Volkswagen Tiguan vs Audi Q3
Figures updated
The Volkswagen Tiguan and Audi Q3 are two of the UK's most popular family SUVs. We compare the Mk3 (2024–) Tiguan and the FJ (2025–) Q3 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 358,635 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The Volkswagen Tiguan comes out ahead, with the bigger boot and lower fuel costs; the Audi Q3 is close on everything else.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan has the biggest boot: 652 litres, 164 more than the Audi Q3.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- The Volkswagen Tiguan is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £356 a year less than the Audi Q3 at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Volkswagen TiguanMk3 (2024–), 5-door SUV | Audi Q3FJ (2025–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £39,380 to £49,885October 2026 price list | – |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 652 litres / 1,650 (best) | 488 litres / 1,386 |
| Length | 4,539mm | 4,531mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,842mm | 1,859mm |
| Height | 1,658mm | 1,588mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 130–272 PS | 150–272 PS |
| 0–62mph | up to 10.2 sec | from 5.7 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2024) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 32.8–52.3 mpg | 32.5–52.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 9–195 g/km | 141–198 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.6p a litre, today's UK average | £1,345 (43.5 mpg) (best) | £1,701 (34.4 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,293 (52.3 mpg) | £1,293 (52.3 mpg) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,293 (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 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 131Well above average | 137Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 18.2% | 16.9% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 11.0% | 8.1% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 12.6% | 10.7% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 26.6% | 24.8% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Tread depth (2.6% of tests) | Coil spring (3.3% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 232,516 | 126,119 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family SUV | Family SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 9,200 | 8,500 |
| On sale | 2024 on | 2025 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 Volkswagen Tiguan or the Audi Q3 more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 131 and 137, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Audi Q3?
They're almost the same length (4,539mm and 4,531mm). The Volkswagen Tiguan has the bigger boot: 652 litres against 488.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Audi Q3?
Comparing petrol versions, the Volkswagen Tiguan costs about £356 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,345 against £1,701), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Audi Q3?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Tiguan 5 stars (2024) and the Audi Q3 5 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Audi Q3?
The Volkswagen Tiguan comes out ahead, with the bigger boot and lower fuel costs; the Audi Q3 is close on everything else. 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.