Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraxVS 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Chevrolet Trax has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tiguan doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Trax and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Trax 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Tiguan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Tiguan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trax’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Trax has a standard 525-amp battery. The Tiguan’s 360-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trax third among small suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Tiguan isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 7 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

On the EPA test cycle the Trax gets better fuel mileage than the Tiguan:

The Trax stops much shorter than the Tiguan:

The Trax has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Tiguan’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Trax handles at .80 G’s, while the Tiguan SEL 4Motion® pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Trax LS’ turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Trax LT’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Tiguan’s (36.7 feet vs. 37.7 feet).

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The Trax is 1 foot, 5.5 inches shorter than the Tiguan, making the Trax easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Trax has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (18.7 vs. 12 cubic feet).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Trax has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Tiguan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Trax LT has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Trax is less expensive to operate than the Tiguan because it costs $282 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Trax than the Tiguan, including $191 less for a water pump, $389 less for a starter, $310 less for fuel injection and $200 less for front struts.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Trax will be $1727 to $7400 less than for the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Chevrolet Trax, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.