Acura MDX vs. Volkswagen Tiguan
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Acura MDX and Volkswagen Tiguan contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Acura MDX and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
In comparing the Acura MDX's and the Volkswagen Tiguan's specifications and ratings, the Acura MDX has the advantage in the areas of reliability, interior volume, overall quality score and base engine power. The Volkswagen Tiguan has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and resale value. Based on this comparison of the Acura MDX's and the Volkswagen Tiguan's specifications and ratings, the Acura MDX is a better car than the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Pricing: A used 2026 Acura MDX ranges from $55,350 to $70,850 while a used 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan is priced between $28,038 to $42,186. For a new model, the Acura MDX's price is between $55,950 and $77,785, with the Volkswagen Tiguan priced between $30,884 and $42,730.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Acura MDX loses 53.7 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Tiguan loses 47.8 percent of its value. This means the Volkswagen Tiguan retains 5.9 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Acura MDX.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Acura MDX is 8.5 out of 10 while the Volkswagen Tiguan's quality rating is 7.6 out of 10. This results in the Acura MDX being ranked 3 out of 28 Best Luxury Midsize SUVs and the Volkswagen Tiguan being ranked 12 out of 19 Best Small SUVs.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Acura MDX is 8.0 out of 10. For the Volkswagen Tiguan the reliability rating is 7.5 out of 10. This gives the Acura MDX a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Acura MDX’s base engine makes 290 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Tiguan base engine makes 201 horsepower.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Acura MDX, a crossover/midsize SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front shoulder room, front leg room and rear shoulder room. The Volkswagen Tiguan, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage in the areas of front head room, rear head room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Acura MDX has higher safety ratings than the Volkswagen Tiguan, with an average rating of 5 out of 5 Stars compared to 4.45 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
55950 - 77785
Starting MSRP:
51800
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
77833
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
51200 - 138300
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
30884 - 42730
Starting MSRP:
30245
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)
28836
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)
24135 - 30995
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
66659
Price Range:
55350 - 70850
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
73712
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
60234 - 92425
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
35325
Price Range:
28038 - 42186
Category Avg Price:
(Compact SUVs)
32106
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact SUVs)
28107 - 36583
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
27937
Depreciation %:
0.53931912
Resale Value $:
23863
Residual Value %:
0.46068087999999996
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
0.56208052
Category Depreciation Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
0.41556056 - 0.61479035
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
14582
Depreciation %:
0.48211785
Resale Value $:
15663
Residual Value %:
0.5178821499999999
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact SUVs)
0.43208374
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact SUVs)
0.30791758 - 0.51647538
Acura MDX Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.5 / 10
Reliability:
8.0 / 10
Retained Value:
7.6 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
Volkswagen Tiguan Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.6 / 10
Reliability:
7.5 / 10
Retained Value:
8.0 / 10
Safety:
7.4 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Acura MDX
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
13.1
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
12.8
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Midsize SUVs)
9.7 - 13.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.317
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Tiguan
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.4
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)
11.3
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)
9.6 - 15.7
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.02
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.0725529922117
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
2.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
1.6 - 16.1
Acura MDX Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 8Ranking
1 out of / 6Ranking
2 out of / 31Ranking
2 out of / 28Ranking
2 out of / 24Ranking
2 out of / 24Ranking
2 out of / 6Ranking
3 out of / 28Ranking
3 out of / 15Ranking
3 out of / 8Ranking
