Nissan Qashqai vs Volkswagen Tiguan
Figures updated
The Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan are two of the UK's most popular family SUVs. We compare the Qashqai J12 (2021–) and the Mk3 (2024–) Tiguan on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 794,037 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Nissan Qashqai for the lower price, or the Volkswagen Tiguan for the bigger boot and the better MOT record.
- The Nissan Qashqai is the cheapest to buy new: from £30,635, £8,745 less than the Volkswagen Tiguan.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan has the biggest boot: 652 litres, 148 more than the Nissan Qashqai.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Nissan Qashqai fails its MOT about 49% more often.
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £19 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the steering on a Nissan Qashqai: it fails on them 3.3 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Nissan QashqaiQashqai J12 (2021–), 5-door SUV | Volkswagen TiguanMk3 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £30,635 to £43,225July 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 | 504 litres / 1,447 | 652 litres / 1,650 (best) |
| Length | 4,425mm | 4,539mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,835mm | 1,842mm |
| Height | 1,625mm | 1,658mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 140–205 PS | 130–272 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 7.6–9.5 sec | up to 10.2 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2021) | ★★★★★ (2024) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Petrol | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 40.2–44.9 mpg | 32.8–52.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 142–158 g/km | 9–195 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,327 (44.1 mpg) | £1,346 (43.5 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | – | £1,293 (52.3 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,327 (petrol) | £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 | 88Below average | 131Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 31.4% | 18.2% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.9% (best) | 11.0% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 15.9% | 12.6% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 37.8% | 26.6% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Ball joint (5.2% of tests) | Tread depth (2.6% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Steering (3.3×), Seat belts and airbags (2.1×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 561,521 | 232,516 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family SUV | Family SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,400 | 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 Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan more reliable?
The Volkswagen Tiguan. Like for like on age and mileage, the Nissan Qashqai fails its MOT about 49% more often (reliability scores 131 and 88, where 100 is average). 18.2% of Volkswagen Tiguans and 31.4% of Nissan Qashqais failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
The Volkswagen Tiguan is 114mm longer (4,539mm against 4,425mm). The Volkswagen Tiguan has the bigger boot: 652 litres against 504.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
The Nissan Qashqai: new prices start at £30,635, £8,745 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 Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £19 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Euro NCAP gave the Nissan Qashqai 5 stars (2021) 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 Nissan Qashqai or the Volkswagen Tiguan?
Pick the Nissan Qashqai 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.