Pricing

Illustrating how tight the competition is, there’s less than a $700 gap between the lowest and highest base price within this crossover grouping. The CR-V has the highest price at $32,420, while the Ford’s base MSRP of $31,750 is the lowest. The Tiguan’s starting point of $32,305 is in the middle of the range along with the Rogue ($31,985).

Powertrain

The Tiguan and Rogue boast the most horsepower (201 hp) of the models we compare here. However, the VW uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the cylinder count is cut to three in the Rogue and the Escape (which both use a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine). The Escape's engine makes 180 horsepower, the lowest of the group. The CR-V has a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 190 horsepower. As for transmissions, both the Tiguan and Escape have a conventional eight-speed automatic, while the CR-V and Rogue rely on a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which many drivers dislike in comparison to the traditional geared tranny.

Warranty and Maintenance

Most mainstream automotive brands – including Honda, Nissan, and Ford – offer a bumper-to-bumper warranty that covers three years or 36,000 miles. Volkswagen extends this essential protection to four years or 50,000 miles. Nissan discontinued its complimentary maintenance program in 2025, leaving only Volkswagen and Honda to offer this benefit (Ford doesn’t offer it either). VW Carefree Scheduled Maintenance is superior in that it covers the first two standard scheduled services (for two years or 20,000 miles), whereas Honda recently scaled back its free maintenance program to just one year or 12,000 miles.

Standard Features

Volkswagen gives the Tiguan a clear advantage in the equipment department. Heated front seats come standard in the VW but aren’t included on the CR-V, Rogue, or Escape. The Tiguan also has dual-zone automatic climate control, a feature shared only with the Escape. Meanwhile, the CR-V uses single-zone climate control, and the Rogue relies on manual settings.

Technology features further strengthen the Tiguan’s position. Its 12.9-inch touchscreen is substantially larger than the respective displays in the CR-V’s 9-inch screen and the 8-inch screens in the Rogue and Escape. The VW also comes with a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, which narrowly exceeds the CR-V’s 10.2-inch screen but is noticeably bigger than the Rogue’s 7-incher and the 8-inch display in the Rogue. Wireless device charging is standard in the Tiguan and CR-V, but you won’t find it on the base-level Rogue or Escape.

As far as driver-assist technologies, the Tiguan comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and front and rear parking sensors. By comparison, Ford equips the Escape with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but adaptive cruise control and parking sensors aren’t standard on the base trim. Nissan takes a similar approach with the Rogue, which also includes blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, yet leaves out adaptive cruise control and parking sensors. While Honda outfits the CR-V with adaptive cruise control, it leaves off blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, SiriusXM satellite radio, and parking sensors on the entry-level trim.