SUV Comparison Volkswagen Tiguan vs. Honda CR-V vs. Subaru Forester
June 29, 2008 by Paul Maric
Volkswagen Tiguan – Paul Maric:
Volkswagen is at it again. This time they plan on cutting Japan’s lunch – in a big way. Despite the fact only 1800 orders are coming into Australia this year, Volkswagen is confident the Tiguan will compete against its main Japanese rivals until the final count.
The Tiguan’s exterior design isn’t the only thing that strikes you at first glance. It doesn’t look as traditional in an SUV sense as its competitors. This makes it look smaller on the outside than it actually is. Inside the cabin, there is a generous amount of room on offer for adults and children.
Boot space is the Tiguan’s main letdown. The boot capacity is 50-litres short of its nearest competitor – the Subaru Forester X. You can’t blame the full-sized spare tyre for that one either – simply because it uses a space saver tyre instead. It’s quite a confusing trait when you consider the car will be primarily used by families.
Boot volume aside, the Tiguan’s ability to continually impress in most departments doesn’t seem to end. Our test vehicle – the 103TDI is powered by Volkswagen’s renowned 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine. Producing 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque, it was the quickest of our test bunch under full throttle acceleration – but I put that down to my exceptional driving skills, the others seemed to disagree somewhat though, not sure why.
At idle, the diesel motor makes a bit of a racket, likewise under hard acceleration. If the diesel noise doesn’t faze you, it’s impossible to fault the Tiguan’s drivetrain. The test vehicle was mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox which shifted with enthusiasm and was easy to operate. First gear ran out of puff very quickly though, often making 2nd gear starts the norm.
As you would expect from a ‘Sports Utility Vehicle’, the Tiguan handles and drives much like a car – a Jetta more or less. Built on a mix of Golf and Passat chassis, the Tiguan really caters for the best of both worlds – comfort and sharp handling.
The Tiguan is also the second car in Australia to offer a feature called ‘Park Assist’. The Tiguan is capable of parallel parking your vehicle in a car space with only seconds worth of input required to line up the space. The impressive system was demonstrated at the vehicle’s launch and was raved about by Editor David Twomey, after several demonstrations.
RNS510 was also fitted to our Tiguan test vehicle. RNS510 is Volkswagen’s latest iteration of user interface. It integrates satellite navigation, audio management and traffic announcements. The new touch screen is very easy to use and caters for all sorts of individuals.
Audiophiles will also be drawn by the brilliant sound system and audio management system. A hard drive is used to store 10GB worth of DVD information for the satellite navigation with up to an additional 20GB for music.
Off the beaten track, the Tiguan remains competent but is trumped by the Subaru’s constant all-wheel-drive system. The Tiguan’s part time all-wheel-drive system only sends power to the rear wheels when it detects slippage at the front end.
Although styling is subjective, I believe the Tiguan is the best looking of the bunch. The stylish front end features unique headlights and grille, while the rear is rounded off to feature a great rear light cluster.
Tiguan comes standard with a electro-hydraulic park brake. The feature also includes a hill-hold function which applies the brakes while the car is sits on an incline, going hand in hand with the manual gearbox, allowing the driver to get sufficient revs before releasing the parking brake.
Tiguan’s pricing begins at $33,990 for the (yet to be released) 125TSI and climbs to $35,990 for the 103TDI, while finishing at $42,990 for the range topping 147TSI. All models come standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox but can be upgraded to a 6-speed automatic for an additional $2300.
Standard features include: Rear fog lamp; central locking; electric windows; electric mirrors; alloy wheels; air conditioning; 6 cup holders; MP3 compatible CD player; steering wheel audio controls; 8 speakers front and rear; leather wrapped steering wheel and trip computer.
Safety features include: ABS brakes with EBD, BA and ESP (Electronic Stability Control); driver and front passenger airbags; driver and passenger side airbags; front and rear curtain airbags.
All in all, the new Volkswagen Tiguan is a brilliant machine. It’s let down by a small boot, but makes up for it in a superb drive, modern styling and competent handling. The price point is also very competitive, watch out for options pricing though!
- Engine: 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder
- Power: 103kW@4200rpm
- Torque: 320Nm@1700rpm
- Transmission: six-speed manual, optional six-speed auto
- Brakes: Ventilated discs front/rear
- Driven Wheels: part-time four-wheel drive
- 0-100km/h: 10.5-seconds
- Fuel Type: Diesel
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 64 litres
- Fuel Consumption: 7.4L/100km actual
- NCAP Rating: 5 Star
- Safety: 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP(stability control), active head restraints
- Spare Wheel: space saver steel
- Turning Circle: 12m
- Towing Capacity: 2000kg (braked)
- Weight: 1630kg
- Wheels: 16×6.5 alloy
——–
- Rankings
- Introduction
- Subaru Forester
- Honda CR-V
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- She Says
- Conclusion
Great story guys and good to hear a chick’s point of view for a change – nice work!
Where’s the Rav4 CarAdvice?
VW is diesel, mighty X Trail has a choice of 2 diesels, [unlike haonda and subaru]
WHERE WAS THE X TRAIL?
