Mazda CX-5 v Volkswagen Tiguan 2017 Comparison

Medium SUVs are heavy-hitters when it comes to sales and the Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan are undoubtedly amongst the most popular and best of the breed.

But a lot of the time the emphasis in this class is on the petrol-engined models and the front-wheel drivers. That’s fair enough because they are a cheaper drivetrain combination.

This time though we’re trying out the turbo-diesel all-wheel drives, the most versatile and arguably ‘off-road’ oriented models in their respective line-ups.

We’ve previously tested various other versions of both these vehicles, here’s some links to those reviews:

We’ve also recently compared the leading petrol AWD medium SUVs, including the CX-5 and Tiguan here.

Why are we comparing them?
Look, these cars aren’t about to scale Mount Kosciusko, but they do offer some off-road ability. So, it’s worth trying them out on dirt to see how they behave.

We’re also keen to establish if the diesel-AWD combination impacts the on-tar driving behaviour that is rated increasingly highly in the petrol models.

The Mazda has the advantage of a more powerful and torquey engine and a $1000 lower recommended retail price (before on-road costs), but the VW ekes more space from its smaller footprint and has a much larger boot.

Who will they appeal to?
At around 4.5m long with five seats and decent engine strength, these cars represent the 21st Century version of the family wagon.

Four adults can fit in either vehicle, five at a squeeze. Despite its shorter overall length the Tiguan offers the rear-seat passenger a slightly better deal in terms of seat support, space and view out.

The rear-seat also slides fore and aft to vary passenger and luggage space as needed. Storage opportunities abound in the VW, including an under-seat sliding drawer and two flip-up trays in the backseat.

But the Mazda has the better ride comfort – the VW is simply too busy on our rubbish secondary roads. It’s pretty much a draw when it comes to quietness inside the cabin, which underlines the big progress Mazda has made from the original CX-5.

The Tiguan’s 615-litre boot outshines the CX-5’s 442-litre effort. Both rear seats spit-fold 40:20:40 flat to dramatically grow that to mountain bike-swallowing space.

The Tiguan claims a 2500kg braked towing capacity, besting the Mazda’s 1800kg.

How much do they cost?
The Touring is one of four models in the CX-5 turbo-diesel AWD range and retails for $41,990. The $42,990 Comfortline is the cheaper of two turbo-diesel AWD Tiguans.

The CX-5 is strongly equipped in safety terms with autonomous emergency braking operating up to 80km/h, which is more than double the Tiguan.

The Mazda also has reverse and blind spot monitoring and six airbags. Other key features include six airbags, a head-up display, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, sat-nav and DAB digital radio.

VW highlights include an active bonnet to aid pedestrian zone, tri-zone rather than dual-zone climate control and a parking assistant. It adds a knee airbag, has post-collision braking, driver fatigue detection and lane departure prevention. It also gets Apple Carplay and Android Auto, neither of which feature in the Mazda.

Both cars come with strong resale rates. The Mazda’s scheduled servicing is cheaper but that evens out because it requires a visit to the dealer every 10,000km, versus 15,000km for the VW.

What do they do well?
The Mazda’s 2.2-litre engine is in a class of its own thanks to that strong supply of torque. There is solid response from small throttle openings and it works better with the six-speed automatic than the VW does with its dual-clutch, which is a tad hesitant at low throttle inputs.

Claimed fuel consumption is lineball and remains close in the real world around 7.0-7.5L/100km.

The CX-5 also has a well-tuned balance between on-road ride and handling. It delivers confidence to the driver in terms of both steering and grip, but manages to soak up bumps and potholes with just a tinge of firmness.

Refinement is clearly an area where Mazda has made great strides with the second-generation CX-5. That helps its credentials as a great all-rounder.

The Tiguan is a class act inside. The cabin is conservatively designed but material quality is high, instrumentation is clear and easy to use and the level of seat support in the rear outdoes the Mazda.

The Tiguan also shifts the balance further toward on-road handling dynamism than the CX-5. It features the ability to adjust the steering and throttle through multiple modes and tune the settings of the 4Motion AWD system.

What could they do better?
So let’s off-road … and neither car is exceptional at this. Lacking the low-range and mechanical diff locks of true off-roaders, their on-demand AWD systems can leave them stationary with wheels spinning in the air when trying to clamber over an obstacle such as a deep spoon drain.

They also have limited ground clearance and overhangs that can get caught up on lumpy surfaces.

Both cars only come with space saver-spare tyres. A full-size spare is something any real off-roader really needs.

So while they can go a step beyond the beach track and snow road, they aren’t back-of-Bourke bush-bashers. They remain, like their petrol brethren, more road than off-road focussed.

Which wins, and why?
This is an incredibly close contest between two terrific vehicles that emphasise the medium SUV segment is no longer a bland wasteland of forgettable metal.

The CX-5 is an outstanding all-rounder that has enjoyable yet comfortable driving characteristics, a more capable engine and the back-up of Mazda’s sky-high resale and affordable servicing costs.

The Volkswagen is a dynamic drive, oh-so-smart inside and very spacious for its size. But its engine doesn’t have the guts of the Mazda and its ride isn’t as well resolved.

CX-5 wins this one, by the narrowest of margins.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring pricing and specifications:
Price: $41,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 129kW/420Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 158g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: TBC

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 110TDI Comfortline pricing and specifications:
Price: $42,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 110kW/340Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 155g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP