The New Volkswagen Tiguan Is a Huge Step In the Right Direction: Review
The Volkswagen Tiguan has always been one of the better compact SUVs in its class, but even after 18 years on the market, it’s never quite matched the dominance of rivals like those from Honda or Toyota. That could change with the all-new 2025 Tiguan, which makes massive strides to better compete with the CR-V and RAV4.
With sleek styling and a well-equipped interior, the new Tiguan checks all the right boxes. Built on VW’s versatile MQB Evo platform, the updated model is 170 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Inside, it features higher-quality materials, a cleaner layout, and a large central touchscreen.
The New Volkswagen Tiguan Is a Huge Step In the Right Direction: Review
Volkswagen’s compact SUV finally feels like a real competitor.
Photo by: Jeff Perez / Motor1
By: Jeff Perez
Aug 26, at 12:00pm ET
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The Volkswagen Tiguan has always been one of the better compact SUVs in its class, but even after 18 years on the market, it’s never quite matched the dominance of rivals like those from Honda or Toyota. That could change with the all-new 2025 Tiguan, which makes massive strides to better compete with the CR-V and RAV4.
With sleek styling and a well-equipped interior, the new Tiguan checks all the right boxes. Built on VW’s versatile MQB Evo platform, the updated model is 170 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Inside, it features higher-quality materials, a cleaner layout, and a large central touchscreen.
Power comes from an updated turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, featuring a new turbo and a revised fuel-injection system. Output rises to 201 horsepower (up from 184), and torque improves to 221 lb-ft of torque (or 207 pound-feet on the front-drive model).
Overall, the new Tiguan is an excellent SUV.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Pros
- Sharp Exterior Design
- High-Quality Interior
- Surprisingly Fun
- There’s a Volume Knob
The previous Tiguan was never much of a looker, but the new model is genuinely sharp. While the large gloss-black grille might not appeal to everyone, the overall design is clean, cohesive, and uncontroversial.
Up front, slim LED headlights are connected by a narrow light bar that stretches across the hoodline, giving the Tiguan a modern, upscale appearance. At the rear, a distinctive taillight design and an (optional) illuminated VW logo assure you won’t confuse the Tiguan for a CR-V.
Inside, the cabin is nice—really nice. This fully loaded SEL R-Line trim comes standard with perforated leather seats, ambient lighting, and a massive 15.0-inch touchscreen. Materials throughout the cabin feel premium for the class, with wood accents and high-quality plastics on the dash and door panels adding to the upscale feel.
Power from the turbocharged engine is sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive standard and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system available. The model tested here came equipped with AWD.
In typical VW fashion, the Tiguan is a pretty fun thing to fling around. The turbocharged engine delivers strong low-end torque while still providing enough power higher in the rev range for effortless highway passes. The eight-speed automatic shifts quickly and effortlessly, too.
And finally—yes, there’s a volume knob. Despite adopting VW’s latest infotainment interface (complete with its typical touch-capacitive controls), the Tiguan has a physical volume knob just behind the gear selector. It doubles as a drive mode selector and proves to be surprisingly useful in everyday driving.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Cons
- Still Not Enough Buttons
- Somewhat Stiff Ride
As welcome as the Tiguan’s new volume knob is, it doesn’t fully make up for the abundance of touch-capacitive controls. While the steering wheel thankfully replaces the previous controls with real buttons, you still have to deal with finicky touch-sensitive sliders below the touchscreen for adjusting fan speed, temperature, and other basic functions. It’s still very annoying.
Also mildly annoying is the ride quality. The Tiguan isn’t an uncomfortable SUV by any means, but it rides firmer than some of its competitors and doesn’t handle rough pavement or speed bumps nearly as well. That could be due in part to the 20-inch wheels on this SEL R-Line model; drop down to the base model’s 17-inch shoes, and ride quality should improve.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan Verdict
Frankly, there’s not much to complain about with the new Volkswagen Tiguan. It looks sharp, offers a refined and comfortable interior, and is genuinely enjoyable to drive. At $30,920 to start for 2025 (with destination included), it’s still a bargain, too.