Cheers
f-0
I agree, the X-Trail needed to be compared as well.
since when has the X Trail had a choice of 2 diesels Frugal One? It doesn’t even have one diesel. Maybe in europe, but we don’t live in europe, we live in australia, where there isn’t a diesel
Richo -
OLD NEWS……
Days away from release, all the PR etc done months ago =
www nissan com au/xtrail/turbodiesel asp
Cheers
F-0
I saw my first Tiguan on the streets about 2 weeks ago. Indeed it is a very nice looking thing. It’s definately got a lot of cool factor behind it. Not quite something like a BMW (think X3) image but definately a grade up from the competition as it gives you the refined feel of the German’s with the pricing of the Japenese.
Frugal, if it is days away from release, how could CarAdvice possibly road test it??
The X3 is a shocking looking vehicle. Did they just find the boot of it on the side of the road and hoped it would fit?
Love the forester, hate the new shape.
CRV, looks the best, pitty it is made in Thailand.
Tiguan – boring (seen a few on the road all ready) and the wheels look stupid.
“She says” the CRV is a good looker.
Perhaps at a cleft lip convention.
VW will not go the distance with its shoddy reliability and quality. Watch the electrics play up after the warranty. I’ll take the Subie thanks.
That was too good, Trackdaze. With your permission, I shall ensure to entwine that phrase into general conversation with friends in the near future.
And, yes, it’s pig ugly.
What happens with the electrics, Robbo, specifically?
JBOT -
The media [inc. this fair website] get to test/review vehicles weeks if not months before they are released to JoePublic.
UNLESS its a MAZDA CX7! :-)
Cheeers
f-0
LOL…………..seriously funny and unreal!
Go the (s)tig.
Yeah, robbo, what happens with the electrics?
Now that we all know (because you said so) that they are programmed to fail as soon as 3 yrs go by, or 100,000ks, whichever comes first.
But what exactly happens? Come on, tell us.
All seem to have a few flaws to me, with no standout. Shall be interested to see the new diesel Ford Kuga when it arrives (have read October, but dealers seem to know nothing about it). 5.6l/100km. Several reviews in Europe have placed it higher than the Tiguan. But it has a big flaw too – it’s a Ford .. plus if the interior is anything like the Mondeo .. bleeurghh .. hate the big silver panel in the centre. Shame the new Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 will be too exxy for me when they arrive ..
Just to clarify, the Honda CR-V is only rated as a 4 star vehicle by ANCAP, not 5 as stated in the review.
http://www.ancap.com.au/results/220/
Why would you wanna compare an orange with an apple. European car Vs Japanes car = No race. The finishing of the VW would’ve been heaps better than the other 2 SUV’s. This review would just make the 2 Jap’s SUV look as bad. Like the video on youtube “comparing a Toyota camry with the VW Passat” That’s hilarious.
How about we compare them over say….3-5 years….on maintanance, reliability, servicing and parts cost?
I think I know who would win that one.
Agree with the previous post.
Had a V6 Touareg, absolute lemon. Had it back at the dealer constantly. Eventually got fed up and left it at the dealer.
After a month, was replaced with a V8. About a year on now and had some major problem in it (im not technical AT ALL, so couldn’t tell you exactly what it was, or did, or meant)
Anyway I was informed that only 2 people in NSW were able to fix it. 2 people, what the hell? All good for the time being, still wish I had the old camry I sold. 9 years on and it is still running without a problem (sold it to a friend).
Robbo, I think you are thinking of the 1970 VW Beetle having electrical problems… and Greg, you can’t decide the fate of an entire range of cars simply because you were unlucky enough to be given a “lemon”. I had a Camry wagon and got rid of it after its second head, so go figure!!!
The Tiguan is awesome to drive, but what is with the 12month waiting list for cars ordered now (and not tkaing into account the hail storm in Germany over the weekend which has now wiped out their stock).. I will wait for the x-trail which is due in the next week or two..
In my hunt for an SUV I have driven both the Tiguan and the Forester and ended up buying the Forester. Tiguan had the better quality interior and felt a little more refined on the road but add to that the extra price premium (around 4 grand) and VW’s recent reliability issues and it was the Forester all the way. A little research would also show that the Forester in general is a stand out performer when it comes to safety and reliability. Maybe in 3 – 5 years when VW has proven itself highly I might consider one but until then I would definately go the Forester for now. CRV too ugly!
Tiguan looks/dynamics/interior probably the pick but Euros always price themselves out of the market as in this case with higher entry price and more expensive options list.
It’s almost like they don’t want to sell them.
What ?!
A VW winning a comparison on Caradvice.com.au !?
Now THERE’S* a suprise….
*(to be spoken with absolute sarcasm)
I was looking at buying a 147KW Tiguan with sunroof and leather. The on road cost for this vehicle is $53K. I also looked at a Subaru XT premium (manual) which is $49K (on road). They are both expensive and have good and bad features. I have a 04 Forester XS luxury at present which is a good car, but it has a cheap feel in some of its fit out. The new Forester has the same with hard plastic dash and components. I have had a Polo and a Golf in the past and they were both great quality products. The Tiguan has a high quality feel to it but has a high quality price to match. The big killer for the Tiguan is the boot space for a family vehicle. It would be alright around town but a family holiday would test its carrying capacity. With that sort of cost I could consider a CX7 luxury which is the right size for my family. The joys of buying a new car????
Looking at the price of the vw the better featured forester xs and crv sport would have been a more fair comparison!!,, as they would of had more upmarket features and interiors to match the vw, then i believe the forester would win on features/price/safety/build quality/resale and interior space/quality..
