VW Tiguan OR Honda CR-V?

im trying to buy a new 09/10 car. and im debating between a Tiguan and a CR-V



this is all the info ive collected so far from both online and personal driving experience (tried on dealer’s) and also from close relative’s real life experience.



Tiguan:

+ good looking shape

+ high performance yet low consumption I4 2.0L 200HP turbocharged engine (same as GTI).

+ Tiptronic 6 speed transmission

+ comfy and elegant interior.

+ can get a 0% on an 09 from any VW dealer.

+ good towing weight



-not excellent reliability reviews.

-only uses premium gas.

-about 5k more than a CR-V, and the most expensive in its category.

-some recalls of the 09 version (first version) because of an electronic issue.



CR-V

PROS:

+good to excellent reliability reviews

+cheap price tag comparing to all competition (RAV4, Equinox, Tiguan…)

+3rd row seat option and bigger inside cargo space



CONS:

-low performance I4 2.4L 166HP engine => too weak for the size of the car (have to compensate for the low torque with RPM resulting in a noisy ride).

-shape that looks like a mini van wannabe SUV or a an SUV wannabe mini van.

- low towing weight (because of the underpowered engine)

-uncomfortable and badly designed interior/seating.

missing all the cool gadgets that a 09/10 car should have like : (passenger power seats / memory seats / power sun/moon roof / shades / automanual transmission for coolness, performance, gas mileage and bragging rights)





yes, it may seem that I’ve already made up my mind, and honestly thats true, because besides the “it is reliable car since it is a Honda” argument, i don’t see any logical and/or convincing argument to go for the CR-V even if it is about 5k cheaper than a Tiguan and about 2k cheaper than a RAV4.



and as far as i can tell and even while leaving luxury, performance and comfort aside, while some cars are already in the future by using all kind of new cool gadgetry (like the 6 speed semi-auto transmissions available on pretty much all German cars and many Americans). Honda and Toyota are still using 5 to 10 years old stuff which has been tested and refined for all those years and yet claiming to be reliable !

i find that unfair if not outrageous, simply because that is not an apple to apple comparison.



that being said, i really would love to know other folks ideas, all ideas and point of views are welcome, after all we are all consumers at one point and our objective is to get the best out there for our hard earned buck while avoiding scams and popular myths fueled marketing.







I don’t think you can get a 3rd row in a CRV. If I were looking at those 2, I’d look hard at a v6 Rav4. Performance to spare.

Have you looked at the new totally redesigned Subaru Outback?

It is considerably larger, in terms of both width and height, as well as in terms of interior room than previous Outbacks, and is now a genuine SUV, rather than a station wagon with a lifted suspension.

If you get it with the 3.6 liter six cylinder engine, you will have an incredibly powerful 256 hp vehicle that runs on regular gas. Additionally, it has the best AWD system in the business and great reliability. The interior is very nice, and all of the modern bells and whistles are either standard or available at extra cost–unlike the CR-V.

You should be able to get the 3.6 liter version for about the same price as the top-level Tiguan.
If you settle for the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder model, it will be about $3,000 less.

If you do what everybody says is smart and get the honda you will be unhappy for not getting the gadgets and extra power, life is short get what you really want the vw!

Edmunds says that the repairs are likely to be 50% higher in the first 5 years of ownership for the Tiguan than the CR-V. But we’re talking $800 vs $1160, so the cost isn’t that much. The Rav-4 has similar low repair costs, but maintenance is high. You might look at the Nissan Rogue and Ford Edge, too. Both have low estimated repairs (Ford is the lowest). Note that the repairs kick in after your 3 year warranty expires. I wouldn’t use the actual numbers except for a rough order of magnitude. I’ve found that I don’t pay anything close to the dollar amount quoted. I paid close to nothing for the last 4 cars I’ve owned in the first 5 years. This includes all drivers, so the abusers are in the mix for the repair cost estimate.

Here’s a question - why is tow capacity important to you? I’d be reluctant to tow much with either one, and a high-output turbo 4 is not my idea of a good tow engine.

Of your two choices, the CRV would be my pick. But, I’d take a serious look at Hyundai Tuscon & Santa Fe.

Twotone

I don’t understand not including the RAV4 in the mix. Don’t have/like the dealer ? The RAV4 v6 takes care of all your deficiencies of the CRV and gives you reliability equal to it, similar gas mileage as 4 and still cost less then or equal to the Tiguan.
A relative owns one and has made several trips to Florida and back from NH in complete comfort and room with 4 people. They offer 3rd row seating, but not being full size or a minivan, it’s kid rated only IMO.
I don’t understand “the maintenance cost is high” on a RAV comment. Ours is MORE reasonable than any 4wd we’ve owned except for trucks and equal to any sedan except the Prism/Novas we’ve owned.

If towing capacity is an issue, you’d probably want to bump up to a midsized SUV or larger.
An alternative to the Tiguan, although using premium, is a Mazda CX-7. While it has even lower towing capacity than the Tiguan, it’s got a bit more power 244hp/258tq, has the 6-speed manumatic like the Tiguan. The GT model has heated front leather, navi, bose stereo, moonroof, fog lights, and HIDs(if that’s your thing anyways) standard.
By the time you add all those things to the Tiguan, you’re looking at $40k, the CX-7 stickers for $32k

“Honda and Toyota are still using 5 to 10 years old stuff which has been tested and refined for all those years and yet claiming to be reliable !”

That stuff is more reliable BECAUSE it’s been tested and refined for 5-10 years.

“i really would love to know other folks ideas”

Buy a used car 1-3 years old. Skip the initial depreciation.
Buy one of the last years of a model generation. These have more bugs worked out.