Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · 6 model years, 2018 to 2026

Volkswagen Tiguan vs Honda CR-V: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the CR-V looks better on 3 and the Tiguan on 2, with 2 too close to call.

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

1,054 complaints · 24 recalls

Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V

4,323 complaints · 13 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2018 to 2026TiguanCR-V
Complaints that report a crash2.0%2.9%
Complaints that report a fire0.6%0.3%
Complaints that report an injury2.2%2.4%
Median miles when problems are reported12,00021,000
Recall campaigns per model year4.02.2
Do-not-drive recalls10
NHTSA investigations23

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system Tiguan owners complain about most is engine; for the CR-V it is collision avoidance. Complaints citing engine make up 31% of all Tiguan complaints, against 17% on the CR-V. The CR-V leans the other way on steering: 19% of its complaints, against 4.0% for the Tiguan.

Volkswagen TiguanHonda CR-V

Engine31%17%
Electrical22%13%
Collision avoidance9.8%21%
Steering4.0%19%
Fuel and propulsion9.3%14%
Transmission and drivetrain12%3.4%
Brakes6.5%8.4%
Structure7.5%1.6%
Fuel system0.1%8.4%
Speed control5.6%2.5%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the Tiguan is stalling (12% of its complaints). On the CR-V it is phantom braking (13% of its complaints), against 2.8% on the Tiguan.

ProblemTiguanCR-V
Engine stalls or loses power while driving12% 125most in 2022 · 10k mi9.1% 392most in 2018 · 30k mi
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)2.8% 2910k mi13% 558most in 2018 · 20k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early6.8% 728k mi8.8% 380most in 2018 · 14k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails11% 111most in 2022 · 20k mi4.7% 205most in 2018 · 10k mi
Check engine light or misfire7.5% 79most in 2022 · 36k mi5.3% 228most in 2018 · 61k mi
Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks012% 524most in 2018 · 47k mi
Burns oil or oil level rises7.5% 79most in 2022 · 30k mi3.7% 159most in 2018 · 6k mi
Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out2.9% 315.0% 215most in 2018 · 31k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Tiguan owners report problems earlier. Half the Tiguan complaints that give a mileage come before 12,000 miles; for the CR-V the halfway point is 21,000. 80% of Tiguan reports and 75% of CR-V reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Volkswagen TiguanHonda CR-V

Under 25k63%53%
25k to 50k16%21%
50k to 75k13%13%
75k to 100k4.0%6.4%
100k to 150k2.6%4.7%
Over 150k0.3%0.8%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 346 for the Tiguan and 1,655 for the CR-V.

Worst and best years

The 2022 Tiguan draws 2.7 times the complaints of a typical Tiguan year for its age. The 2018 CR-V draws 4.3 times the complaints of a typical CR-V year for its age.

Volkswagen Tiguan

  • Years to avoid: 2018 and 2022
  • Best years: 2016 and 2017

Every Tiguan model year

Honda CR-V

Every CR-V model year

Volkswagen TiguanHonda CR-V

Each model year against its own model's median. Tiguan: 2018 1.6, 2019 1.2, 2020 1.0, 2021 1.2, 2022 2.7, 2023 0.8, 2024 1.1. CR-V: 2018 4.3, 2019 2.5, 2020 0.9, 2021 1.0, 2022 0.9, 2023 2.3, 2024 2.4.2018 Tiguan: 1.6 times its median2018 CR-V: 4.3 times its median'182019 Tiguan: 1.2 times its median2019 CR-V: 2.5 times its median'192020 Tiguan: 1.0 times its median2020 CR-V: 0.9 times its median'202021 Tiguan: 1.2 times its median2021 CR-V: 1.0 times its median'212022 Tiguan: 2.7 times its median2022 CR-V: 0.9 times its median'222023 Tiguan: 0.8 times its median2023 CR-V: 2.3 times its median'232024 Tiguan: 1.1 times its median2024 CR-V: 2.4 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The Tiguan draws more recalls: 4.0 campaigns per model year against 2.2 for the CR-V. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Volkswagen Tiguan

24 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: suspension (4), backup camera (3) and seat belts (2).

  • Do not drive 18V-324 (suspension), model years 2018
  • 22V-226 (structure) covers 5 model years
  • 18V-824 (electrical) covers 2 model years

Investigations

  • EA18005: Seat belt webbing failure (closed, led to a recall)
  • PE18001: Seat belt webbing failure (closed)

Honda CR-V

13 recall campaigns and 3 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (4), airbags (3) and seat belts (2).

  • 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 5 model years
  • 26V-332 (airbags) covers 5 model years

Investigations

  • EA24002: Inadvertent automatic emergency braking (open)
  • PE22011: Rear differential seizure (closed)
  • PE22003: Inadvertent automatic emergency braking (closed)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

A larger share of CR-V complaints report a crash: 2.9%, against 2.0% for the Tiguan. Fire reports: 6 for the Tiguan and 12 for the CR-V. Complaints on file report 0 deaths in the Tiguan and 1 in the CR-V for these model years.

Volkswagen TiguanHonda CR-V

Report a crash2.0%2.9%
Report a fire0.6%0.3%
Report someone hurt2.2%2.4%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Honda CR-V more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the CR-V looks better on 3 and the Tiguan on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Tiguan has 1,054 complaints and the CR-V 4,323 for the 6 model years from 2018 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the Tiguan or the CR-V?

The Tiguan has 24 recall campaigns and the CR-V 13 across the 6 model years from 2018 to 2026 that both have on file. The Tiguan draws more recalls: 4.0 campaigns per model year against 2.2 for the CR-V.

What are the most common problems on the Tiguan and the CR-V?

The most reported problem on the Tiguan is stalling (12% of its complaints). On the CR-V it is phantom braking (13% of its complaints), against 2.8% on the Tiguan.

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