Watch out for the Kuga when in lands in Oz. It’s a great looking car, I’ve seen a few around London and it is a much better looker than the Tiguan. The big bonus is that it’s designed by Ford Europe, not the folks responsible for things like the Explorer or F-truck. Expect big things.
a lesson that I have learned from the Tiguan: don’t judge a car looking by pictures. the new forester looks as ugly as the Tiguan. A CRV is never a choice, it’s a real pretender. the previous forester model was a clean winner, well, for some people at least.
“but it can also mean overtaking is a little more challenging than desirable with a lot of runway required when passing.”
Have to disagree with this, obviously, you guys haven’t driven the forester out its potential, either because you don’t how by not having the car long enough, or because you don’t care about it.
check out other reviews done by CARADICE for each of the three cars, the number of starts awarded is not consistent from what is given here, let alone the comments and conclusions.
Em…, “can’t remember who sponsor me now…”
THE ADVOACTE -
Agree, C/A is on the payroll and a marketing arm of VW GmbH
Cheers
F-0
Golfschwein, permission granted.
but only in reverence to the partly formed front end of the CRV and maybe the entire Ssangyong range.
Firstly a message to Robbo and Lolcake:
Yes it has been quantifiably proven that brands like Subaru, Toyota and Honda are more reliable than Volkswagen. However, many people, and i mean many people out their in the world (not just Australia) prefer to purchase vehicles to suit there life styles and tastes, not just because they want a vehicle which is very reliable.
I think the Outback looks much better than the new Forester, it has a more refined appearance and is less awkward looking. I think the Tiguan’s appearance is quite good, similar level as the Honda’s. I think the smaller boot was an intentional design cue to attract the contemporary metro couples with one child, rather than to attract people with more than two children.
I think this test, like so many others i have read, shows that no matter what the type of person you are there is usually a particular brand and model to suit one’s (individual) personality. I think thats why there are more vehicle brands in Auz now, because people are more inclined to drive around in a ‘different’ car from the masses to make them feel different and to make the whole driving experience more enjoyable, especially as the traffic conditions worsen one would want to! (but ironically contributing to the traffic problem)
In all a pretty good test, no i don’t think CS are getting tips from VW, read Dogs and Lemons car guide and i still think those guys are getting tips from Toyota, but they have confirmed in their book they don’t have shares in the company. Just to educate people who are too myopic and see reliability as the wholly grail, the female reviewer in the end of her review stated that the Tiguan is the easiest to use, and thats what the majority of potential buyers are looking for in a small SUV for a (small) family.
Post Script,
I think the Tiguan is slightly better looking than the CRV, however i think the Mazda CX7 maybe slightly better looking than the Tiguan, I think though I would still prefer the Tiguan though because it is the underdog amongst the pack and I don’t want to be one of the masses who buy small Japanese SUVs, even if some would have better reliability.
The RAV4 and X-Trail (diesel) should have joined the party.
I see Wheels mag have just done a comparison of the top 5 selling compact 4×4s. Tiguan not included (too new to make the top 5 sellers). Verdict not on the site – will have to check the mag. All well and good to do such a comparison, but CA’s comparison is of too few vehicles and as Wheels failed to include new or soon to be released vehicles from major manufactuers (like the VW Tiguan, Ford Kuga, Volvo XC60 & Audi Q5), their review is already old news for people looking to buy in the next 6 months (though the last 2 vehicles I mentioned are probably too exxy for a fair class comparison). BTW, saw a BMW X3 at lunch time today .. agree with an ealrier poster .. freaking ugly backside. Looks like something off a 15yr old Lada. What were they thinking?
All are good cars, taken each one for a test drive! CR-V does have sat-nav, but only in the lurury version.
Greg,
“Had a V6 Touareg, absolute lemon. Had it back at the dealer constantly. Eventually got fed up and left it at the dealer…”
Surprising as general consensus runs contrary to that.
I have one and absolutely love it.
We went to have a look at a Forester XS luxury and a Tiguan today as we need a bigger car with a growing toddler.
After reading Caradvice and Miranda Simpsons sumation we had big expectations for the Tiguan. We get to the VW dealer and the first problem is when my wife wasnt able to fit my 3 year old sons pram into the boot flat on the floor, actually it only just squeezed in by rolling it to the side and then positioning it on a 45 degree angle across the boot.
We fit our Maxi-Rider booster seat in the centre rear position, strap our son in ready to go for a test drive position the front seats appropriately only to find that the rear seat space is appauling, in fact there was so little leg space left that my son could not even extend his legs out as they would have hit the back of the front seats. Miranda it’s not “all great” and you obviously do not have small children to commute. Also whats with the 12m turning circle.
It drove well and felt solid but seriously lacking in space in all directions.
We ended up purchasing the Forester it was spacious without being oversized like the Rav 4. Felt very stable and the security of the constant All Wheel Drive is what I expect from a vehicle that is meant to be designed for recreational and family use.
There are just so many SUV’s around these days. A good quick comparison and n enjoyed the comments. If I recall Wheels rated the X-Trail marginally, followed by Outlander and then the Forester. RACV tells us that the CRV is the least expensive to run based on yearly figures. Diesels arent so cheap to run as you think, watch for that. I saw the VW the other day it looked cute. Maybe its too small esp in the luggage area. If you want to be different, have the $$ like the size, check it out. In the end its what suits your needs.
