Jeep Cherokee vs Volkswagen Tiguan vs Honda CR-V: Which one has the lowest running costs?

Can you pre-determine your car’s running costs?

When considering a car’s running costs, it’s important to look at it over the full life-cycle. This allows third or fourth owners of older cars to get a clearer picture of possible future expenses, and it helps first owners to determine at what age their cars may become too expensive to run. 

There are certain key points which could give an idea of a car’s general upkeep requirements. This includes the length of the service intervals, the cost of replacement tyres and service- and maintenance parts, and the prices of service parts. For new-car buyers, the most important factors will be resale value, insurance costs, the extent of service- or maintenance plan coverage, tyre prices, and fuel consumption.

Second and third owners would pay attention to the same criteria, but with the added concern about long-term maintenance and aftermarket (out-of-warranty) servicing- and parts costs. For the purpose of this comparison, we selected two petrol-fuelled, all-wheel drive alternative SUVs with similar pricetags to the entry-level Cherokee – both of them top-spec variants in their respective ranges.

 

Let’s meet the contenders

Jeep Cherokee 2.0T Limited 4x4 (R 724 362)

Following the Cherokee’s range re-alignment midway through 2019, the 2.0T Limited derivative takes up the lowest rung in its range. The grinding and gutless (in this application) old 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder petrol was finally sent packing, with a new corporate 2.0-litre turbo mill slotting into its place to elevate entry-level Cherokee’s desirability many times over. 

All-wheel drive is now standard as well, rather than the pre-facelift car’s FWD entry point, but the 9-speed automatic gearbox remains. With all these hardware changes, the Cherokee’s performance is fully competitive with its price competitors: 200 kW and 400 Nm results in a claimed 0 – 100 km/h sprint time of 7.2 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 206 km/h.

Related: Our video review of the pre-facelift Jeep Cherokee showed a lot to like about it, but we weren’t very happy with the old 2.4-litre engine.

 

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2.0TSI 4Motion Highline R-Line (R 724 400)

Its name is a real mouthful, and indicates this Tiguan Allspace’s range-topping status in its line-up. Just like Jeep, Volkswagen also has a plethora of smaller- or larger SUVs and crossovers as alternatives, but the Tiguan Allspace meets the needs of most families just fine, and, in this trim, has plenty of nice styling- and comfort add-ons. It also costs almost exactly the same as the Jeep, making them natural opponents at this price point.

The Allspace 2.0TSI under discussion mirrors the Jeep’s mechanical layout to some degree, as it’s also endowed with a 2.0-litre turbopetrol 4-cylinder engine and full-time AWD. There’s a fair bit less power (but stronger performance) than you’d find in the Cherokee, though. That Golf GTI-derived engine sends 162 kW and 350 Nm into a very efficient 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, to give a 0 – 100 km/h sprint in a claimed 6.8 seconds, and a top speed of 223 km/h.

Related: When you just need more space, our review recommends that you try out a Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.

 

Honda CR-V 1.5T Exclusive AWD (R 726 600)

Turbochargers are the name of the game with this trio, but the Honda is endowed with the smallest engine of this trio. It’s also unusual for the fact that it combines a small-ish, boosted engine with AWD and a Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) – one of very few SUVs or crossovers with this hardware combination. Like the Volkswagen, this is the top-spec variant in its range, and costs slightly more than both the Jeep and the VW.

Seeing as it has the smallest engine capacity here, it’s pretty reasonable that it would have the least power as well: Its outputs of 140 kW and 240 Nm are significantly lower than the Volkswagen’s (and even further down on the Jeep), and its CVT likely also costs it some performance. The resulting 0 – 100 km/h dash in a claimed 9.4 seconds and 200 km/h top speed puts it far behind the others in a straight line, but there may be compensation for its lazy performance elsewhere...

Related: The CR-V strikes back – we review the Honda CR-V 1.5T Executive.

 

Which one has the lowest running costs?

