Compare the2022 Jeep CompassVS 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Tiguan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Jeep Compass has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps 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.

The Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Compass’ standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Tiguan.

Both the Compass 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Jeep Compass is safer than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

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

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Compass 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.

The Compass’ corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Tiguan’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 oil changes) on the Compass for 1 year and -20,000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Tiguan (3/unlimited vs. 2/20,000).

There are almost 4 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Compass’ warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Compass has a standard 650-amp battery. The Tiguan’s 360-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 64 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 24th in reliability. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Jeep 5 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Jeep Compass is faster than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better mileage than the Tiguan:

The Compass has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is optional on the Jeep Compass 4x4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Tiguan.

The Compass stops shorter than the Tiguan:

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Tiguan; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Tiguan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (35.3 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The Compass’ turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Compass has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tiguan (8.1 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Compass to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Compass Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is 1 inch higher than on the Tiguan (8.6 vs. 7.6 inches).

The Jeep Compass may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 600 pounds less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.

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

The Compass has 1.6 inches more front legroom and 1.8 inches more rear legroom than the Tiguan.

The Compass has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 12 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Volkswagen Tiguan is limited to 1500 pounds. The Compass 4x4 offers up to a 2000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer-sway Damping on the Compass uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Tiguan doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Compass has a standard rear variable 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.

Both the Compass and the Tiguan offer available heated front seats. The Compass Trailhawk/Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Tiguan.

The Compass (except Sport) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet, 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 Compass is less expensive to operate than the Tiguan because it costs $609 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Compass than the Tiguan, including $357 less for a water pump, $289 less for a muffler, $326 less for a starter, $297 less for fuel injection, $109 less for a fuel pump, $64 less for front struts, $111 less for a timing belt/chain and $355 less for a power steering pump.