Just to let everybody know. I have had the forester XS about a month now and it is growing on me more and more each day that I drive it. Any review that claims there is a shortfall in pulling power just havnt given the boxer a chance to break in. Our other car is a Honda Accord Euro and the acceleration and pulling power of the non turbo Forester is well on par with the Euro (one of the better reviewed cars ever). Also I am averaging about 8 litres per hundred kms combined and not the 9.3 claimed so pretty good there too. I can highly recommend this car to anybody however its one shortfall is the lack or centre arm rest on the manual. Currently sourcing and arm rest extender from Subaru America originaly designed for the 2008 Impreza which will also fit the 2009 Forester, given they are the same interior.
I drove the tiguan and the Forester ( have always been a fan of subaru- even though I am a deticated VW owner)
I have to say that i preferred the feel of the VW on the road.
While the subaru does have more space, but the VW’s better fuel economy, styling, extra features and kit and more responsive engine ( both cars were under 100kms run in) was a winner for me and my wife)
Tiguan- don’t mind the lack of space ( might look at rear door tire rack and revert the space back to storage in the car-as with Euro models). Won me on on road comfort, awesome torque, quiet ride, steering, sound system(with sat nav), all over package is great.
Forester- overall is a very nice package, but interior felt dated and engine sluggish.(might consider the XT turbo)
CRV- out of the question, dont like the Honda’s styling as much and used to own a lemon civic.
I read all the comments and must say I am intrigued. Without doubt, there are a few comments here from various self interest opposition dealerships however; some appear to be quite genuine. Let’s put a few things into perspective but before we start, I’ll make it clear that I am not biased towards any makes nor am I employed by dealerships – I am an Engineer in the public infrastructure and one that does some research before investing my hard earned dollars into any product, tools, vehicles or otherwise. Let us begin and get some things into perspective:
1. I have researched the Volkswagen Tiguan on the internet (and there are a many – just go to goggle and type in Tiguan Road Test) and have been hard pressed to find a world wide motoring editor critic who had serious negative comments to make here, most give it a glowing report, 4.5 to 5 star ratings (including Top Gear).
2. The unquantifiable comments about quality, reliability (see lemons used) – started looking with the wife for a compact SUV, saw them all – X-trail, outlander, CRV, Forester, CX7, X3, Freelander, etc – must say, in my and the wife’s opinion, the Tiguan topped them all and I must say, our looking stopped here. It is in many ways on par with Audi and we all know that Audi has a reputation for build quality, attention to detail and rates in the worlds best.
3. Further to the above, Volkswagen has currently a Tiguan production/build capacity of approximately 150,000 vehicles per annum. As of a few months ago, the motoring editors advised that waiting list for this vehicle world wide was 80,000 – I know read that this (needs to be confirmed) has multiplied to 120, 000 and growing (even the Germans now have to wait for it). Now this is phenomenal – this is a waiting list that Honda, Subaru, Mazda, Toyota, etc can only dream off. In fact and to my knowledge, there has been one other car with such waiting list – the Golf GTI (and guess what, another Volkswagen).
4. Now when we talk about resale value – what sort of resale value would you expect from a vehicle with such a huge waiting list – expect it to be very high. By the way, has anyone tried to buy a second hand Golf V series lately (even with high Kilometers)?
5. One more thing to add. A friend of mine is now on his 4th Touareg (changes them every 2 years or so) and swears by them – just love his latest, the R50.
So there we go, personally I think that the Tiguan is now the benchmark for compact SUV’s however, only one problem for Volkswagen – it has been once again caught with it’s pants down with regards to production and this will give plenty time to the opposition manufacturers in playing catch up.
A little experience for everybody. My husband and I recently bought a Tiguan, we were lucky to secure one. Yes we love the looks and love the interior however we are now struggling to fit anything in it. We tend to go camping a lot, thus the reason for going diesel, and as long as you keep the speed uround 90k’s you wont get the fuel economy rated. Also we have had to purchase a roof pod to make up for the tiny space of the boot. Please don’t get me wrong, I love our new Tiguan but if you are an outdoors person like us, keep in mind you will really be struggling to fit a weekends worth of gear in the back, even with the seat slid forward. My husband is already getting frustrated with the car so has decided to keep our older SUV, lol an 04 Forester.
There is a mistake in the review: it’s absolutely not true that the Tiguan has a part-time all-wheel drive. It has a full-time AWD which is similar to the one found in Subarus with automatic gearboxes (active AWD as they call it). It sends torque 50/50 when accelerating, 90/10 at constant speed for fuel efficiency, and when on bad terrain it can send up to 100/0 or 0/100 when needed. Watch videos on YouTube, it’s a very capable off-roader, quite possible that it will be on par with an automatic gearbox Subie.
Go to You Tube and watch “All Whhel Drives Are Not Created Equal”. Dyno testing of Subaru,VW,Honda and Toyota which will dispel any myths and dispertions on which AWD systems actually work on varied slip conditions.
The VW Passat 4motion Haldex AWD is basically the same as the system used in the Tiguan.
Again the Subaru Symetrical All Wheel Drive System shows why it really is the most capable On/Off road system.
