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2023 Volkswagen Tiguan

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

94 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints1 crash · 1 injured reported 70

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tiguan S, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 70 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Volkswagen Tiguan — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Volkswagen Tiguan (2007 generation) · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Tiguan S	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	24	31	27	$2,500
Tiguan	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	23	30	26	$2,600
Tiguan 4motion	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	29	25	$2,700
Tiguan R-Line 4motion	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	28	24	$2,800

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45884, 45883, 45703, 45704.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Tiguan R-Line 4motion, Tiguan S	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Tiguan, Tiguan 4motion	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

184 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 4Motion SE, 4Motion SE R-Line Black, 4Motion SEL R-Line Black, S). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	185.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.0 in
Height	66.5 in
Wheelbase	109.8 in
Track, front	62.6 in
Track, rear	61.8 in
Curb weight	3,777–3,856 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door SUV 4Motion, 4-door SUV FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Back Over Prevention

VW: 91NY, Audi: 90AV

29,569 vehicles 79% reported repaired

Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Tiguan, 2023 Arteon, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 vehicles. An error may occur in the camera control unit at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners April 3, 2024, and Volkswagen owners November 18, 2025. Volkswagen owners will receive a second notice once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Volkswagen) 91NY and (Audi) 90AV.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V082000 reported Feb 12, 2025 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Tiguan

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

70complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

9.7 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 72,054 Tiguan built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 15 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 15 · 2026: 23

Most-cited components

Engine 27

Electrical System 13

Unspecified 12

Forward Collision Avoidance 12

Power Train 8

Fuel/Propulsion System 7

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was leaking oil. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil separator, PCV Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve, and gasket needed to be replaced.

Engine at 56,000 miles Dec 26, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11632475

Twice now I’ve been driving with no vehicles or anything in front or even behind me & the big red collision warning comes on & the brakes activate

Forward Collision Avoidance Jun 5, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11592675

On , I took this vehicle to Galpin VW for service on the collision warning system which began to malfunction on a daily basis and would spontaneously come on multiple times throughout the day, without any other vehicles in front of me nor around me.

Electrical System Apr 22, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11584523

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, the odor of fuel was present. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a fuel leak underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered a small hole in the seam of the fuel tank.

Fuel/Propulsion System at 10,000 miles Mar 22, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11578927

My Tiguan has had a jerky transmission issues since I purchased it brand new. Dealer says operation is normal. I have read several forums and website where people have stated similar issues for this vehicle. Extremely hesitant in first and second gear. Jerks around especially during first minute or two of driving.

Power Train Dec 13, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11559820

The gas pedal sporadically does not respond (though the car will still roll at idle speed). I learned of this issue first while attempting an unprotected left turn to exit a parking lot with cars approaching me quickly and the car not able to respond to the gas pedal. It almost caused a large crash.

Vehicle Speed Control Jul 22, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11533864

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Volkswagen itself: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 10 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 12 per 100,000 built. Every Tiguan model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Volkswagen warranty extension VWP-24-04These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Volkswagen warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 347

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 291 service bulletins, 51 others, 3 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Engine, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Equipment, Seat Belts.

V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
2026-09-17 · Engine
Suggested fuel additive
TT 96 26 01 Other
2026-09-17 · Lane Departure — Assist
Heat Sensative Trouble Shooting Explanation.
TT 57 23 01 Other
2026-09-10 · Unknown Or Other
Remove Key FOB battery for 20 seconds to restore proper operation.
SM 39-2026 Other
2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
Email 91OL Over-the-air update
2026-09-07 · Unknown Or Other
This OTA update provides improvements to connectivity stability and OCU module diagnostics, which will reduce OCU module replacements due to false DTC detection. This software update is also a prerequisite for future updates.
V4622022067177_5 Service bulletin
2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
Repair or Replace Information
V4619022015173_35 Service bulletin
2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
Brake rotor resurfacing
V4823012070207_15 Service bulletin
2026-08-19 · Unknown Or Other
Steering wheel sensor mat (hands on detection) and software deviation in the steering wheel detection control module -1158-.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0442 P0442 on Volkswagen →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Unknown Or Other · Gas cap →	78 bulletins
P0456 P0456 on Volkswagen →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Engine · Gas cap →	47 bulletins
P04F0 P04F0 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	23 bulletins
U04A1 U04A1 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	19 bulletins
U04A5 U04A5 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	19 bulletins
U04A9 U04A9 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	19 bulletins
P0463 P0463 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	16 bulletins
P2402 P2402 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	16 bulletins
P0462 P0462 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	15 bulletins
P0087 P0087 on Volkswagen →	Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.	Unknown Or Other · Fuel pump →	12 bulletins
P055F P055F on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	5 bulletins
P0148 P0148 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	4 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.9%

failed emissions

2,388 initial inspections of 2,347 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 Tiguan	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.9%	1.6%	2,387
Failed the safety inspection	1.2%	1.1%	2,388
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.17%	0.16%	2,388
Miles driven a year	10,198	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	33,266	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Tiguan by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 29 mpg 2026 A 0 37 29 mpg 2025 C 3 53 29 mpg 2024 B 2 76 27 mpg 2023 this page A 1 70 27 mpg 2022 C 5 272 26 mpg 2021 C 5 144 25 mpg 2020 C 3 141 25 mpg 2019 B 5 194 25 mpg 2018 F 14 293 Do not drive 2017 C 4 76 22 mpg 2016 B 2 97 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 Tiguan

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The most serious on file is 25V082000, covering Back Over Prevention. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (94/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Transport Canada measured it at 185.8 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.5 in tall, on a 109.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,777–3,856 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, most often about engine, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The manufacturer has filed 347 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, most often covering engine, unknown or other, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan failed the emissions check on 1.9% of first inspections — close to the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	70	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	347	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	9 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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