While the touch-capacitive controls and slightly firm ride may annoy some, those flaws are easy to overlook in an SUV that gets so much right otherwise. Honda and Toyota—watch your backs.
Tiguan Competitors
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson Is God-Tier NPC Transportation: First Drive Review
A new interior and a sharp facelift go a long way in making the Tucson truly lovely.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
By: Chris Rosales
Oct 25, 2024 at 12:00pm ET
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A simple, effective update is all a car needs sometimes. The 2025 Hyundai Tucson is a sterling example. A slight facelift, some new tech, and a brand-new interior help keep the Tucson competitive with other best-sellers in the compact SUV segment. But is it enough to secure victory over top dogs like Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V?
| Quick Specs | 2025 Hyundai Tucson Limited Hybrid |
| Engine | Turbocharged 1.6-Liter Four-Cylinder Hybrid |
| Output | 231 Horsepower / 271 Pound-Feet |
| 0-60 MPH | 8.0 Seconds (est.) |
| Weight | 3,906 Pounds |
| Base Price / As Tested | $30,000 (Gas) / $43,060 |
The Tucson basics are all still here. You get three powertrain options: A 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid, and a 1.6-liter turbo plug-in hybrid. The 2.5-liter can be had in front-wheel or all-wheel drive while both hybrids get standard all-wheel drive. Then you have your choice of trim levels, from the barebones $30,000 SE FWD, up through the mid-grade SEL that ranges from $32,000 to $34,000, and finally, the top-trim Limited that ranges from $38,000 for a Limited FWD to $47,000 for a Limited plug-in hybrid.
Nothing of note has changed mechanically, with small updates applied to various systems. Most notably, hybrid models get driver-adjustable regenerative braking through steering-wheel-mounted paddles, just like Hyundai’s EVs. Otherwise, it’s the same efficient and refined hybrid powertrain as before, and the same slightly lethargic non-hybrid 2.5-liter engine as well.
The colossal update comes with the interior, which is almost entirely new for the 2025 Tucson. It ditches the already decent old interior with a dashboard layout nearly identical to the Elantra and Santa Fe. A wide, curved instrument panel spans most of the dashboard with twin 12.3-inch screens, one for the gauge cluster and the other for the infotainment. A new dash also brings back a feature not seen since the early ’90s with an open storage cubby in the passenger-side dash, as well as a new touch-sensitive HVAC panel.
Pros: Nice Interior, Great Fuel Economy, Surprisingly Nice To Drive, Good Ride
On the road, the Tucson hits its marks with a confident stride. The new interior is exceedingly usable, with plenty of storage space and lots of pockets around the cabin. The new screen layout looks crisp and the infotainment screen has smartphone-esque responsiveness. Everything feels high-quality with a nice spread of materials, including some textured fabrics and soft leather surfaces adding tactile intrigue.
It was a lovely place to spend time, with only a couple of demerits. For one, there’s too much interior noise, with critical frequencies from the tires and wind noticeable at highway speeds. It was reasonably quiet for the most part, which maybe made those other sounds more obvious, but it was unexpected. Not a dealbreaker, but it’s certainly in contrast to the rest of the interior’s quiet excellence.
Meanwhile, other minor details were welcomed—like slots for the rear seatbelt buckles to live in while the second row is folded down, or a quiet mode that mutes the rear speakers for rear passengers. The general attention to detail and design make the Tucson more lovable than I expected.
For the stated power output of the Limited hybrid I drove, it didn’t feel too eager to accelerate. It had adequate power, but didn’t feel like the 231 horsepower I was expecting, even with a brimmed battery pack. This is probably because the Tucson Limited hybrid is fairly heavy at 3,904 pounds, but at least it did return an honest 34 miles per gallon combined on a 150-mile loop. Then there was Hyundai’s advanced driver’s assistance system, dubbed Highway Driving Assist II. The adaptive cruise control worked well and braked smoothly in traffic, but I found the lane keeping to be irritatingly swervy.
