Compare the2025 Mazda CX-50VS 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Tiguan doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CX-50 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda CX-50 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.

With its standard Smart Brake Support, the Mazda CX-50 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volkswagen Tiguan, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Tiguan.

The CX-50’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-50 and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-50 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Tiguan is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-50 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 CX-50’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Tiguan’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-50’s reliability 31 points higher than the Tiguan.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 20 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (187 vs. 184) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 35 more horsepower (219 vs. 184) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 72 more horsepower (256 vs. 184) and 99 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl. is faster than the Volkswagen Tiguan:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 gets better mileage than the Tiguan:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo/Hybrid)’s fuel efficiency. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-50 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CX-50 stops much shorter than the Tiguan:

For better traction, the CX-50 has larger standard tires than the Tiguan (225/65R17 vs. 215/65R17).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CX-50 is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 3.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Tiguan.

The CX-50 handles at .87 G’s, while the Tiguan 4Motion® pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Tiguan 4Motion® (26.8 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-50 Hybrid’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The CX-50’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (36 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 2.5 S Premium Plus has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tiguan (8.6 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus is quieter than the Tiguan SEL R-Line 4Motion®:

The CX-50 has 1.5 inches more front legroom and 1.1 inches more rear legroom than the Tiguan.

The CX-50 has a much larger cargo volume than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 12 cubic feet).

The CX-50’s cargo area is larger than the Tiguan’s in almost every dimension:

The CX-50’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tiguan’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Volkswagen Tiguan is only 1500 pounds. The CX-50 offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

On a hot day the CX-50’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Tiguan can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-50 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-50’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Tiguan’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The CX-50’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Tiguan has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the CX-50 and the Tiguan offer available heated front seats. The CX-50 Turbo also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Tiguan.

The CX-50 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Tiguan SE/SEL.

Compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Mazda CX-50 eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The CX-50 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CX-50 will retain 53.88% to 56.04% of its original price after five years, while the Tiguan only retains 48.29% to 50.45%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-50, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Tiguan isn't recommended.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2024 issue and the Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus won out over the Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line 4Motion®.