Talk about an upgrade! This week I bring you the vastly improved all-new 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line. If you didn't know it, the Tiguan is VW's best-selling nameplate in America. The third-generation SUV is built on VW's new MQB evo platform and it's only available as a two-row in the U.S.
Exterior
The new Tiguan will make you do a double take - it looks that much better. Its fantastic new eye-catching looks are much bolder, creating a stronger, and vastly more modern, road presence.
Wow, does the front end evolve. It looks super sharp with slim new headlights, a larger black gloss grille, front bumper air curtains and an available illuminated front light bar. My tester wears a new Sandstone Gray hue and rides on new 20-inch silver alloy wheels. VW designers keep a good thing going on the tail end with a light bar and aerodynamic spoiler.
The SEL R-Line is equipped with puddle lights, adaptive front lighting, LED headlights, Daytime Running Lights and tail lights, along with poor weather lights, and illuminated front and rear logos.
It's also equipped with a ClimaCoat heated, heat–insulated & sound-insulated front windshield w/ 100% UV protection.
Powertrain
Really my only complaint about the new 2025 Tiguan lineup is that is retains the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, which I don't think is powerful enough. Sure, engineers tweaked it for a boost from 184 to 201-horsepower, but it still didn't have quite the pep in its step I was hoping for.
The good news is that VW already knew it needed an option with more horsepower. For 2026, it is rolling out the all-new 2026 Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo which boosts the powertrain to 268 horses. Now we're talking!
The Tiguan SEL R-Line is equipped with an 8-speed automatic and 4MOTION all-wheel-drive, stop/start technology and remote engine start.
Interior
This is not the Tiguan interior I was expecting. Everything gets an upgrade - we're talking nicer materials, including genuine American walnut wood décor. It all feels more upscale. It's very tech-forward as well.
The Grigio and black leather Varenna leather interior is one of my favorite VW interiors to date. The SEL R-Line's comfortable, 8-way power perforated and quilted front seats are heated and ventilated.
The most shocking thing of all - they also offer a 10-point massage function. Can I just say these are the BEST massaging seats I'ver encountered in a vehicle. Yes, they beat luxury ones. I still can't get over it in a roughly $42K SUV.
The R-Line interior features a heated leather-wrapped R-Line steering wheel, black headliner, nice stainless steel pedal caps, and front row door sill scuffs.
VW's colorful Digital Cockpit Pro is fantastic, with east to read graphics. The wood trim that runs beneath it and across the dash looks wonderful.
A huge available 15-inch touchscreen display with VW's fantastic MIB4 system is a scene stealer. It's fantastic. The screen's graphics and responsiveness are highly impressive.
As is the navigation and rearview/overhead view camera quality and screen space. Someone at VW also has a sense of humor. VW's personal assistant "IDA" will tell you jokes. But for some reason I couldn't get a weather forecast.
Gone are typical center stack climate controls, you'll now control the climate system with advanced air filter through the multi-media screen.
There's a wonderful ambient lighting set up in here called Atmospheres. It combines five synchronized ambient lighting and audio settings that light up the passenger side dash area and door panels. This is in addition to available multi-level 30-color ambient lighting with backlit dash decor.
All this is to say you can really put on a light show at night if you so choose, with or without synchronized audio. Speaking of - the available 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system does not disappoint.
A new wrapped and double-stitched center console is a marked improvement over the previous console. Changes don't end there. The gear selector has been relocated from the center console to the steering wheel column. It frees up space for a cool new feature - a dual purpose drive mode select / volume dial.
The center console has some storage space but I'm not a huge fan of its wireless vertical charging sleeve, surely a move designed to curb distraction. The multi-media screen tells you when you're charging. You'll find a dual-level storage box in the the center console bin. There are four USB-C's ports, split between the two rows.
All the improvements follow through to the second row. The seats are a lot more comfortable and cushiony than in the prior generation I reviewed. The 60/40 fold-flat second row also offers surprising headroom even with stadium seating.
Second row passengers enjoy nice leg-room, heated rear outboard seats, a climate control panel, soft-touch seat backs and a drop down center armrest with small cupholders.
A hands-free power tailgate opens to an illuminated and carpeted cargo area with a 12-volt and under floor storage. A lever releases the fold-down 2nd-row seats.
Other standard features include a double pane panoramic sunroof, front row entry lighting, front footwell lights, and rain-sensing wipers. There are no options on this model.
Ride and Drive
While VW says the new platform improves performance, I think the ride and drive quality could still improve. It's not as quiet or an engaging as I'd like, the engine is a bit loud, and the suspension is on the stiffer side. Sport is my drive mode of choice in terms of steering responsiveness.
Tiguan 4Motion vehicles have a noticeable 7-inches of ground clearance, and it's higher vantage point gives you great visibility out the the front and back.
VW says the Tiguan's is lighter and more fuel efficient, but I found the combined 25 mpg unchanged from the 2022 model I reviewed, though it does gain 1 mpg for highway driving (now 30 mpg).
Safety
VW shines in the advanced driver assistance department. Its suite of IQ.DRIVE Level 2 driver assistance features are standard across all trims. This includes Travel Assist (level 2 semi-automated driving assistance); Front Assist (Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring); Active Blind Spot Monitor; Rear Traffic Alert; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Go; Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System); and Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency).
Light Assist, Park Distance Control, and Exit Warning are now standard. The SEL R-Line benefits as well from Park Assist Plus, (which worked well for me once a spot was identified), Dynamic Road Sign Display and a fantastic color Head-Up Display with speed limit and ADAS graphics.
Verdict
When it comes to the Tiguan's redesign, VW delivered with upscale new looks inside and out, terrific available technology, and surprise massaging seats! All for a tremendous value, too, ringing it at just shy of $42K. This said, if you want more power, you'll want to hold off for the 2026 SEL R-Line Turbo for its significant horsepower boost.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan
- What I Liked Most: Wonderful new looks, technology, new massage seats, and more upscale, higher quality interior.
- What I would change: Powertrain, which gets a bigger upgrade for 2026.
- MSRP: Base: $39,755. As equipped: $41,180.
- Official Color: Sandstone Gray.
- Fuel Economy: 22 city/30 highway/25 combined
- Odometer reading when tested: 535 miles.
- Curb Weight: 3,940 pounds.
- Spare tire: Compact Spare.
- Length-Width-Height: 184.4" long/73" wide/66.1–66.5" high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 15.6 gallons with fuel filler on the passenger side.
- Towing Capacity: 1,800 pounds.
- 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan in a few words: Poised to continue to be a best-seller.
- Final Assembly Location: Puebla, Mexico.
- Warranty: 4-years/50,000 miles New Vehicle Limited Warranty; 7-years,100,000-miles Corrosion Perforation.
- Manufacturer's website: Volkswagen