I have just bought a Tiguan, pick it up on Friday, and it will be interesting to see if i can put up with the itty bitty boot space long enough to see if the electrics play up after my warraty runs out?!?!?!?Lol.
I could of just bought a CRV and driven it with a paper bag over my head-but could’ve fit twice as much shopping in the back. At least now I will save money!
Personally, the interior quality, feel and ride quality make the CRV a winner for the young family (as boring as this might be). While the front styling is akward, it does have a unique look to it. Honda seems to have this right in a number of their models. True, the engine is a bit gutless, but having driven both auto and manual Accord Euro’s, the manual offers a far more powerful and flexible option in relation to overtaking, so I’m not expecting an auto CRV to be an issue.
What a crap review!
Here are the facts (after shopping around in person and having driven the Forester and the Tiguan.
The Forester is a great $33,000 (on road) car.
The Tiguan is a great $43,000 (on road) car. Yes, an extra $10,000.
The Honda was too weird looking to give a try.
The Forester is packed full of features for its price and in my opinion cannot be beaten when considered for price.
The Tiguan is a damn fine car to drive, however the actual on-road price is a rip compared to the rivals and this review certainly doesn’t reflect that. Comparing the the Tiguan against the Forester XT would have been a fairer review.
All I can say is that after talking to 2 VW dealers i was left with a sour taste in my mouth. The above $35,990 RRP for the tiguan is only a lure to get you to look at the car. VW’s dealer delivery chargers are through the roof compared to Subaru’s.
I really think there is some responsibility on the reviewers part to compare apples with apples and give the manufacturers a fair review for their intended markets.
What next Golf GTI vs Hyundai Getz, who’s the winner?
Luc, can you even read?
The Tiguan is $4,000 more than the Forester and is about infinitely better.
Benjie… do I really have to repeat myself?
No Luc, I think you have already proven your lack of intelligence.
Sorry Benjie, have to agree with Luc. I have gone through the same thing with VW. Some of our friends have actually purchased a Tiguan 103TDI, manual with a couple of small extras and I believe the final on road price was $45.000, well above the $35.000 ‘lure’ amount You can save a few grand if you are prepared to wait 11 months apparently. These amounts do put the Tiguan in a different league and price range and almost voids this UNFAIR review. Benjie, nobody is disputing that the Tiguan is a better car, I have driven one and yes, it is better to drive and the interior is better built being european. I guess I have to agree with Luc though, there is a responsibility on the reviewers part to compare apples with apples. I have no doubt that if Subaru put more dollars into their interior it would review better to those who are into European style interiors and higher budgets. Subaru have their market and VW have theirs. My personal feeling about VW is that they do lure potential buyers in with low RRP’s and then hit them with high delivery fees and excessive charges for extra’s.
Well said Nat! Benjie I respect your VW enthusiasm. Let me know if it’s still there after you go buy your first $35.000 Tiguan for $43.000.
Luc, your partner Nat seems just as daft as you are!
Feel free to visit the Volkswagen website where you will find the exact equivalent to the Forester is $33,990 – the 125TSI.
But please, don’t let me get in the way of you two making up figures.
Benjie this is not a battle ego’s. It’s about the biased and unfair review and the actual on-road costs of the dealers. $31.990 ($33.000 I was quoted on road) for the Forester X vs $35.990 ($43.000 on-road I was quoted)for the Tiguan 103TDI. You accuse me of not being intelligent but you yourself find it impossible to understand what im trying to say, “THIS REVIEW IS CRAP”. If it were a battle of the $33.990 SUV’s then that would be different. Benjie your not wrong regarding there being a cheaper Tiguan, but you are wrong about it being an exact equivalent to the Forester X. Again the prices differ, $33.990 for the Tiguan 125TSI vs $31.990 for the Forester X . Oh, and there is the point that you have just unintelligently contradicted yourself by stating “exact equivalent”, I thought the Tiguan was “infinitely better”. I’m sure Nat is one of many people here who intelligently told VW to go shove their on road costs and is now using the $10,000 saved on having a life, like all other Subaru owners.
Actually Luc – I’m using about $7,500 on having a life. I ended up buying the $33,990 RRP Forester XS – LOL
Well said Nat – Forester XS, LOL.
Unintelligent answer from unintelligent Benjie. I bet your still trying to work out Luc’s point.
I test drove the forester, rav4 V6, Xtrail and Tiguan today. While the base prices seem very similar I found that the Tiguan, on road, is about $7000-10000 more than the others, on road. The Tiguan is very nice. I have nothing against it (it would be our fourth VW: 71 Bus, 74 Beetle, 02 Golf) but for me, the Tiguan would mean needing car finance versus purchase outright. The reasons are that VW is charging a lot for options that might be standard on others (leather $4000, sunroof $2000 etc compared to say standard leather and sunroof on XTrail Ti. Even the off road pack with features standard on some of the others is an extra $290. The VW tiguan dealer delivery charge is $2499. The other issue is that the Tiguan drive is nice and supply so limited that VW do not need to negotiate whereas I found all the others the dealers would waive dealer delivery to make a sale, in fact, the others (rav, xtrail, forester) were willing to offer the car for, or very near, rrp as ‘on road’ (with the exception of the diesel XTrail). So I found today that there is a huge difference in cost like some others have reported. The VW dealer even admitted that their cars are more expensive than the competition and that there are no discounts. A diesel Tiguan optioned like a top spec Xtrail could easily hit >$50K versus a $40K for the similar spec’d Ti XTrail. The difference is less on the diesel XTrail. Both are quite noisy little engines by the way if you are used to petrol.
