Kia Sportage vs Volkswagen Tiguan
Figures updated
The Kia Sportage and Volkswagen Tiguan are two of the UK's most popular family SUVs. We compare the Mk5 NQ5 (2021–) Sportage and the Mk3 (2024–) Tiguan on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 491,506 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Kia Sportage for the lower price, or the Volkswagen Tiguan for the bigger boot and the better MOT record.
- The Kia Sportage is the cheapest to buy new: from £31,395, £7,985 less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan has the biggest boot: 652 litres, 61 more than the Kia Sportage.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Kia Sportage fails its MOT about 32% more often.
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £22 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the brakes on a Kia Sportage: it fails on them 1.7 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Kia SportageMk5 NQ5 (2021–), 5-door SUV | Volkswagen TiguanMk3 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £31,395 to £47,895September 2026 price list (best) | £39,380 to £49,885October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 591 litres / 1,780 | 652 litres / 1,650 (best) |
| Length | 4,540mm | 4,539mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,865mm | 1,842mm |
| Height | 1,645mm | 1,658mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | from 150 PS | 130–272 PS |
| 0–62mph | 7.5–9.7 sec | up to 10.2 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2022) | ★★★★★ (2024) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 39.8–55.4 mpg | 32.8–52.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 27–163 g/km | 9–195 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,365 (42.8 mpg) | £1,343 (43.5 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,246 (54.3 mpg) (best) | £1,293 (52.3 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,246 (diesel) | £1,293 (diesel) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 99Average | 131Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 24.3% | 18.2% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 15.7% | 11.0% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.1% | 12.6% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 33.0% | 26.6% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Brake pads (3.6% of tests) | Tread depth (2.6% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Brakes (1.7×), Steering (1.6×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 258,990 | 232,516 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family SUV | Family SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,600 | 9,200 |
| On sale | 2021 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan more reliable?
The Volkswagen Tiguan. Like for like on age and mileage, the Kia Sportage fails its MOT about 32% more often (reliability scores 131 and 99, where 100 is average). 18.2% of Volkswagen Tiguans and 24.3% of Kia Sportages failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
They're almost the same length (4,540mm and 4,539mm). The Volkswagen Tiguan has the bigger boot: 652 litres against 591.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
The Kia Sportage: new prices start at £31,395, £7,985 less than the Volkswagen Tiguan (from £39,380). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £22 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Euro NCAP gave the Kia Sportage 5 stars (2022) and the Volkswagen Tiguan 5 stars (2024). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Pick the Kia Sportage for the lower price, or the Volkswagen Tiguan for the bigger boot and the better MOT record. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.