- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- 25
- combined
Open recalls on record
3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 132
- Complaints citing a crash
- 5
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 20V505000high
Safety restraint issue
SEATS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
Consequence
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
- 20V579000high
Safety restraint issue
SEAT BELTS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Tiguan LWB vehicles. The third row seat belt anchor bolts may not have been properly torqued.
Consequence
Improperly torqued bolts may prevent the third row seat belt from performing as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. Owners are advised: No one should occupy the third row seat due to the safety risk. The recall began October 7, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen number for this recall is 69BA.
- 22V226000high
Body/structure issue
STRUCTURE:BODY
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Tiguan and 2018-2021 Tiguan long wheel base (LWB) vehicles. Due to incorrect installation instructions, the accessory rear hatch spoiler may be insufficiently attached to the vehicle.
Consequence
An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the spoiler, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N5.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 8 comparable 2020 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
22
City
29
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,450
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 356 g/mi
How this compares
At 25 MPG combined, the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan ranks 4th of 9 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2020 — exactly the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,450, $350 less than the $2,800 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $12,250, a $1,750 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 356 grams per mile — about 5.3 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
132 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 132
- Total
- 5
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 7
- Injuries
Most reported components
- OTHER37
- ELECTRICAL29
- ENGINE28
- BRAKES11
- STRUCTURE10
Notable Issues
132 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 7 reports involve injuries. 5 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan, newest first.
- Recall
An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Improperly torqued bolts may prevent the third row seat belt from performing as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
- Recall
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- SUV
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
22
City
29
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,450
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An insufficiently attached spoiler may separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Improperly torqued bolts may prevent the third row seat belt from performing as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.
- Recall
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.