Compare the2026 Volkswagen TiguanVS 2025 Toyota Rav4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tiguan has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Rav4 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Volkswagen Tiguan achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Toyota Rav4 which scored only an “Acceptable” in these critical safety features.

The Volkswagen Tiguan’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Toyota Rav4 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

The Tiguan has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Rav4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tiguan has standard Rear Traffic Alert and automatically engage the brakes. Toyota charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Rav4.

Both the Tiguan and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Tiguan is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

	Tiguan	Rav4
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Tiguan is safer than the Rav4:

	Tiguan	Rav4
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.39 in	.47 in
Shoulder Force	156 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.02 in	1.34 in
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	197	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	312 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Force	112 lbs.	290 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	535 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

Warranty

The Tiguan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Rav4’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Tiguan’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Rav4’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Volkswagen Tiguan’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Rav4’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Tiguan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 23 lbs.-ft. more torque (207 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Tiguan’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 65 more horsepower (268 vs. 203) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen Tiguan turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Rav4:

	Tiguan	Rav4
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.6 MPH	83.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Tiguan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Tiguan’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Toyota only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Rav4 LE AWD/XLE/XLE Premium.

The Tiguan AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 (15.6 vs. 14.5 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Tiguan higher (6 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 (5 to 6). This means the Tiguan produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4:

	Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo	Rav4
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.1 inches

The Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Rav4 are solid, not vented.

The Tiguan stops much shorter than the Rav4:

	Tiguan	Rav4
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tiguan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Rav4 (255/40R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Tiguan’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tiguan offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Rav4’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Tiguan has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Rav4 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tiguan’s wheelbase is 4 inches longer than on the Rav4 (109.9 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

The Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo handles at .85 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Rav4 Limited (27 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Tiguan has 4.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 (103.8 vs. 98.9).

The Tiguan has .1 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 5.6 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tiguan’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rav4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Rav4 is limited to 1500 pounds. The Tiguan 4Motion® offers up to a 1800 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The Tiguan uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rav4 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat in the Rav4 Limited, the Tiguan SEL has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Tiguan SEL’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Rav4 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Tiguan R-Line has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Tiguan has standard KESSY Keyless Access that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Only the Rav4 XLE/Limited offers a Smart Key System.

The Tiguan’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Tiguan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Rav4 LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Tiguan to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Rav4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Tiguan SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Rav4 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Tiguan also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Tiguan’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Toyota charges extra for heated mirrors on the Rav4.

When the Tiguan SEL is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Rav4’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota Rav4 offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Tiguan offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Rav4’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Tiguan SEL has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Rav4.

The Tiguan has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Rav4 XLE/Limited.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Tiguan has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/TRD Off-Road offers wireless charging and it costs extra.

The Tiguan SEL’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Rav4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Toyota Rav4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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