Cons: Not All That Power, Adaptive Safety Needs Refinement
There is no doubt, however, that the updated Tucson drives well. Its ride quality approaches exceptional, with excellent damping over a mix of large and small bumps. What was most impressive was how soft it was without compromising handling or body control.
Typically, handling doesn’t factor all that much into a compact SUV purchase, but the Tucson also handles well enough to make note of it. It has a nice, natural steering effort curve and excellent feedback from the electronically assisted rack. The steering wasn’t afraid to weigh up in corners and never felt too light or disconnected. A strangely impressive effort in an otherwise ordinary car.
Hyundai’s effort amounts to an SUV that can truly take the fight to the top contenders in the segment. Hyundai’s infotainment and screen tech is class-leading, as is the ride and handling, and the powertrains do a similar job to the competition. The 2025 Tucson falls slightly short in interior noise—but that’s about it.
Overall, the Hyundai Tucson is a true value proposition with a range of meaningful updates and added features that amount to a more cohesive SUV than the rest. In many ways, the Tucson feels like the best compact SUV in the segment.
The 2025 Hyundai Tucson Is God-Tier NPC Transportation: First Drive Review
A new interior and a sharp facelift go a long way in making the Tucson truly lovely.
Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1
By: Chris Rosales
Oct 25, 2024 at 12:00pm ET
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10
Comments
A simple, effective update is all a car needs sometimes. The 2025 Hyundai Tucson is a sterling example. A slight facelift, some new tech, and a brand-new interior help keep the Tucson competitive with other best-sellers in the compact SUV segment. But is it enough to secure victory over top dogs like Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V?
The Tucson basics are all still here. You get three powertrain options: A 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid, and a 1.6-liter turbo plug-in hybrid. The 2.5-liter can be had in front-wheel or all-wheel drive while both hybrids get standard all-wheel drive. Then you have your choice of trim levels, from the barebones $30,000 SE FWD, up through the mid-grade SEL that ranges from $32,000 to $34,000, and finally, the top-trim Limited that ranges from $38,000 for a Limited FWD to $47,000 for a Limited plug-in hybrid.
Nothing of note has changed mechanically, with small updates applied to various systems. Most notably, hybrid models get driver-adjustable regenerative braking through steering-wheel-mounted paddles, just like Hyundai’s EVs. Otherwise, it’s the same efficient and refined hybrid powertrain as before, and the same slightly lethargic non-hybrid 2.5-liter engine as well.
The colossal update comes with the interior, which is almost entirely new for the 2025 Tucson. It ditches the already decent old interior with a dashboard layout nearly identical to the Elantra and Santa Fe. A wide, curved instrument panel spans most of the dashboard with twin 12.3-inch screens, one for the gauge cluster and the other for the infotainment. A new dash also brings back a feature not seen since the early ’90s with an open storage cubby in the passenger-side dash, as well as a new touch-sensitive HVAC panel.
Pros: Nice Interior, Great Fuel Economy, Surprisingly Nice To Drive, Good Ride
On the road, the Tucson hits its marks with a confident stride. The new interior is exceedingly usable, with plenty of storage space and lots of pockets around the cabin. The new screen layout looks crisp and the infotainment screen has smartphone-esque responsiveness. Everything feels high-quality with a nice spread of materials, including some textured fabrics and soft leather surfaces adding tactile intrigue.
It was a lovely place to spend time, with only a couple of demerits. For one, there’s too much interior noise, with critical frequencies from the tires and wind noticeable at highway speeds. It was reasonably quiet for the most part, which maybe made those other sounds more obvious, but it was unexpected. Not a dealbreaker, but it’s certainly in contrast to the rest of the interior’s quiet excellence.
Meanwhile, other minor details were welcomed—like slots for the rear seatbelt buckles to live in while the second row is folded down, or a quiet mode that mutes the rear speakers for rear passengers. The general attention to detail and design make the Tucson more lovable than I expected.