Also the cars are not directly comparable in room. The Tiguan is small on boot space. As we have one child only it would be OK for our 2nd monthly trip bush to visit the inlaws but I might have to include cost of a roof capsule in the purchase price which the others don’t need. However, I did really like the Tiguan despite the cost and its still on the short list.
Drive and TheAge done a test on these said diesel vehicles.
THE X TRAIL won by miles, killed the VW and all the others
Well done TeamNissan!
Cheers
F-0
The Age and Drive are the same publication Frugal One.
The on-road costs are ridiculous for this nice mini SUV.
I have a quote in my hand here, january delivery. I tried to keep the options down but was talked into leather (wears better with kids), sunroof, park assist and the integrated satnav RNS510. I declined a whole host of other options and accessories such as metallic, rims, off road pack, etc etc.
The total ON ROAD costs rose from the list of 34,890, to 57,889
The options total $15384 more
The dealer delivery fees $2722
The rego fees $819
The GST on all that $5019
The Stamp duty $1865
This is as near as dammit to a $60k car, and one that I have to wait for Jan+ to get..
Justin, a word of advice if you have kids, dont get leather. I have gone down this road before with the preconception that leather would be easier to clean. Leather is easier to clean however it scratches easily and you innevitably find yourself playing the proactive role of leather nazi. Also in summer it is hot, damn hot. I have recently given up leather and gone back to cloth and don’t think I will ever look back again. Hope this helps.
Justin, we experienced the same outrageous VW overpriced pre-delivery and options when we test drove the auto diesel 2 months ago. We decided on the Subaru Forester Premium and couldnt be happier with the spacious interior, handling/ride and exeptional value for money.
The Total on Road Costs driveaway were for an Auto was $43,050. The salesperson reduced the price to $39,500 and we picked it up 3 days later. It has a generous list of features including,
Alloy Wheels
Climatic Contral Air/Cond
6 Airbags
Constant Symetrical All Wheel Drive
6 Stacker Cd
Fog Lights
Self Levelling Rear Suspension
Leather Seats/Steering Wheel
Electric Sunroof
8 Way Power drivers seat
Stability Control/ABS/Traction Control
5 Star Crash Safety rating
Cruise Control
Multi Information Display
FULL Size Spare Tyre (I cant tolorate a crappy spacesaver as we get away on country runs a fair bit)
The list goes on further so you may want to check it out.
Ooh also Subaru Dont charge any extra for Metallic Paint. Cheers.
I was very keen on the Tiguan initially, as it looked a great car. We are changing from a 2000 Forester which has been brilliant, but has done 260000kms, and were considering the new Forester and the Tiguan.
Sorry, but as a family car there is no comparison. Finally Subaru have sorted out the rear leg room in the Forester, making it great for teenage kids. The new Forester also has great boot space and a full sized spare tyre. It has excellent vision all around and is nice to drive. Also we can fit our bikes and canoes and lots of stuff in and on it!!
Tiguan is probably a better looking car, but it is way too small, and despite being diesel and more economic, the price of diesel at the moment means it’s not really cheaper to run.
So the Forester XS for me (and its cheaper too!)
Has anyone noticed the difference in the fuel used.
The review has it at 91 RON, but the catalogue says 95-98 RON, the ADR tests are based on 95 RON.
While the Forester can run on unleaded, it is not advisable according to their mechanics,for better economy they say use 95 RON
Now, if your at the pumps, While unleaded was selling for
$1.22 litre, 95 RON was priced at $1.37 litre, on March 14th 09, thats 15 cents more per litre, now diesel is cheaper than unleaded, so the world has turned once again to diesel, Bring on the Forester Diesel and watch sales sky-rocket.
When is the diesel Forrester getting to Australia? I hope they don’t charge a ridiculous premium for it.
Apparently it’s a gem of an engine.
… choices, choices; the Mrs and I went shopping for a new vehicle (originally a sedan i.e. Liberty 3ltr V6, or B<X 3 series) to be disappointed on a couple of fronts, whilst waiting for a salesmen we had a quick look at a compact SUV, our journey resulted us in narrowing down the search to the following:
- Subaru Forester XT Premium, size adequate for a growing family, sufficent grunt with the Turbo, interior finishes OK (would prefer increased quality), exterior finish acceptable though not what I would call sexy. Subaru realiability adds confidence. Blue tooth would be handy, though readily available in the aftermarket.
- Land Rover Freelander 2, this car stands out as a true 4WD with an improved build qualty and finishes all round, boot space appears smaller than the Forester though with the floor child seat restraints this could prove a good move, against is the higher cost for the HSE (TD)of $65k on road or the SE (Petrol)$62k on road, both nice plus sunroom, sat nav (aftermarket and bluetooth), $1,800 for metallic paint is a rip off with white being the only non metallic colour. A few nice gadgets. Question mark over realiability?
- VW Tiguan, researched this tonight, looks quite stylish from the outside, though by all accounts rear passengers and boot space may be a cosy.
I welcome others thoughts.
