Volkswagen of America has announced that the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan has earned a 5-Star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the highest possible score under the agency’s New Car Assessment Program. The new Tiguan joins the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, ID.4, Jetta, and Jetta GLI in Volkswagen’s 2025 lineup of five-star-rated models, reinforcing the brand’s long-standing emphasis on passenger protection.
The recognition arrives at a pivotal time for Volkswagen’s U.S. presence, capping more than seven decades of engineering evolution since the brand first won American hearts with the Beetle. Volkswagen’s rise from quirky newcomer to mainstream fixture has always hinged on trust, and safety remains at the core of that relationship.
Safety by Design
Now in its third generation, the 2025 Tiguan debuts a stronger structure, improved crash protection, and a wider safety net of driver-assistance technology. Volkswagen added four new airbags, a driver-knee unit, a front-center airbag, and dual rear-side airbags, bringing the total count to ten. Larger side-curtain airbags now cover more of the cabin, while advanced restraint sensors improve deployment accuracy.
All trim levels come standard with IQ.DRIVE, Volkswagen’s semi-automated assistance suite. It bundles Travel Assist for Level 2 highway driving, Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, Active Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control with stop-and-go, Lane Assist, and Emergency Assist. Additional systems such as Light Assist, Exit Warning, and Park Assist Plus round out one of the most complete active-safety packages in the compact-SUV segment.
Built to Withstand Setbacks
The result is a vehicle that not only meets, but in many cases exceeds, the standards required for top-tier crash performance. The accolade is especially significant given Volkswagen’s production challenges earlier this year, when a semiconductor shortfall temporarily disrupted output of both the Golf and Tiguan. The pause highlighted how vulnerable even established automakers remain to supply-chain turbulence. Despite that, the company’s engineering priorities around safety never wavered.
The 2025 Tiguan’s strong test results also help Volkswagen maintain consistency across its expanding global portfolio, including electric models such as the ID. Buzz, a modern re-imagining of the Microbus that embodies the same family-first values as its predecessors. The crossover of nostalgia and innovation even extends to movies, the brand’s EVs are reaching new audiences while keeping safety and character front and center.
Why It Matters
The NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings program, first introduced in 1978, remains one of the clearest indicators of real-world crash protection. Volkswagen’s perfect score for the Tiguan underscores its commitment to protecting occupants while integrating next-generation automation. For consumers, it’s a clear reassurance that the brand’s push toward electrification and software-driven features hasn’t come at the expense of structural integrity.
With the 2025 Tiguan now joining Volkswagen’s elite group of five-star performers, the company continues to balance heritage, technology, and safety, showing that the same spirit that once made the Beetle a cultural icon still drives its modern SUVs forward.
Volkswagen