For the stated power output of the Limited hybrid I drove, it didn’t feel too eager to accelerate. It had adequate power, but didn’t feel like the 231 horsepower I was expecting, even with a brimmed battery pack. This is probably because the Tucson Limited hybrid is fairly heavy at 3,904 pounds, but at least it did return an honest 34 miles per gallon combined on a 150-mile loop. Then there was Hyundai’s advanced driver’s assistance system, dubbed Highway Driving Assist II. The adaptive cruise control worked well and braked smoothly in traffic, but I found the lane keeping to be irritatingly swervy.
Cons: Not All That Power, Adaptive Safety Needs Refinement
There is no doubt, however, that the updated Tucson drives well. Its ride quality approaches exceptional, with excellent damping over a mix of large and small bumps. What was most impressive was how soft it was without compromising handling or body control.
Typically, handling doesn’t factor all that much into a compact SUV purchase, but the Tucson also handles well enough to make note of it. It has a nice, natural steering effort curve and excellent feedback from the electronically assisted rack. The steering wasn’t afraid to weigh up in corners and never felt too light or disconnected. A strangely impressive effort in an otherwise ordinary car.
Hyundai’s effort amounts to an SUV that can truly take the fight to the top contenders in the segment. Hyundai’s infotainment and screen tech is class-leading, as is the ride and handling, and the powertrains do a similar job to the competition. The 2025 Tucson falls slightly short in interior noise—but that’s about it.
Overall, the Hyundai Tucson is a true value proposition with a range of meaningful updates and added features that amount to a more cohesive SUV than the rest. In many ways, the Tucson feels like the best compact SUV in the segment.
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Source: Chris Rosales / Motor1
Competitors
All Current And Upcoming EVs With Solid-State Batteries
“Holy grail” solid-state batteries may hit the road by the end of the decade. These EVs could be among the first powered by them.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
By: Suvrat Kothari
Sep 7, at 9:00am ET
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Talk to any battery executive, and they’ll tell you lithium-ion batteries have a bunch of trade-offs. Automakers can chase longer range, but that drives up cost. They can make the battery charge very rapidly, but that can shorten its lifespan. Push too far in one direction and something else inevitably gives.
To make a battery that’s great at all those aspects is tough, but automakers and battery companies have signed up for the challenge regardless, thanks to solid-state batteries.
If solid-state batteries are manufactured at scale, they can offer an ideal balance of range, safety, performance and fast-charging in a similar or a smaller pack size. There’s a reason why scientists call it the “holy grail” of battery technology.
These batteries replace the liquid electrolyte, the chemical that facilitates the charge and discharge cycles, with a solid one. The solid materials theoretically perform better, but they’re difficult to manufacture in large volumes without defects.
Even if battery companies succeed, they won’t turn things around overnight. Research firm BloombergNEF projects solid-state batteries to account for just 10% of global EV and battery storage demand by 2035. The exact path to scalability and commercialization still looks murky, and the initial rollout could be concentrated in premium EVs.
In the meantime, semi-solid-state batteries are gaining traction. These batteries use a gel-like electrolyte that also promises improvements over traditional lithium-ion batteries. Chinese battery companies have established a firm lead in this space, with 83% of current or planned solid-state battery manufacturing capacity all concentrated in China, BNEF said.
EVs with semi-solid-state batteries are already rolling out in China, albeit in small numbers. Customers can buy and drive them today, thanks to early adopters such as Nio and the state-backed SAIC Motors that invested in the tech early. In the West, Mercedes-Benz and BMW are testing solid-state batteries, and Stellantis is planning to begin trials next year.
Japanese and Korean automakers are also working on this tech, but they’ve been tight-lipped about their plans. In 2022, Nikkei reported that Toyota held the highest number of solid-state battery patents, followed by Panasonic and Idemitsu.
In this list, we’re covering both semi-solid-state and all-solid-state batteries. Some of these EVs are already on the market in China, while others are planned to go on sale in the coming years. A few of them are demo cars, but we’re including them in the list anyway. We’re also including automakers that have not yet installed solid-state batteries in an actual EV, but have shown the intent to do so. The list covers both Chinese EVs as well as some Western models that are in the works.