Purchase price and depreciation

The difference between the least- and most-expensive car here amounted to only R 2 238 at the time of writing, so their instalments will also be very close to each other (as we’ll shortly see), but their depreciation is a different matter altogether.

To obtain this data, we searched AutoTrader’s listing pages for 2019-model examples of each of our contenders, with less than 20 000 km on their odometers and as close as possible in specification. Then we compared their current average values to their prices a year ago, and calculated the percentage of value they’ve retained after one year – generally the period when the depreciation curve is at its steepest.

Because the Cherokee’s changeover to the 2.0T engine only happened very recently, there were none of these variants in our listings. There were a few older-specification examples, however, and their stats look rather bleak: the 2019-model Cherokee 3.2 (non-Trailhawk) AWDs only retained 71.3% of their value after one year, and the 2.4 Longitude (the previous entry-level trim) drops that right down to 63-ish percent. 

The latter figure should be taken with a pinch of salt, because the 2.4’s sample size of one is too small to give statistically reliable information. Even so, the 3.2 is slightly more commonplace in the market, and its first-year depreciation looks only slightly better. Long-term depreciation doesn’t look great, either, with 2016-model 2.4 Longitudes retaining only 43.3% of their new value after four years, although the 2016 3.2 AWD performed a bit better at 59.3%.

Running the same exercise with the Tiguan Allspace 2.0 TSI, we found that the single 2019 Highline R-Line on site (again, statistically largely unreliable) appeared to retain 92.2% of its new value, while the (slightly more-plentiful on site) 2019 Comfortline R-Line variants retail, on average, for almost exactly value as they did a year ago. This is backed up by strong value retention of smaller (non-Allspace) Tiguans, as we found in an earlier investigation, as well as the good showing of higher-mileage, 2019-model Allspace Highlines. 

Related: Which Volkswagen Tiguan trim depreciates the fastest?

Turning to the Honda, we found that 2019-model CR-V 1.5T Executives on site (there were no Exclusives listed at the time of writing) retain an average of 86.5%. It’s too early to say how the CR-V would hold onto its value after 4 years (because the current model is still too new), but the initial signs and history looks positive – CR-Vs have always been rather depreciation-resistant, if perhaps not to the same extent as current-generation Tiguans.

Instalment calculator

*Calculated according to the AutoTrader Car Finance Calculator, with a 72-month finance agreement, 10% interest rate, 10% deposit, and no residual value. All prices listed in this article were accurate at the time of writing, but may change without prior notice.

Jeep Cherokee 2.0T Limited 4x4

List price: R 724 362

Instalment: R 12 077/month

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2.0TSI 4Motion Highline R-Line

List price: R 724 400

Instalment: R 12 078/month

Honda CR-V 1.5T Executive AWD 

List Price: R 726 600

Instalment: R 12 144/month

 

 

Fuel efficiency 

The Honda’s claimed fuel efficiency hands it the win here, with an official average consumption figure of 7.0 ℓ/100 km. The Volkswagen is a fair bit behind in the regard, with a claimed average of 8.1 ℓ/100 km, and the Jeep about as far behind again with a claimed average of 9.0 ℓ/100 km. 

This neat reversal of roles accurately reflects the differences in the performance of these three cars, as well. And, while none of them will achieve anywhere near their claimed figures in real-world driving, the pecking order would remain the same in reality as it is in theory.

Related: Which engines have the best efficiency?

 

Warranties, maintenance plans, and service intervals

All three of these cars have strong aftersales support, but one nonetheless manages to outclass the others. Both Volkswagen and Jeep offer a warranty for 3 years, valid for 120 000 km and 100 000 km, respectively, but the Honda counters with a warranty for 5 years or 200 000 km.

In terms of servicing, the Jeep is the only one here with a maintenance plan, but it only runs for 3 years or 100 000 km. In contrast, the Honda and Volkswagen both include service plans as standard, but the coverage runs for 5 years or 90 000 km. In combination with its excellent warranty, its service plan hands the Honda CR-V 1.5T Exclusive the win in this department – but only in the short term.

