Honda CR-V vs Volkswagen Tiguan vs Nissan X-Trail: here's our winner

By Martin Pretorius

 

Toyota’s RAV4 might have been the first mid-sized SUV-Crossover, but Honda was right on their heels from the beginning, with their CR-V. As the years passed, numerous very capable opponents have arrived, however, such as Volkswagen’s Tiguan which brings some style to the party, and the Nissan X-Trail, which adds practicality and value to the equation. Does the CR-V still have what it takes to face down these challengers? 

 

For this comparison, we placed a budget cap at R520 000, as that’s more than enough to get you a mid-trim 2.0-litre CR-V Elegance, which is likely to be the strongest seller in the range. (The 1.5T variants are a huge lot more expensive, which places them amongst even more serious competition.) A little bit less expensive than the Honda is the mid-level Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4T Comfortline, while a little extra cash can also get you a top-line Nissan X-Trail 2.5 4x4 Tekna.

Many specifications are similar between these three, and even though their pricing is within spitting distance of each other, the ways in which they go about their business are rather different. All three are petrol-fuelled, and they all use some form of automatic gearbox. Let’s take a look at the statistics.

 

Facts and Figures

	Honda CR-V 2.0 Elegance	VW Tiguan 1.4T Comfortline A/T	Nissan X-Trail 2.5 4x4 Tekna
Engine size (cyl/size)	4-cyl, 2.0-litre petrol	4-cyl, 1.4-litre turbopetrol	4-cyl, 2.5-litre petrol
Power/Torque	113 kW/189 Nm	110 kW/250 Nm	126 kW/233 Nm
Kerb Weight	1474 kg	1495 kg	1594 kg
Length (mm)	4 591	4 468	4 640
Boot volume (litres)	522	520	550
Airbag count	6	6	6
Top Speed (km/h) *	192	200	190
Ave Consumption *	7.3 ℓ/100 km	6.8 ℓ/100 km	8.3 ℓ/100 km
Warranty	5 yr/200 000 km	3 yr/120 000 km	6 yr/150 000 km
Price	R 512 500	R 505 800	R 513 500

*Manufacturer's official figures.

 

Analysis

Power, performance, and drivetrains

At first glance, there isn’t much to separate these three contenders, with peak power outputs in a fairly narrow range between 110 kW and 126 kW. It’s when peak torque is considered that greater variations are noted, with the naturally-aspirated Japanese cars boasting significantly lower outputs than the downsized-but-turbocharged German offering. 

Power-wise, the Honda sits in the middle spot with 113 kW (only 3 kW more than the VW, but 13 kW less than the Nissan’s larger engine). It has the least torque here, however, with its comparatively measly 189 Nm looking a bit outclassed against the 2.5-litre Nissan’s 233 Nm and the boosted 1.4-litre VW’s 250 Nm. Unfortunately, the X-Trail’s extra weight counts against it, and the added 100 kg in relation to the Tiguan negates its power advantage (and amplifies its torque disadvantage). 

Even though the CR-V has the lowest quoted kerb weight in this group (beating the Tiguan by 21 kg), Honda’s performance claims should probably be taken with a medium-sized bag of salt. Sprinting from 0 – 100 km/h in only 7.3 seconds seem highly unlikely for a car of this size and weight, when outfitted with only 113 kW and 189 Nm, and saddled with a CVT. The Nissan also uses a CVT, and they claim a far more credible 10.5 seconds for that sprint, in spite of its significant power- and torque advantages over the Honda.

With its (almost) Honda-matching kerb weight and Nissan-beating torque output, and thanks to its sharp-shifting 6-speed dual-clutch automatic, the Volkswagen Tiguan is undoubtedly the athlete of this group, as shown by its higher top speed and 9.2 second dash from 0 – 100 km/h. In reality, none of these cars are really quick, but they’re adequate for their intended purpose. 

 

Economy

With the smallest engine here and the second-lowest kerb weight, the Tiguan is also likely to be the least thirsty. This is confirmed by Volkswagen’s official consumption claim of 6.8 ℓ/100 km (real-world use will see slightly more than 8.0 ℓ/100 km), with Honda and Nissan claiming 7.3 ℓ/100 km and 8.3 ℓ/100 km averages, respectively. 