Nio ET7/ET5
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Energy Density: 360 watt hours per kilogram
Supplier: Beijing WeLion New Energy Technology
Claimed Range: 652 miles (1,050 kilometers)
In late 2023, Nio’s Founder, Chairman, and CEO William Li got behind the wheel of the sleek ET7 sedan and drove more than 648 miles on a single charge. He did that in real-world conditions and, moreover, in frigid temperatures, the automaker claimed. The ET7 was equipped with a 150 kWh semi-solid-state battery, which is available to rent for Nio EV owners in China for a per-day fee. It’s a great idea: Do your daily driving using the brand’s small 70-75 kWh packs and switch to solid-state via battery swapping before long road trips.
IM Motors L6
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Supplier: Suzhou QingTao Power Technology
Range: 620+ miles (1,000 km)
IM Motors is the luxury arm of China’s state backed SAIC Motors. SAIC has made a significant headway into semi-solid-state batteries with multiple models on sale already in China.
The IM L6 rivals the Tesla Model 3 and the Xiaomi SU7. Its entry-level versions get lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, but it’s also available with a 133 kWh semi-solid-state pack that’s good for more than 620 miles of range on the China Light-Duty Test Cycle (CLTC). A 900-volt architecture makes adding 248 miles of range in just 12 minutes of charging possible, with a powerful enough charger. It’s priced between 230,000 and 330,000 yuan ($28,000-$45,600).
MG4
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Energy Density: 180 Wh/kg
Supplier: Suzhou QingTao Power Technology
British carmaker MG Motor is another SAIC owned brand benefitting from semi-solid-state batteries. MG made waves recently by announcing the launch of the first affordable mass market EV powered by a semi-solid-state battery later this year. The battery size and range are still unknown, but MG said the cells use only 5% liquid electrolyte. The prices look competitive, too. The MG4 is available with both LFP and semi-solid state batteries, costing between 73,800 and 105,800 yuan ($10,100-14,400).
Voyah Passion (Locally called Voyah Zhuiguang)
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Range: 360 miles
Voyah, the premium brand under China’s Dongfeng Motor Corporation, launched the Passion sedan in China in 2023 in both plug-in hybrid and battery-electric versions. Its 82 kWh semi-solid-state battery is installed in the entry-level version, whereas the 109 kWh lithium-ion battery is the one with significantly more range, as per local news reports. The 82 kWh pack is good for 360 miles of CLTC range, whereas the bigger pack can deliver 453 miles. It’s priced between 322,900 and 432,000 yuan ($45,000-$60,000).
The semi-solid state pack was an early generation of the battery, and the automaker is reportedly working on its third generation solid-state tech.
Dongfeng Fengshen E70 (Demo EV)
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Range: 620+ miles
Supplier: Ganfeng Lithium
China’s DongFeng Motor Corporation started testing semi-solid-state batteries way back in 2022. At that time, the automaker installed semi-solid-state batteries in 50 prototype E70 electric sedans. The pack was developed in collaboration with battery company Ganfeng, and also supports swapping, local media said at the time.
In August, the automaker said the commercial production of the semi-solid-state battery would begin in 2026. And it would deliver a range of over 620 miles.
Dodge Charger Daytona EV (Demo EV)
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Energy Density: 375 Wh/kg
Supplier: Factorial Energy
Stellantis and Massachusetts-based battery startup Factorial have validated a semi-solid-state battery cell with a claimed energy density of 375 watt hours per kilogram, which is more than the typical 200-300 Wh/kg energy density of traditional lithium-ion batteries. The automaker claims the cells can charge from 15-90% in 18 minutes at room temperature. It has a discharge rate of up to 4C, meaning it can fully discharge four times in an hour. The battery will be tested on a demo fleet of Charger Daytona EVs next year, Stellantis has said.
