Honda CRV vs Toyota RAV4 vs Volkswagen Tiguan Comparison Review

Our friends at Tom Bush Volkswagen issued a challenge and asked us to compare the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, and the VW Tiguan. We aren't professional car testers, so we put these three compact SUVs through our own five categories. The categories we completely made up but thought would be helpful for potential car buyers are:

1. Get-In-Ability: What's it like to get in the car and sit in it?
2. Stowage: How much stuff can you stow? Cupholders? Cards? Etc?
3. Ballerina Legs (Jason's favorite): What's it like to be a large man in the backseat?
4. Operation Dumbo Drop: What's the cargo space like?
5. Drivingness: The most important category, how does it drive?

SPOILER ALERT: The Tiguan wins

We hope you enjoy the video and if you have any questions about the three vehicles, feel free to leave a comment!

More fun Tiguan photos on Instagram:

[yyznawar]

The Honda will run for over 20 years and the Tiguan will run right to the junkyard. A bit biased but good review.

[AimlessMoto]

How it starts: "We're going to try not to be biased towards our VW Tiguan...."
How it ends: "Everything but the Tiguan is for peasants..."

[maddisoncafarella]

Picking up my Tiguan next Monday - you guys just confirmed it's a great car, so happy!

[MontyJ]

This vid made my night I'm so happy I stumbled upon it. I'm looking into buying a Tiguan, great vid guys and I love how you kept it simple with that categories. 

[occamsrazor]

Hey blondie, if you can't tell if you're in drive or neutral mode with out looking at the screen, then you shouldn't be driving at all.

[aaquarian]

This is...or was (9 years ago..WOW!!)..the type or review that car shoppers need!! The categories were actually the most useful ones to have. The only car channel that does reviews better than this one is Alex on Autos. Well done!

[SNESmapper]

Difference is the RAV4 will keep on trucking after 10 years with no issues and your VW will be dead in less than 5. We have a VW and it's an incredibly unreliable car, we can't wait to get rid of it and get another Honda or Toyota.

[ecmcomichael]

We love our Tiguan! Got it for a lot less than folks pay for Toyotas and Hondas and the EPA way underestimates the fuel mileage. We get 29 mpg on our road trips here in Oregon. With 200 hp and 207 ft. lbs. of torque, you can also tow more than the other two. I'm 6'6" tall so appreciate its roominess. And the vehicle drives like a dream over all kinds of surfaces. BTW, don't let the name-callers discourage you. You both did a great job on the review. Those who criticize may call us VW fanboys, while not realizing that they are Honda and Toyota fanboys. LOL!

[karennennstiel]

Thank you for this video.  I just purchased a 2009 Tiguan after being certain I wanted a Rav4.  It's nice to hear good things about the car I just bought.

[SoFloLuca]

Love my Tiguan R-line, and great video too...

[christopherhollinshead]

Thanking you guys for the refreshingly fun and informative Tiguan videos ...watched a couple of your "Tiguan Tuesdays" episodes. Road trip to the Keys was funny. You truly enjoy your Tiguan! Previously I had a 2012 Tiguan and have had a couple of other VWs since then (GLI and a Passat). It was nice to have a vehicle that was not so commonplace and also I recall how much fun the car was to drive. ...thinking perhaps that I may take a Tiguan R-Line to try soon.

[onedirectionemely]

I love my Honda CR-V ! But I do see what u guys mean with the middle gear and the whole feeling the gears shift, but other than that the crv is a dependable car !

[Travelnut]

Thanks for a great review!  I am going to buy an suv in order to pull a Little Guy Trailer and I'm convinced that Tiguan is the one....(it was between the Rav4 and Tiguan)

[STOPPEDINCOLORADO]

I just want to take a moment and applaud everyone's respectful yet firm debates in the comments. It's good to see.

[rozschndr]

Very helpful, thank you. Could you compare more suvs & please include VW Tiguan again, Jeep Cherokee & other mid-suvs… Tnx!

[sergevivier]

We live in a very rural area that has terrible roads if you can call then that and my wife is on her second Tiguan,   She drove a Honda Element for 7 years and bought the first Tiguan in 2010 and now drives a 2014 4motion.  The Tiguan strong points are handling, stering, brakes with brake assist and it works great when a deer jumps in front of the car.  The Tiguan ride is also the best even better than the Forester.  In Canada, the base Tiguan is very well equip with side marker, fog lights, tinted windows heated seat and much more.

[jhakes]

The rear seats of my Chevy Equinox actually recline back as well and the whole bench slides forward and backwards for that extra 8 inches of leg room.

[subi-hqju]

Reliability is where either the CRV or Rav4 destroys the Tiguan..The Tiguan is a very good car to lease but I would not buy one..

[jonnyjones]

I've ordered a 2013 tiguan match 2.0 TDI 140ps arriving in 4 to 6 weeks :(. Very comfy very impressed with the layout drives well seats holds my body well rides pot holes & speed bumps well so my back doesn't get jolted as I suffer from a lot of back pain. Also bending down to get into a car is a noon for me so limited to what I could have. Brining over 6ft is great to just slide in no bending. Looked at the RAV4 CRV CX5 JEEP COMPASS dint like any of them tiguan sold on it.

Having watched a lot of tiguan reviews but yours are the best very honest reviews so look forward to watching them. Is there any chance you do Somme off road reviews how it handles & performs as your reviews or on road so look forward to them if you both can drive off road.

I forgot to ask my uk dealer if the match comes with the sun roof in the 2013 uk model as a lot of the videos have sun roofs in. Your videos helped me decide on a tiguan so I hope your dealer continues to support you in more tiguan models in the future.

[GeneMyersPoet]

Here's my question: can you sleep in the back of a Tiguan... my wife and I are both short 5'6 & 5'7". Maybe not lengthwise, but could we sleep in the back of one?