Volkswagen Golf vs. Volkswagen Tiguan
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Volkswagen Golf 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 Volkswagen Golf and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
When we compare the Volkswagen Golf's and the Volkswagen Tiguan's specifications and ratings, the Volkswagen Golf has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency, reliability, resale value and overall quality score. The Volkswagen Tiguan has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the Volkswagen Golf's and the Volkswagen Tiguan's specifications and ratings, the Volkswagen Golf is a better car than the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Pricing: A used 2021 Volkswagen Golf ranges from $14,517 to $22,997 while a used 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan is priced between $15,892 to $25,593.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Volkswagen Golf loses 41.7 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Tiguan loses 47.8 percent of its value. This means the Volkswagen Golf retains 6.1 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Volkswagen Golf is 8.1 out of 10 while the Volkswagen Tiguan's quality rating is 7.6 out of 10. This results in the Volkswagen Golf being ranked 14 out of 37 Best Small Cars and the Volkswagen Tiguan being ranked 13 out of 34 Best SUVs with 3 Rows.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Volkswagen Golf is 7.9 out of 10. For the Volkswagen Tiguan the reliability rating is 7.5 out of 10. This gives the Volkswagen Golf a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Volkswagen Golf’s base engine makes 147 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Tiguan base engine makes 184 horsepower. The Golf is rated to deliver an average of 33 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 515 miles. The Tiguan is rated to deliver an average of 25 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 444 miles. This gives the Volkswagen Golf the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Volkswagen Tiguan. Both models use regular unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Volkswagen Tiguan, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, rear head room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Volkswagen Golf, a compact car, has the advantage in the areas of front leg room cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Volkswagen Golf 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:
-
Starting MSRP:
23195
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)
21197
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)
15295 - 28695
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
25245
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)
25515
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)
23700 - 27890
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
18641
Price Range:
14517 - 22997
Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)
19841
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)
11819 - 28783
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
15
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
67675
# Good or Great Deals:
6
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
20681
Price Range:
15892 - 25593
Category Avg Price:
(Compact SUVs)
22412
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact SUVs)
18721 - 26231
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
1015
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
59209
# Good or Great Deals:
341
Volkswagen Golf Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.1 / 10
Reliability:
7.9 / 10
Retained Value:
8.4 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 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 Volkswagen Golf
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
13.1
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)
7.8
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)
4.8 - 13.1
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.133
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Tiguan
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
6.4
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)
7.3
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)
5.6 - 11.7
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.02
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.9188929339555512
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
2.7
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
1.1 - 12.4
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
5.7209271507647195
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
4.0
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
1.4 - 16.9
Volkswagen Golf Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
6 out of / 13Ranking
7 out of / 37Ranking
7 out of / 37Ranking
10 out of / 17Ranking
12 out of / 37Ranking
13 out of / 37Ranking
14 out of / 37Ranking
25 out of / 37Ranking
25 out of / 37Ranking
26 out of / 37Ranking
32 out of / 37Volkswagen Tiguan Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 34Ranking
1 out of / 30Ranking
1 out of / 30Ranking
2 out of / 2Ranking
2 out of / 2Ranking
6 out of / 19Ranking
8 out of / 18Ranking
9 out of / 34Ranking
9 out of / 19Ranking
10 out of / 19Ranking
10 out of / 18Ranking
11 out of / 19Ranking
11 out of / 19Ranking
11 out of / 13Ranking
12 out of / 19Ranking
12 out of / 13Ranking
13 out of / 56Ranking
13 out of / 34Ranking
13 out of / 20Ranking
13 out of / 19Ranking
14 out of / 20Ranking
14 out of / 19Ranking
15 out of / 19Ranking
16 out of / 67Ranking
17 out of / 34Ranking
17 out of / 19Ranking
18 out of / 19Ranking
19 out of / 67Ranking
19 out of / 34Ranking
22 out of / 56Ranking
22 out of / 34Ranking
29 out of / 67Ranking
29 out of / 34Ranking
31 out of / 67Ranking
32 out of / 34Ranking
32 out of / 34Ranking
32 out of / 34Ranking
33 out of / 34Ranking
34 out of / 34Ranking
38 out of / 67Ranking
39 out of / 67Ranking
42 out of / 67Ranking
47 out of / 67Ranking
49 out of / 67Ranking
50 out of / 67Ranking
54 out of / 67Ranking
65 out of / 67Available Body Styles
Hatchback
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Volkswagen Golf Trim Levels
TSI
Volkswagen Tiguan Trim Levels
S, S 4Motion, SE, SE 4Motion, SE R-Line Black, SE R-Line Black 4Motion, SEL, SEL 4Motion, SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 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
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.45 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
147 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque:
184 foot-lbs @ 1400 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.050 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
184 hp @ 4400 rpm
Torque:
221 foot-lbs @ 1600 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.049 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
1.4 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
29 / 39 / 33
Range (city/hwy):
383 / 515 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
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):
23 / 29 / 25
Range (city/hwy):
352 / 444 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
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
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Navigation System:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Parking Sensors:
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Navigation System:
Available
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.4 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Rear Head Room:
38.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.6 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
53.9 inches
Cargo Space:
17.4 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
42.3 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
110.9 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.6 inches
Front Leg Room:
40.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57 inches
Rear Head Room:
39.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
36.5 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Cargo Space:
12 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
65.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
135.9 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
2945 lbs
Width:
70.8 inches
Height:
58.2 inches
Length:
167.6 inches
Wheelbase:
103.6 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.4 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3735 lbs
Width:
72.4 inches
Height:
66.3 inches
Length:
185.1 inches
Wheelbase:
109.8 inches
Ground Clearance:
7.9 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 6.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
205/55R16
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
215/65R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Blue
Silk Blue Metallic
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Silver
White Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Blue
Atlantic Blue Metallic
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Silver
Pyrite Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Interior Colors
Beige
Beige
Black
Titan Black
Gray
Not available
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Titan Black
Gray
Storm Gray
