Volkswagen Tiguan Is One Of The Safest Crossovers You Can Buy

Aug. 14, 2022 3:57 PM ETby Ian Wright Crash

Until now, the Volkswagen Tiguan hasn’t been on the receiving end of an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ award. The Top Safety Pick+ award is a tough one to get, but the VW Golf R already has one, and now the VW Tiguan has earned the accolade as well.

To get the IIHS’s top award, the car has to pass six crashworthiness tests and get nothing less than an “acceptable” rating with standard headlights and no less than an “advanced” rating for both of the IIHS’s front crash prevention tests.

Curiously, the headlights trip many automakers up as the IIHS standards have become more stringent to improve industry standards. The Tiguan achieved its “acceptable” headlight rating mainly due to shipping as standard with modern LED headlights.

The Tiguan achieved an excellent “Superior” rating for its Front Assist System, which is key to VW’s vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention technology. The crossover also earned an “advanced” rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention.

While Volkswagen’s range has become bland to look at and drive over recent years, the German brand’s attention to safety has never wavered. The VW Tiguan has a robust suite of driving aids and safety systems as standard equipment. This includes blind spot monitoring, which is something we wish every automaker would install as standard already.

The Tiguan S is the base model and starts at $26,490 with front-wheel drive or $27,990 with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Standard safety-based and driver assist features also include automatic headlights and rear cross-traffic alert. To get to Volkswagen’s Travel Assist (semi-automated driving assistance), Lane Assist, Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency), adaptive cruise control, and an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, you have to add the IQ.Drive Package & S Convenience Package for an additional $895.