Expect closer to 9.0 ℓ/100 km for the Japanese cars on the road, however. The Nissan’s higher claimed consumption could be accounted for by its larger engine alone, but it’s also the only one here with a full-time AWD system (both CR-V and Tiguan are FWD in this trim). This added driveline loss would by necessity see the Nissan using more fuel than the Honda.

There isn’t really much between them in general use, to be honest: similarly-sized cars with similar power outputs will have similar fuel thirst as well. The only reason for the Volkswagen’s slight advantage here is its very efficient dual-clutch gearbox and smaller engine, both of which should lead to lower consumption in normal use.

 

Practicality

Being slightly larger than the others, the X-Trail holds some the trump cards in the practicality stakes. It’s the only one here with three seating rows, and with all the seats in use, its load volume drops to only 135 litres. Fold down the rearmost seats, and the X-Trail offers 550 litres of cargo volume, compared to 522 and 520 for the CR-V and Tiguan, respectively.

The Tiguan snatches a surprise victory as far as maximum utility space goes, however, with a gigantic 1655 litres appearing when all the seats are folded down. This trounces the X-Trail by more than 300 litres, and outclasses the Honda’s claimed peak volume of 1084 litres by a huge margin. On this front alone, the Tiguan has to take the overall practicality crown, especially when its spacious cabin is taken into account.

 

Equipment and safety

All three contenders are rated very highly for their safety, with 5-star Euro-NCAP crash test results, 6 airbags, and traction- and stability control fitted as standard on all of them. Unique safety features on offer include a surround view camera system (on the X-Trail Tekna), and parking sensors front and rear (Tiguan). The CR-V is however the only one to feature parking sensors all round as well as rear-view camera – the Nissan makes do without the parking sensors, and the rear-view camera is optional for the Volkswagen. In mitigation, the Tiguan is the only one here to offer LED headlights as standard, which neither of the others have, even as options.

Comfort- and convenience features abound, however, and are very closely matched between the three cars. You’ll find niceties such as dual-zone climate control across the board, along with cruise control and multi-function steering wheels. They also all have colour touchscreen infotainment systems, but the Nissan is the only one to integrate navigation into the standard spec sheet. 

The X-Trail also has a panoramic sunroof as standard, which is optional on the Volkswagen and not even available on the Honda at all. Leather trim for the seats and the steering wheel is standard on the Japanese cars, while the Volkswagen makes do with cloth seats and a plastic steering wheel rim. Then again, the Tiguan is the least expensive car here, so some luxury compromises are perhaps inevitable.

Lastly, the X-Trail has the longest warranty (see table above), and a service plan for 3 years or 90 000 km. This plays against the Tiguan’s shorter warranty and slightly better service plan for 5 years or 90 000 km, and the CR-V’s best-in-group warranty and Tiguan-matching service plan. Score one for the Honda in this regard, then.

However, neither the Tiguan or the CR-V can match the X-Trail’s spec sheet, even if the Nissan suffers for its lack of parking sensors. Tekna trim is the top level in the X-Trail range, and it shows in that long list of standard equipment, while the Tiguan and CR-V both occupy mid-level spots in their respective ranges. This almost automatically makes the Nissan our winner in the equipment department.

 

Verdict

It’s surprisingly difficult to separate these three opponents, but the first one to fall by the wayside has to be the CR-V. Apart from its parking aids and winning warranty/service plan, the Honda offers very little that you can’t find elsewhere at a better price. It also has the least torque and the smallest maximum utility space, and thus finds itself at the bottom of this very competitive pile.

The next one to fall is the X-Trail. It has the most comprehensive standard equipment sheet, and the largest boot with 5 seats in use, but its relatively lackluster performance and thirst for fuel counts against it. In mitigation, it’s the only here to offer AWD, so the X-Trail will be the default choice for those with an adventurous slant.

This leaves the Tiguan as our winner. It’s reasonably well-equipped and the least expensive in base trim, and it has the strongest performance and lowest fuel consumption. Add its long list of available extras (such as adaptive cruise control) and standard LED headlights, along with its cavernous maximum utility space, and it turns in to the victor in this family-oriented segment.

 

* Pricing was accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.