Mercedes-Benz EQS (Demo EV)
Battery type: Semi-solid state
Supplier: Factorial Energy
Range: 620 miles (WLTP)
Factorial is also supplying semi-solid-state batteries to Mercedes-Benz. Earlier this year, the automaker showcased a prototype EQS equipped with Factorial’s semi-solid-state battery, claiming it could deliver 25% more range without increasing the size or the weight of the pack. The current EQS has a battery capacity of roughly 118 kWh. Factorial expects mass production to begin by the end of the decade.
BMW i7 (Demo EV)
Battery type: All-solid state
Energy Density: 390 Wh/kg
Supplier: Solid Power
BMW started testing a prototype i7 powered by all-solid-state cells in Munich this summer. It’s using prismatic cells developed by Colorado-based battery start-up Solid Power. The automaker didn’t share the size of the pack, but said it would begin making the cells on a pilot production line in Germany by licensing Solid Power’s technology. Crucial information such as estimated range is missing, but it’s probably too early for that.
Automakers With Plans To Launch Solid-State Batteries
Toyota
Toyota put a solid-state battery in the futuristic-looking LQ prototype way back in 2021, way before the technology started making weekly news headlines. It expects its first solid-state battery to enter mass production in the 2027-2028 period.
The automaker claims that its solid-state battery will deliver more than 620 miles of range. And it could charge from 10-80% in less than 10 minutes. However, we’re likely to see a solid-state battery in a Toyota hybrid before an EV. Gill Pratt, Toyota’s chief scientist and head of the Toyota Research Institute, confirmed that in 2022.
That makes perfect sense. Toyota hybrids are as popular as ever, and if the RAV4 or Prius can double their electric-only driving range, it’s a win for the brand and also for the climate.
Honda
Honda is working independently to develop an all-solid-state battery, which it intends to install in production vehicles sometime in the second half of this decade. The automaker said last year that its solid-state cells could potentially be 50% smaller, 35% lighter and 25% cheaper than current lithium-ion batteries.
It expects a driving range exceeding 620 miles, which could increase to over 700 miles over time. It’s currently testing the battery on a pilot production line in Japan, ironing out issues related to mass production.
Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Group is working closely with California-based battery startup QuantumScape to develop all-solid-state batteries. Its battery subsidiary PowerCo has invested upwards of $260 million into QuantumScape, with a recent funding round going towards a pilot production line for the cells.
QuantumScape has said that today’s EVs with 350 miles of range could achieve between 400 and 500 miles of range using its anode-free lithium metal batteries. However, that number could vary substantially depending on the pack size and the application.
Nissan
Nissan is not in good shape, with its profits tanking and sales falling off a cliff. But it’s not giving up in the race to develop next-generation battery cells. Like Toyota and Honda, Nissan is also working on solid-state batteries in-house. Executives from the company even told InsideEVs in April that they’re planning commercialization by the end of fiscal year 2028.
The automaker’s all-solid-state cells will use a sulphur-based electrolyte and maybe even a sulphur-manganese cathode, which could allow it to eliminate cobalt entirely. Cobalt—a byproduct of copper—requires dirty and expensive mining and is linked to labor violations in Congo.
BYD
BYD said this year that it was working on solid-state batteries, but denied rumors of the popular Seal sedan benefitting from the tech. The automaker said that it expects to begin demonstrations starting in 2027, with mass production expected after 2030, but stopped short of sharing which EV exactly it will use for testing.
Hyundai-Kia
Hyundai is probably among the most cautious when it comes to solid-state batteries. While the automaker still appears to be working on the tech behind-the-scenes, senior Hyundai officials have said that they won’t be able to commercialize the cells before 2030. The Japanese automakers by comparison seem to have more aggressive timelines for bringing these batteries to market.
It’s worth noting that today’s dominant chemistries such as nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) are steadily improving. Gains in performance, coupled with established supply chains and the falling cost of lithium, could delay the need for solid-state cells or make their business case harder to justify.
Still, we’re keeping a close eye on the battery market and will update this list as new developments arise. If you know of a model or brand working on solid-state batteries that we’ve missed in this list, let us know in the comments.
Have a tip? Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com
