it folded, and 65.3 cubic feet with only the front seats in position.

Passenger space was ample, with the driver and front passenger enjoying up to 39.6 inches of headroom and 40.2 inches of legroom. The second row offered 38.7 inches of legroom, which decreased to 36.6 inches in the three-row configuration. The third row was notably tighter, with 33.8 inches of headroom and 27.9 inches of legroom, making it less suitable for adults. Despite these limitations, the Tiguan was one of only two vehicles in its class to offer a third row, with the Mitsubishi Outlander being the other option.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler presented challenges in terms of entry and exit due to its high ground clearance, tall door sills, and narrow door openings. Step rails were available but could complicate access and increase the risk of getting dirty. Once inside, the front seats were comfortable, with soft and supportive cloth upholstery. The Sport S trim included heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as part of the Convenience Group option pack. A manual seat height adjuster was available for the driver, though frequent use could cause the seat to lower over time.

While the Wrangler could seat five, four passengers were more comfortable. Rear-seat legroom was adequate, but taller passengers needed to be cautious of the plastic hooks on the front seatback panels. Air conditioning vents and a center armrest with cupholders improved passenger comfort, though napping in the Wrangler was challenging. Storage space was limited, with small items often ending up in the cupholders due to the lack of other storage options. The cargo area was accessible by opening the tailgate and lifting the hardtop’s rear window, though this process could be cumbersome if space was limited. The Wrangler offered 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 72.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan featured haptic touch slider buttons for climate control, which were responsive and easy to use. However, the physical volume knob was less user-friendly due to its integrated on/off button, which rotated with the knob. The infotainment system relied on monochromatic graphics, accessed through an 8-inch center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base Tiguan S had a 6.5-inch touchscreen and two USB-C ports, while higher trims offered four ports and wireless charging. Navigation was only available on the top trim.

Volkswagen’s Digital Cockpit System was standard, with the SEL R-Line featuring a fully configurable 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro screen. Other trims had an 8-inch version with two views. The nine-speaker Fender Premium Audio System was a highlight, providing excellent sound quality.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler boasted the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio preparation. The Sport S trim came with an eight-speaker stereo, with a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system optional. Higher trims offered navigation and Jeep Connect services, including a Wi-Fi hotspot, Adventure Guides, and GPS Trail Logs. The touchscreen was bright and easy to use, even with the roof panels removed.

The Convenience Group pack added a 7-inch digital display between the analog gauges, providing access to various information. Other upgrades included passive entry and door locking, a remote engine starting system, and rear parking sensors as part of the Active Safety Group option pack.

The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan earned a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), reflecting its strong safety credentials. For 2024, Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE suite of driver-assistance features became standard, including adaptive cruise control with stop and go capabilities, active blind-spot monitoring with steering intervention, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. These features enhanced the Tiguan’s safety offering, providing semi-autonomous highway driving and parking assistance. Additional safety features included rain-sensing wipers, rear cross-traffic alert, an automatic post-collision braking system, and forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking. Park Distance Control was standard on the SE R-Line Black trim level.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler introduced side curtain airbags for the front and rear seats as standard equipment, a significant safety enhancement. However, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) were optional, except on the most expensive trims. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on all trims except the base Sport. Forward collision warning with automatic braking was exclusive to the Wrangler Sahara. Other safety features included adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality and automatic high-beam headlights. Our rental lacked these upgrades, and we missed the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems. The Wrangler received a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS awarded the Wrangler a Good rating for side-impact protection and moderate overlap frontal-impact test, but a Marginal rating for the small overlap frontal-impact test due to the vehicle tipping onto its side.