One of the problems with car reviews is that they are usually written by car guys. Sure, this means they have automotive knowledge and likely plenty of experience reviewing vehicles. However, these reviews can also come with certain “car guy” biases, such as considerable attention to acceleration, sporty handling, originality of design, and other car guy details. So, it was a breath of fresh air when the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan was reviewed by a mom who paid close attention to a mom’s priorities throughout the review. It turns out, Team Gillman Volkswagen is happy to say, she very much likes the 2025 Tiguan.
It isn’t that Natalie Merola of Yahoo!Autos doesn’t know cars. However, she stayed close to her mom's perspective when reviewing a vehicle that will likely be the daily driver for plenty of moms. Ms. Merola was also quick to point out the difference between the first press Ride & Drive of the redesigned 2025 Tiguan in scenic Bozeman, Montana, and having an SEL R-Line for a week doing mom duty.
She quickly points out the Tiguan’s increase from 184 to 201 horsepower and mentions that, even though Texas (she’s based in Dallas, but we’ll let that slide) lacks Montana’s mountains, where turbocharged engines tend to excel, she found the extra ponies quite welcome around her town.
She is quite upfront about prioritizing family safety, and she welcomes the inclusion of the IQ.Drive safety and driver assistance technologies that are now standard across the entire model line. She appreciates how they enhance her situational awareness. She also finds the “bright LED headlights and an illuminated front and rear logo with light bars” to be useful for making the vehicle more visible to surrounding vehicles.
The ease of access to the LATCHES for installing car seats in the second row was appreciated. The second row is roomy enough to comfortably seat full-grown adults, while storage spaces in the door panels and center armrest accommodate drinks and snacks.
With 40.2 inches of rear legroom, the Tiguan outshines the category sales leader, the RAV4, by 2.4 inches. This space doesn’t come at the expense of cargo capacity, which is 26.5 cubic feet behind the seats and 58.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. A particularly mom-friendly feature on the SE R-Line is the hands-free power liftgate.
Other SER-Line features she found welcoming on a hectic day included the heated, ventilated, and massaging seats, along with the Atmospheres system, which syncs the ambient interior lighting to your music, all easily controlled on the large 15-inch center screen. Considering that these perks are available at the as-tested price of $41,180, she sees this as an ideal choice “for tech-loving, small families who want to enjoy the ride in style without sacrificing cargo space for a third row. This capable, safe, and versatile family SUV can go the distance with its fuel economy and handling, whether you live somewhere with elevation and weather changes or on simple, flat roads."
The Tiguan's Texas-based car review convinced a mom it is a top choice for anyone considering a compact crossover. How about you? Come and experience the newly redesigned Tiguan yourself at Team Gillman Volkswagen of Kingwood, home of the Team Gillman Advantage, including the Free Lifetime Engine Warranty and 5/day/500-mile money-back refund, among other benefits.