Volkswagen’s Tiguan grabs attention in the compact-SUV crowd for its available three-row seating and VW’s lively driving dynamics. The Tiguan is functional and fun.

There are four trim levels: S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line. Pricing starts at $28,245 for the S model with a $1,295 destination charge included, and tops out at $38,975 for the SEL R-Line that comes with every feature available for a Tiguan.

Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available at extra cost on the first three models in the lineup. The top-tier SEL R-Line comes only with AWD.

Standard features of the entry-level Tiguan S include 17-inch wheels, heated front seats, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, 8-inch digital gauge cluster, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, Mirror Link, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, six-speaker audio system, and two USB ports.

Three-row seating is the standard configuration for front-wheel-drive models. It makes space for up to seven passengers. The third row has a 50/50 split, and with those seats folded, there’s a generous 33 cubic feet of cargo room. With the seats in upright position, the cargo area becomes a modest but usable 12 cubic feet.

All-wheel-drive Tiguans come exclusively with two-row seating accommodating up the five passengers. The second row is a handy 40/20/40 split bench that leaves 37.6 cubic feet available for cargo. Flip those seats down, and cargo space turns into an expansive 73.4 cubic feet.

Tiguan’s handsomely understated cabin also allows plenty of room for passengers. Seats are on the firm side. Let’s call them “supportively comfortable.”

The Tiguan infotainment system is upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen for all models above the S. My high-end test car included sweet Fender premium audio with nine speakers. The infotainment system itself falls short of sweet because the touchscreen has a difficult personality, and helpful physical buttons and knobs have gone missing.

A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine joined to an eight-speed automatic transmission is the sole powertrain across the board. It provides 184 horsepower and gives Tiguan decent acceleration without going overboard on fuel consumption. Regular unleaded gasoline is recommended, and the EPA rating for front-drive models is 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined. All-wheel drive reduces each of those numbers by 2 miles. For SE and R-Line models, subtract another mile.

The Tiguan was considerably updated for 2022, so there are no major changes for 2023.

2023 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN SEL R-LINE

Base price, including destination charge: $38,975

Price as driven: $38,975

Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.