Volkswagen Tiguan vs. Hyundai ELANTRA
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Volkswagen Tiguan and Hyundai ELANTRA 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 Tiguan and the Hyundai ELANTRA.
When we compare the Volkswagen Tiguan's and the Hyundai ELANTRA's specifications and ratings, the Volkswagen Tiguan has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. The Hyundai ELANTRA has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, reliability, resale value and overall quality score. Based on this comparison of the Volkswagen Tiguan's and the Hyundai ELANTRA's specifications and ratings, the Hyundai ELANTRA is a better car than the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Pricing: A used 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan ranges from $28,946 to $39,417 while a used 2024 Hyundai ELANTRA is priced between $21,995 to $27,989. For a new model, the Volkswagen Tiguan's price is between $30,000 and $40,812, with the Hyundai ELANTRA priced between $22,531 and $28,639.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Volkswagen Tiguan loses 41.3 percent of its value and the Hyundai ELANTRA loses 33.4 percent of its value. This means the Hyundai ELANTRA retains 7.9 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 Tiguan is 8.2 out of 10 while the Hyundai ELANTRA's quality rating is 8.3 out of 10. This results in the Volkswagen Tiguan being ranked 13 out of 34 Best SUVs with 3 Rows and the Hyundai ELANTRA being ranked 12 out of 37 Best Small Cars.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Volkswagen Tiguan is 7.4 out of 10. For the Hyundai ELANTRA the reliability rating is 7.8 out of 10. This gives the Hyundai ELANTRA a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Volkswagen Tiguan’s base engine makes 184 horsepower, and the Hyundai ELANTRA base engine makes 147 horsepower.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Volkswagen Tiguan, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front shoulder room, rear head room and rear shoulder room. The Hyundai ELANTRA, a compact car, has the advantage in the areas of front head room, front leg room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Volkswagen Tiguan has higher safety ratings than the Hyundai ELANTRA, with an average rating of 4.65 out of 5 Stars compared to 4.64 out of 5 Stars. When comparing IIHS evaluations, the Hyundai ELANTRA has the advantage with a Top Safety Pick award.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
30000 - 40812
Starting MSRP:
28880
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)
27871
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)
23860 - 30300
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
22531 - 28639
Starting MSRP:
21625
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)
26555
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)
17795 - 45665
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
33675
Price Range:
28946 - 39417
Category Avg Price:
(Compact SUVs)
33244
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact SUVs)
29649 - 36546
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
1447
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
15786
# Good or Great Deals:
532
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
24763
Price Range:
21995 - 27989
Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)
28855
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)
19171 - 47673
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
1277
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
14428
# Good or Great Deals:
251
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
12141
Depreciation %:
0.42040682
Resale Value $:
16739
Residual Value %:
0.57959318
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact SUVs)
0.42031495
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact SUVs)
0.29061823 - 0.47283242
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
7431
Depreciation %:
0.34361936
Resale Value $:
14194
Residual Value %:
0.6563806400000001
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)
0.3164027
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)
0.24379468 - 0.4011125
Volkswagen Tiguan Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.214043 / 10
Reliability:
7.410545 / 10
Retained Value:
7.931585 / 10
Safety:
9.3 / 10
Hyundai ELANTRA Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.292133 / 10
Reliability:
7.812252 / 10
Retained Value:
8.424148 / 10
Safety:
8.6 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Tiguan
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.1
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)
10.9
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)
9.9 - 13.4
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.008
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Hyundai ELANTRA
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.2
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)
11.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)
10.1 - 13.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.066
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.036456157180586
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
2.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
1.8 - 18.3
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
4.110447865370144
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
2.9
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
2.0 - 18.8
Volkswagen 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 / 67Hyundai ELANTRA Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 37Ranking
2 out of / 37Ranking
5 out of / 37Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
6 out of / 13Ranking
6 out of / 6Ranking
7 out of / 37Ranking
7 out of / 22Ranking
7 out of / 22Ranking
12 out of / 37Ranking
12 out of / 37Ranking
14 out of / 37Ranking
15 out of / 37Ranking
26 out of / 37Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Volkswagen Tiguan Trim Levels
S, S 4Motion, SE, SE 4Motion, SE R-Line Black, SE R-Line Black 4Motion, SEL R-Line 4Motion
Hyundai ELANTRA Trim Levels
Limited, N Line, SE, SEL
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:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
10 years / 100000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
5 years
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.65 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):
4.64 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
TOP SAFETY PICK
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
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
147 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque:
132 foot-lbs @ 4500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.054 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
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):
23 / 30 / 26
Range (city/hwy):
352 / 459 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
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
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Heated Seats
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
Available
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Lane Departure Warning:
Available
Lane Keeping Assist:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
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:
36.6 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Cargo Space:
12 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
65.3 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
136.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.6 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.3 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.3 inches
Rear Leg Room:
38 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.6 inches
Cargo Space:
14.2 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
Not yet available
Overall Interior Volume:
99.4 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3732 lbs
Width:
82.6 inches
Height:
66.4 inches
Length:
186.1 inches
Wheelbase:
109.9 inches
Ground Clearance:
7.4 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
2725 lbs
Width:
71.9 inches
Height:
55.7 inches
Length:
184.1 inches
Wheelbase:
107.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.3 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
polished aluminum alloy with painted accents
Tire Size:
P215/65R17
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
15.0 x 6.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
195/65R15
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Silver
Pyrite Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Blue
Not available
Red
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Abyss Black Pearl
Gray
Amazon Gray Pearl / Ecotronic Gray Pearl / Fluid Metal Metallic
Silver
Not available
White
Serenity White Pearl
Blue
Intense Blue Pearl
Red
Ultimate Red Pearl
Interior Colors
Black
Titan Black
Gray
Storm Gray
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Gray
Gray