Cheers
The Tiguan is an incredible car! there is no comparison for it. Whereas the BMW X3 is not upto the mark, in my pov. The tig is a very high quality vehicle. Subaru? don’t even think about comparing it with the tig. I am amazed by the way the tig drives. I dont see a problem with the boot space either. Tig is a very hi-tech car. I got a 125 TSI, auto, comfort pack and pirellis (comes standard).
Whilst I have spent last few months reading reviews and test driving a number of Suvs, I am still confused as to what to buy,loved the drive on the VW Tiguan,but am concerned that my 4 kids may quickly out grow it.Although one heads of to Uni next year, I am not wanting a 7 seater and prefer a diesal. I drive mainly soft road and local driving. I havent driven the forester but loved my Liberty 10 years ago. Any suggestions??
Done 9,000kms in my Tiguan. Average consumption 7.1 l/100kms. The park assist is magic and use it everytime. The full length sunroof is nice to have but wouldnt bother with the New York mags again- prefering the higher profile tyres. The car is bulletproof, not one complaint.
Hi All,
I don’t have to test drive the Tiguan to know that it’s likely to be the nicer car to drive. I own a VW Golf but I’m unlikely to buy a new Tuguan due to price, plus I’ve decided to keep the cost under $30k so we are looking at a 2 year old car (current model) with under 30,000kms. That said, the hatch in my Golf is roughly the same size as the Tiguan, so it wouldn’t be the car I’d purchase if I needed more boot space than the Golf, which makes it more of a fun choice than a practical one in my opinion.
I’m actually leaning towards the Honda CR-V despite some of the comments here re the looks. I’m not in love with it (the front that is) but I don’t mind it and the rear is nice enough. The luggage space is great (larger than the Mazda CX-7 which is also on our short list) and it drives well. It doesn’t have the Mazda’s performance, but it doesn’t have the mazda’s fuel consumption either. That said, the new CX-7 due out in October would be worth a consideration for those buying new and are happy with the performance like the CR-V or Foreter as they will have the 2.5 litre from the mazda 6 slotted in to a price point. The reason I haven’t gove the Forester is 2 fold. 1. The current car has not dropped into my price point. 2. I personally preferred the feel of the CR-V when talking about the overall drive, quality of interior and luggage space.
I’m sure the patrol would be another good option but my wife isn’t a fan of the styling. Guess if we all liked the same thing, we would all be driving the same boring cars!!! Got to love choice……..
We were in the market for an SUV, and were set on getting a Tiguan, having read the great reviews and seen them on the road. We were ready to spend the dollars, and buy a car. We don’t know much about cars, are terrible at negotiating, so we would have been easy to sell to! However we found the VW dealership service in Brookvale to be atrocious. They gave us the keys, didn’t bother to talk us through the car features, and sent us on our way for a test drive. When we returned, the sales guy had disappeared, and the manager grabbed the keys from us and asked what we wanted to do. We asked him if he could tell us more about the car, and he rolled his eyes and shoved us a price list and told us to go away and have a read….needless to say we were unimpressed.
Sure, the VW is in demand, but they aren’t so fantastic that they can sell themselves – particularly at the price they are! We tried another VW dealership thinking it was just Brookvale, but they weren’t overly helpful either. Subaru in Petersham and Lindfield on the other hand were extremely helpful, and today we bought a Forester XS Premium. I must say, for $43K for 2010 model, we got roof racks, auto, leather, sun roof, rear sensors, dealer delivery, compared to the price VW quoted us($50) for the base model with just leather and no other extra’s …..combined with awful service, it was an easy decision. Also, I was rather disappointed by the VW’s interior compared to the Subaru’s after all the hype. I personally preferred the Subaru’s interior, boot space, and thoughtful features – I’m sure the Tiguan had it’s own features…if only a salesperson had bothered to point them out, but from where we were standing, the Subaru seem to be a much smoother drive, better turning circle, better interior, more space, more standard offerings – and all round much better value. We were already breathing a sigh of relief at the RRP (45K) just because of all the standard features included in the XS premium like the sunroof and leather seats….If you are in the market for a Tiguan, I urge you to try the Subaru or another SUV before you commit, as we were absolutely set on a Tiguan, but luckily ended up getting the tried and trusted Subaru.
The Forester may be good value, but you’ll regret it when it comes time to sell it. Foresters lose value very quickly while Tiguans will be in high demand on the used market for a long time yet, not to mention the better engines that won’t sound as rattly as a Subaru one will in five years.
I don’t know how you can think the Forester has a nicer interior. The design is so dated and the materials are cheap to say the least. The Tiguan may have a slightly plain interior, but it’s well laid out and very high quality.
However, I don’t doubt what you wrote about dealers. It just depends on where you go. I went with a friend to order a Golf GTI in London a few years ago and I’ve also been to Solitaire Volkswagen in Adelaide when a friend was interested in the Tiguan and they were both brilliant dealers. Great service even before they knew we were any more than browsing and that’s what you want. I hate feeling like I’m making them go out of their way to do their job. It’s so hard to hand over so much money to horrid uninterested people, so I wouldn’t have either. I probably would have shopped around until I found a better Volkswagen dealer if I were you, but you seem happy with your Forester. Best wishes.