In the longer term, the CR-V will cost more on servicing, purely based on its short recommended service intervals of 10 000 km. The other two will need less-frequent servicing at 15 000 km intervals after their pre-paid service plans expire, which puts a notable dent in the Honda’s long-term ownership experience in the context of this comparison.

Related: What is usually covered under a manufacturer’s warranty?

 

Insurance

The Jeep will score big time here, for two reasons: its depreciation plummet means that its replacement value drops substantially over time, and it is considered to be a low risk by insurance companies. In contrast, the Volkswagen is the highest theft- and hijacking risk here, and this reflects in its insurance ratings – all while its replacement value remains high at the same time. The Honda strikes the sweet spot here, with manageable depreciation and a low insurance risk. 

Also remember that insurance premiums will vary, mostly based on the projected mileage to be covered and where the cars are kept and driven, both in the daytime and overnight. Younger drivers or those with prior accident histories will experience additional penalties, due to their higher collision risk.

Related: Top tips to save on your car insurance.

 

Tyre replacement

Standard tyre prices play a significant part in any running cost evaluation, but it’s not always a given that smaller tyres will be less expensive – if they’re less commonly used, they might be harder to find and more expensive to replace than larger tyres which are in wider use. 

The Jeep Cherokee 2.0T Limited wears the smallest rubber here, and is shod with 225/55R18 tyres. This is a surprisingly common size, with one online tyre retailer listing up to 80 alternatives. Store-brand tyres start around the R 1 300 mark, and big-brand alternatives start at about R 2 000 apiece and run up to R 3 500 each. That’s pretty reasonable for tyres with this width, and will definitely have a positive effect on long-term running costs.

The next-largest rubber will be found on the Honda CR-V, which goes a fraction wider and taller with 235/60R18 shoes. This size of rubberware isn’t quite as easily found as the Jeep’s, and is a bit more expensive as well. Store-brand replacements start around R 1 500 each, while big-brand alternatives can be had from R 2 500 each up to R 3 500 apiece for high-performance rubber – hardly necessary, given the modest performance on offer.

The Volkswagen wears the biggest shoes here, courtesy of that R-Line package, which adds 255/40R20 tyres as standard fare. Non-R-Line Tiguan Allspace 2.0TSIs wear considerably more sensible rubber of the same size as those on the Honda CR-V Exclusive. As for the 20-inchers, they’re considerably harder to find and a lot more expensive – there are only 17 replacements listed, beginning at R 4 100 and running all the way to R 5 500 each. If ever there was motivation to avoid the R-Line package, this is it.

Related: How long is a tyre supposed to last?

 

Verdict

Each of these cars bring their own strong suits to the negotiating table. The Jeep has to be the first to fall, though: it’s one of the quickest cars here, but that comparatively strong performance brings a penalty at the service stations. Add its shorter maintenance plan and slightly weaker warranty to its catastrophic depreciation, and there are few financially-sensible things to be said about the Jeep’s running costs.

The Honda makes a very strong case for itself, and would walk away with the honours here for a specific buyer demographic: those who plan to keep their car only up till the end of the service plan. It’s comparatively inexpensive to insure, the most frugal here, and has strong residual values and the best warranty. However, those short service intervals means that long-term ownership will likely cost more, offsetting its fuel efficiency advantage and relatively affordable tyres.

This (barely) leaves the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace as our winner, but also with one important caveat. Those super-expensive tyres are a very reason to reconsider ticking the R-Line option box, but if an Allspace is specced more sensibly, it will have an excellent balance between efficiency, aftersales support and very strong residual values (and reasonable tyre costs). However, its insurance premiums will hurt a lot, and prospective owners are advised to think carefully about the areas where the car will be used, as this will greatly influence the extent of the Volkswagen’s insurance penalties.

 

Recommended Next:

Shop for new and used Jeep Cherokee cars for sale here.

Shop for new and used Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace cars for sale here.

Shop for new and used Honda CR-V cars for sale here.