Subaru Forester vs. Volkswagen Tiguan

The compact crossover segment sells more vehicles than any other in the US. By definition, that gives it the biggest target market, and everyone wants a piece of it. This tends to create a sameness among many vehicles in the segment. The Subaru Forester and VW Tiguan both stand out in their own way. The Tiguan has the distinction of being the only affordable European brand in the segment. The Forester is different because Subaru always does things differently. For that, they have been rewarded with steadily increasing sales and the most loyal customer base among non-luxury brands. Twin Falls Subaru compares these two iconoclasts in a segment of conformity.

Models and Pricing

The 2025 Subaru Forester is available in Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring trim levels. Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is standard on all of them, and the entry price point for the model line is very affordable, at $29,695. The Forester price range covers the 30Ks, with the MSRP for the Touring coming in at $39,995. A late addition for 2024, the off-road-focused Forester Wilderness has a starting MSRP of $34,920.

As of this writing, information has not yet been released on the 2025 Tiguan, though not much is expected to change from the previous model year. The 2024 Tiguan is available in S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line. The base MSRP on the front-wheel drive S is $28,880. Only the top model has standard AWD. Otherwise, it adds $1500 to the price, bringing the base AWD price to $30,380. The Tiguan covers much of the same ground as the Forester price-wise, with the SEL R-Line having a starting MSRP of $38,880.

Performance

Like many models in the segment, the Tiguan is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4. It produces 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque and is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Forester uses a 2.5-liter flat-4 engine. Its horsepower is 180 horsepower with 178 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with a continuously variable transmission with paddle shifters that designate eight specific ratios, which can be helpful in passing or using engine braking down steep inclines.

The Forester’s lower torque is made up for with better fuel economy, which at an EPA-estimated 26 city / 33 highway / 29 combined is four mpg better across the board than the 22 / 29 / 25 for the Tiguan with AWD. Upper-level models for both model lines show slightly lower figures.

The Forester has a 4-wheel independent suspension with struts up front and a double wishbone suspension in the rear. The Tiguan also has struts in the front but uses a non-independent torsion beam rear suspension. Both models are tuned more for a comfortable rather than sporty ride, though the 19—and 20-inch wheels on the Tiguan R-Line can negate this somewhat.

When the pavement ends, the Forester benefits from 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is more than an inch greater than the 7.4-inch clearance of the Tiguan. The Wilderness model literally ups the ante with 9.2 inches and modifications to improve approach and departure angles. All but the base model includes X-Mode, which uses the AWD sensors to adjust and optimize AWD, traction control, and transmission behavior to keep the vehicle going. The Wilderness model adds specific snow, dirt, and deep snow/mud settings.

There is no Tiguan model focused on off-roading, but models equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive have an “Offroad” drive setting that adjusts throttle response, transmission logic, steering, and traction systems. Both models have a Hill Descent Control system that helps control speed during steep downward slopes.

Exterior

Both models wear an exterior that reflects their brand’s styling cues. From its debut in 1997, the Forester has always been about thin pillars and tall windows. They remain, giving the model some of the best outward visibility in its class. Other notable features include the Subaru hexagon-shaped front grille. Some models, like the Sport, feature unique bronze-colored exterior accents. The Wilderness’ unique front and rear bumpers to improve approach angles, all-terrain tires, and orange accents give it a look all its own.

The Tiguan began in 2007 with very rounded corners and circular interior elements but has since adopted the rectilinear look of other VW models, including the low, wide upper grille with a significantly larger grille under the bumper.

Interior

The Tiguan began as small for its class. That changed with its first redesign, and now, in its third, it is one of the larger models in the class, enough so that they squeezed an available third row in the back. The third row is on FWD models only, and it is a pretty small space with only 27.9 inches of legroom, so it should be reserved for small children or a fifth or sixth adult really desperate for a ride.

AWD models have only two rows, and this increases the second-row legroom by two inches to 38.7 inches. That said, it still falls about an inch short of the Forester, which has a generous 39.4 inches of rear legroom and about three inches more front legroom. The other passenger dimensions differ by less than an inch.

Without the third seat, the AWD Tiguan has 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space compared to 27.5 for the Forester. Fold the second-row seats down, however, and things start to even up, with the Forester having 69.1 cubic feet compared to the Tiguan’s 73.4. The base Forester even exceeds the Tiguan with 74.4 cubic feet.

Technology

The Forester base model features two center 7-inch screens and wired smartphone compatibility for the top screen. Every other model features the Subaru STARLINK 11.6 touchscreen with a permanent band of climate controls on the lower edge and additional physical audio and climate controls. With the big screen comes wireless connection to smartphones for either the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto interfaces. For the driver, the Forester sticks to white-on-black analog gauges with a configurable information screen in the center.

The Tiguan uses an 8.0-inch touchscreen across the model line until you get to the Top SEL R-Line, which has a 10.3-inch screen, navigation, and customizable widgets. VW also offers a customized version of Amazon Alexa. The Tiguan gives the driver a digital gauge cluster. Ambient lighting, which can be configured among 30 different colors, is available.

Safety and Driver Assistance

The 2025 Forester comes standard with the EyeSight suite of driver assistance and safety technologies, which includes:

• Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Departure & Sway Warning
• Pre-Collision Braking
• Automatic Emergency Steering
• Pre-Collision Throttle Management

The 2025 model hasn’t been tested by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), but the identical 2024 model earned a 5-star overall rating (their highest). It also earned the highest safety rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) as a Top Safety Pick +.

By contrast, the Tiguan only earned a 4-Star Rating from the NHTSA primarily due to a 4-star rating on its front collection test. They did not achieve a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS in part due to lower scores for the headlights and crash performance of the crash avoidance technologies. Those would be the systems of the standard IQ.DRIVE system, which includes:

• Front Assist (Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring)
• Active Side Assist (Blind Spot Monitor)
• Rear Traffic Alert
• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop and Go;
• Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System)
• Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency).

Quality Studies and Brand Reputation

Finally, there is the JD Power 2024 US Initial Quality Study, where they rate the number of problems per 100 vehicles. The lower the number, the better, and the Subaru brand was rated at 183, which is lower than the industry average of 195, while Volkswagen had a rating of 241. It is worth mentioning that Subaru continues to top Consumer Reports’ brand rankings and experiences one of the highest loyalty of any automotive brand. In both cases, Volkswagen is quite a ways down the list.

Each model has its strengths, but the Forester has more of them when considering fuel mileage, off-pavement readiness, legroom, interior technology, safety ratings, and quality ratings. Visit Twin Falls Subaru and test drive one of the many Foresters we keep in stock.