2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Cupholder Mega Test: Will the Nalgene bottle fit?

If you get as thirsty as me, you find yourself pounding healthy amounts of water throughout the day. And if you spend a good chunk of that day driving, you’ve got to pack along every ounce of liquid refreshment with you — I’ve yet to review a car with a tap in it. My solution, the 32-ounce Nalgene water bottle. But whatever your brand of bottle, many of those bigger ones (looking at you, Yeti) will exceed the diameter of any particular car’s cupholders.

So what about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan? Does it have the bottle storage capacity to account for our nigh-unquenchable thirst?

As always, we’ll start with the most obvious and convenient spot for your beverage: the front cupholders.

We like the positioning. They’re located back toward the center console storage bin, within easy reach, and where a tall bottle won’t block access to the controls on the center stack. But they look a little wimpy, don’t they?

Indeed, the front cupholders are too small for a full-size Nalgene. But it’s too early to despair. Other Volkswagens have been sufficient in our go-to backup storage spot, the door pockets. Let’s check.

Volkswagen comes through again with nice, big spots in the doors that are big enough for easy Nalgene ingress and egress without the bottle falling over or rattling around. It’s also an easy reach — almost as good as the front cupholders.

Let’s not forget about the party people in the back. They’re thirsty company, too, and are going to need the same beverage accommodations as the folks up front. 

Like many vehicles, the Tiguan has a center armrest that folds down from the seatback, and is home to a pair of cupholders.

And like many vehicles, these cupholders mirror the rinkydinkness of whatever’s up front. No luck for the Nalgene here. Maybe the rear doors will do.

Thankfully, the rear door pockets, though smaller overall than the fronts, are equally good for holding a Nalgene. That’s not always the case, so it’s a relief. 

If you’re the sort of person who prefers your pictures to move and talk, you can check out the 2023 Tiguan’s cupholders in the video below.