4 out of / 31Ranking
4 out of / 28Ranking
4 out of / 15Ranking
5 out of / 31Ranking
5 out of / 28Ranking
6 out of / 31Ranking
6 out of / 28Ranking
7 out of / 70Ranking
7 out of / 70Ranking
8 out of / 70Ranking
8 out of / 31Ranking
9 out of / 28Ranking
10 out of / 28Ranking
11 out of / 31Ranking
12 out of / 28Ranking
12 out of / 28Ranking
13 out of / 70Ranking
13 out of / 70Ranking
15 out of / 28Ranking
18 out of / 28Ranking
19 out of / 70Ranking
19 out of / 31Ranking
19 out of / 28Ranking
19 out of / 28Ranking
21 out of / 31Ranking
21 out of / 31Ranking
22 out of / 31Ranking
22 out of / 31Ranking
23 out of / 28Ranking
24 out of / 70Ranking
24 out of / 31Ranking
25 out of / 31Ranking
29 out of / 70Ranking
29 out of / 62Ranking
37 out of / 70Ranking
39 out of / 70Ranking
41 out of / 70Ranking
47 out of / 70Ranking
48 out of / 70Volkswagen Tiguan Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 33Ranking
1 out of / 29Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
2 out of / 29Ranking
2 out of / 19Ranking
2 out of / 3Ranking
4 out of / 10Ranking
4 out of / 6Ranking
5 out of / 6Ranking
6 out of / 19Ranking
6 out of / 10Ranking
8 out of / 19Ranking
8 out of / 19Ranking
9 out of / 19Ranking
10 out of / 33Ranking
10 out of / 19Ranking
10 out of / 18Ranking
12 out of / 19Ranking
12 out of / 19Ranking
14 out of / 33Ranking
14 out of / 19Ranking
15 out of / 66Ranking
15 out of / 33Ranking
15 out of / 18Ranking
16 out of / 66Ranking
16 out of / 54Ranking
18 out of / 19Ranking
18 out of / 19Ranking
19 out of / 33Ranking
20 out of / 33Ranking
25 out of / 66Ranking
27 out of / 66Ranking
28 out of / 54Ranking
28 out of / 33Ranking
30 out of / 66Ranking
30 out of / 33Ranking
31 out of / 66Ranking
31 out of / 33Ranking
32 out of / 33Ranking
32 out of / 33Ranking
33 out of / 33Ranking
38 out of / 66Ranking
42 out of / 66Ranking
48 out of / 66Ranking
50 out of / 66Ranking
57 out of / 66Ranking
64 out of / 66Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Acura MDX Trim Levels
Base, SH-AWD, SH-AWD w/A-SPEC w/Advance, SH-AWD Type S w/Advance Package, SH-AWD w/A-SPEC, SH-AWD w/Advance, SH-AWD w/Tech, w/Tech
Volkswagen Tiguan Trim Levels
S, S 4Motion, SE, SE 4Motion, SE R-Line Black, SE R-Line Black 4Motion, SEL R-Line 4Motion
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
6 years / 70000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.45 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
290 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque:
267 foot-lbs @ 4700 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.068 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
201 hp @ 5250 rpm
Torque:
207 foot-lbs @ 1500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.056 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
3.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
V
Number of Cylinders:
6
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
26 / 34 / 29
Range (city/hwy):
377 / 493 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Air Suspension:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
Available
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Satellite radio:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Standard
Air Suspension:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Massage Seats:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Roof Rack:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Satellite radio:
Standard
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.5 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.6 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
61.9 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
38.5 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
60.3 inches
Cargo Space:
16.3 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
71.4 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
155.4 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.5 inches
Front Leg Room:
40.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57 inches
Rear Head Room:
39.7 inches
Rear Leg Room:
40.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.7 inches
Cargo Space:
26.5 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
58.9 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
130.3 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4268 lbs
Width:
78.7 inches
Height:
67.9 inches
Length:
198.4 inches
Wheelbase:
113.8 inches
Ground Clearance:
7.3 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3563 lbs
Width:
84.7 inches
Height:
66.1 inches
Length:
184.4 inches
Wheelbase:
109.9 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.6 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
19.0 x 8.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
255/55R19
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
polished aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
215/65R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Majestic Black Pearl
Gray
Liquid Carbon Metallic
Silver
Solar Silver Metallic
White
Platinum White Pearl
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Silver
Pyrite Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Interior Colors
Beige
Parchment
Black
Ebony
Gray
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Not available
Gray
Grigio Gray/Titan Black
