Volkswagen Tiguan squares up to Ford Kuga

Why the comparison?

If you're in the market for a compact SUV then these are the newest mainstream machines your money can buy. The Volkswagen has been around for longer than the Ford and it's clear that the blue oval looked very carefully at its Volkswagen rival when setting the prices for its new Kuga contender. Indeed, the two cars compared here cost exactly the same at £22,495. The cars in question are the 2.0-litre TDCi Titanium Ford Kuga and the 2.0-litre TDI 4Motion Sport Volkswagen Tiguan. Other cars you might like to consider in this class include Honda's CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, Nissan's X-Trail and if you want to spend a little bit more - Land Rover's Freelander.

How are they similar?

Each is powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, the Volkswagen's boasting 138bhp and the Ford 134bhp - so close there really is nothing in it. That's the case with the torque too: both produce exactly 236lb.ft of twisting force, the Volkswagen offering it up between 1,750rpm and 2,500rpm and the Ford at 2,000rpm. They are both five-seaters, there being no seven-seat versions, both have six-speed manual transmissions, four-wheel drive and 0-62mph times within a whisker of each other - the Tiguan taking 10.5 seconds and the Ford 10.7 secs. Equipment levels on both are fairly comprehensive and they share warranty times and mileages (three years and 60,000miles) and both drive more like conventional cars than their lofty SUV stance would have you believe.

How do they differ?

The duo might offer almost identical power and performance figures, but the Volkswagen feels quicker on the road than the Ford. The Kuga hits back though with its far more involving drive, the steering sharper, handling neater and body-control finer. While it's unlikely that either will be bought with dynamics in mind, it's the Ford you'd rather be taking numerous roundabouts in a new town in thanks to its more detailed feedback and finer control. Where the interior of the Ford is all glitzy and has metal effect plastics and features like a 'power' start button the Volkswagen is a bit more austere; though whether that's a positive or negative depends entirely on how you like your driving environment. The Kuga betters the Tiguan on equipment levels, it coming with climate control over the VW's air conditioning, the Kuga adding cruise control and part leather seats too. Dip into the options and you'll pay around £450 less with the Ford for satnav, other options like rear parking sensors also cheaper.

The Ford should return more miles to the tank too, it boasting a combined consumption figure of 44.1mpg compared to 40.9mpg of the Tiguan. Carbon dioxide emissions from the Kuga are also lower, with 169g/km bettering the Tiguan's 182g/km. The Tiguan betters the Kuga for space provision: seats down the Volkswagen is able to offer 155 more litres of space. That's particularly impressive given that the Tiguan is smaller in every dimension compared to the Kuga. Externally, the styling of both echoes their interiors: the Kuga hardly shy and retiring, the Volkswagen neat and discreet. Volkswagen's badge unquestionably has more cachet than the Ford too, so if you're a badge snob the German car is a clear winner.

So which one would we have?

Rarely is a twin test so close. The Ford and Volkswagen are almost inseparable in every area - if we didn't know any better we'd say Ford had an insider at Volkswagen. The Ford drives better; the Volkswagen feels classier, but if we had to pick one we'd probably go for the Ford simply because it offers better economy and emissions. That's not just good for the environment, but in a time of ever-increasing fuel prices it's good for your bank balance too.

Kyle Fortune