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Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV Comparison

Compact SUVs aren't as cheap as they were in the days of the first Toyota RAV4. That only means they are expected to deliver in every area, including connectivity, comfort, and curb appeal.
Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV Comparison 5 photos
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Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV ComparisonHonda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV ComparisonHonda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV ComparisonHonda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4 Are Nearly Tied in SUV Comparison
After deciding that the Audi A3 is the best compact luxury hatchback and that the S-Class is still king of the limousine segment, Mat Watson from Carwow is at it again. And this time, he is addressing the most popular segment in Europe, SUVs.

Three contenders have been lined up, fresh off the assembly line. There's the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan, followed by the not so new Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. It's a shame he couldn't get a hold of some of the other competitors, such as the Ford Kuga and Mazda CX-5. For slightly less money, you can also order the more crossover-like Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson.

But we digress. I think the point of this review is that Volkswagen might be losing its magic touch, something we hear in almost every review of the Tiguan. Th Passat isn't magical either, but it's practically the only one in its segment with that level of tech, whereas the Tiguan faces stiff competition from companies that have been at it for far longer.

10 minutes of your weekend time isn't too long to watch a video that could determine your SUV purchase. It's full of little surprises, like the fact that both Toyota and Honda have made their SUVs better and with slightly superior materials in places.

The Tiguan fights back in areas like refinement, having the widest engine range and the most tech features. The back bench of the German car is more extensive and slides, while the one in the Toyota has more legroom, so pick one.

But we drove the Honda CR-V and can tell you it's absolutely fantastic over the speed bumps, as well as silent. In the end, aren't those the traits you want most of all in an SUV? Well, at the end of the day, it comes down to personal choice, but Carwow people named the Tiguan the winner of this test by the smallest of margins.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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