Foresters do not lose value quickly Alex, in fact, they hold their value better than some of the other vehicles in it’s class. I quote Glass’s guide here: “Compact SUV segment for Subaru, with Forester and Outback filling 9 of the top 10 spots at 12 months, 7 of the top 10 spots at, 24, 36, and 60 months and 6 of the top 10 spots at 48 months”. Pretty good resale in my books.
While we are at it, how can you say a Subaru Engine sounds rattly in 5 years? I myself drive a 5 year old Forester, and it’s as good as it was the day I took delivery. The engine isn’t even rattly as you think they become. Or look at the Impreza I had before that, had that for 6 years, not rattly. Or the Leone I had for 11 years, that wasn’t rattly either. I bought an MY09 XS in April this year, and have been thoroughly impressed with it, and it is now parked alongside my 5 year old Forester. Congratulations to Alanna on the purchase of her new Forester.
I must say that even I (with my very limited car knowledge!) know that Foresters definitely are known to have excellent resale value, which is mentioned in a few of the car guides I have read. Also, it was pointed out that given the Tiguan is new to the market, it’s abit of an unknown quantity in terms of its resale value compared to the proven track record of the Forester….
Also, as for the diesel Tiguan – if you like the sounds a truck makes when driving, then definitely go for the diesel option….
I had a test drive both Tiguan and a next generation Hyundai Tucson…Buy a Tucson..It is miles miles better than Tiguan in every aspects…Quieter, Smoother, Roomier, much cheaper, more reliable and provide longer warranty
the Tiguan is a clear winner, no need even to compare in details…
better looking, Turbo high performance engine yet low on consumption, and don’t forget the 6 speed Tiptronic automanual transmission, which, till very lately, only 100k plus sport cars used to have and which is now STANDARD in ALL VW cars !
but on the other hand, with the CR-V you get the “its gotta be reliable since it is a Honda” attitude with a cheap designed uncomfortable inside, a weak engine that cant even pull the heavy “mini van like” chassis of the CRV forward correctly and outdated features. if you’re fine with all that than it is the way to go ;) it is clear that a featureless car has no features to worry about and thus, fewer trips to the garage ;)
Honda and Toyota Tactics:
1- wait till German and American car makers test a new feature for 5 years, include it as standard and claim ultimate reliability.
2-downsize the engine till its only enough to move the car and claim ultimate gas savings.
3-cut on all electronic features and claim ultimate cost reduction and less driver worries.
its kind of funny actually, and whats funnier is that those tricks only work in the USA, they cant claim that even in Japan !
we are thinking about purchasing the Tiguan, today we test drove the suberu forrester which is a nice practicle, sensible vehicle. However the Tiguan whilst a little small in boot space is by far an easier car to use and also looks better. I guess it is the typically european styling & quality finish that gives it the edge. My 2 children are also in favour of the Tiguan, However whilst my husband appreciates the vehicle he thinks it is a girls car! What do think?
Hi Grace,
I ordered a Tiguan on Dec 09 and am awaiting an April 2010 delivery for it. I have got the Tiguan 147 with Leather and Sunroof for 49k drive away.
I have a 2 year old and a dog and I chose this over the Subaru XT Premium (did not like interrior finish), Mazda CX-7 (brilliant car but fuel economy let it down), Toyota RAV4 ZR6 (nice engine, plain Jane interiors), Nissan Murano (good interiors, crap engine), Subaru Outback (engine did not have much guts).
This was my appraisal and am sure others will have their own points of view. I would also imagine the Tiguan to have a very good resale vale in 3 years time when I plan to change vehicles.
Cheers
Also to add the Toyota Kluger was an amazing SUV and I would have bought it but my wife refused to drive something that ‘big’.
G’day all,
In terms of room, I’m 6′6 and I spent a whole day driving to a dealer getting the front seat comfy (if at all possible) and then sat in the back. Tiguan won hands down against most competitors.
as far as the 43 000+ price tag, if you’re willing to bargain over a few weeks, you can knock that down, I got sub 40 000 with a nice swag of extras. (towbar 4wd fogs comfort).
Space saver sucks, but a $30 sheet of mdf, a few screws and you can make a cavity to fit a regular one-easy.
I know that brand loyalty is a big thing, I myself was a toyota man till I sat in the tiguan. But I love the tig diesel and can’t wait for it to arrive-if only VW could get ahead of the orders….
I’ve read all the above comments and am amazed no one has even mentioned, let alone test driven the Renault koleos. It may not have the ultimate dynamics of a tiguan, but hey, it doesn’t have the cheap forrester interior, has a much better engine and drivetrain than the CRV honda, and is cheaper than the tiguan by a country mile. I’m not saying its perfect, but I’ll bet if you tried one, you would agree the smoothness and comfort of the Renault is better than all these. And it has some really nice unique touches in the cabin. And the price…….it can be found for $36990 DRIVEAWAY. Thats a little more than the Forrester but its infinitely nicer to drive with its CVT transmission (Forrester persists with ancient four speed, or otherwise manual with the heaviest clutch pedal this side of a truck!). Honda only has 5 speed, but that wheezy engine is no match for the refined Renault. I know….I’ve driven all three. I went straight to buy the Honda, but had all afternoon, so thought why not try the Renault and Forrester just for the fun. And just as well I did. Honda, Subaru, have brainwashed us all. No, the Renault was infinetely nicer to drive, and is the better deal all round, otherwise I wouldn’t be deciding to buy one!!