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2025 Mazda CX-50 ReviewBudget Buy: Mazda CX-5 vs Volkswagen Tiguan
$25,000 is more than enough to buy a lightly used Mazda CX-5 or VW Tiguan so we’re testing to find which one is better for your buck.
On a Budget of $25,000,Two Popular SUVs go Head-to-Head
Volkswagen and Mazda both sit in a pseudo-luxury space that’s known as the ‘premium’ segment. Their small SUV entries, the Tiguan and CX-5 each aim to draw in buyers that want a comfortable and classy form of conveyance without the price tag that comes with luxury SUVs.
Today, we’re going to take a look at how they compare on the used-car market when one has a budget of just $25,000. We’ll take a look at models from 2020 and compare specs, driving characteristics, interior comfort, trims, and features, and then crown one the winner.
Specs
For the 2020 model year, Volkswagen offered the Tiguan with only one engine choice, a 184 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Depending on how it’s configured, the Tiguan gets either front or all-wheel drive. Each uses an eight-speed automatic. Fuel economy numbers stand at 22 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway for the front-wheel drive version. Both figures fall by two in Tiguans with AWD.
When it first went on sale, the Tiguan started at $25,965 but today, buyers can find all SE trim levels under our $25,000 budget. More expensive SEL versions are much harder to find for $25,000 or less and often require a buyer to accept driving a car with very high mileage.
Mazda offered two engines for the CX-5 in 2020. First, there’s a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 187 hp and the buyer’s choice of front or all-wheel drive. Above that is a turbocharged version of the same engine. It develops 250 hp and comes standard with AWD. Both use the same six-speed automatic gearbox.
Despite having fewer gears to optimize fuel efficiency, the CX-5 manages better fuel economy according to the EPA. It’ll get up to 25 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. Add AWD and those numbers drop to 24 and 30 respectively. Go for the turbo engine and you’ll get 22 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. All trim levels of the CX-5 are available under budget and with fewer than 25,000 miles on the odometer.
Driving and Performance
When we reviewed the Tiguan back in 2020 our first thought was “Performance is not breathtaking in the Tiguan.” That’s largely the same conclusion we have today. 184 hp isn’t very much for a vehicle of this heft and it’s even more noticeable in the curves.
Most people won’t be zipping along in a Tiguan in an effort to set a new fastest time from daycare to their workplace. As such it’s best used as a calm everyday commuter akin to more of an appliance than an object intended on evoking emotion or enjoyment. For that, it’s perfect as it’s smooth and inoffensive.
On the complete opposite side of things is the Mazda CX-5 with its sporty suspension characteristics, excellent driver feedback, and powerful available turbocharged engine. That mix is key too because one doesn’t need the turbo to enjoy an above-average driving experience in the CX-5.
It’s sharp and pleasurable from behind the wheel regardless of powertrain or drivetrain. Those who go with the turbocharged version will love it though as it’s downright fast and highly engaging. What’s better is that it manages to complement that power with great braking and good handling.
Comfort and Interior
The Tiguan offers one of the most ergonomically laid-out interiors we’ve seen in this class. No doubt, VW had some help from Audi in that mission and we appreciate the collaboration. It’s a comfortable and quiet SUV with great visibility and a special trick up its sleeve… or in this case towards its cargo area.
Volkswagen struck out on its own with the Tiguan by offering a third row for those who add AWD. It’s a novel feature that we think really elevates the SUV into a space where few of its direct rivals can follow. At the same time, it has its drawbacks.
Those drawbacks become obvious for anyone testing out the second row in these vehicles back to back. The Mazda CX-5 doesn’t offer a third row of any kind so its second-row passengers get more legroom than those in the VW. Aside from that glaring difference, these two cars offer very similar interior dimensions. In fact, we think the styling and design quality across both brands is consistently high-class and well made.
Where the Mazda excels is in terms of the tiny details. The switchgear feels a bit better to use under your fingers. The seats have better bolstering and the infotainment system is faster and more intuitive.
The CX-5 also comes with a full complement of driver aids regardless of trim level which isn’t the case in the Tiguan. Those driver-aids go a long way towards not just increasing safety but also toward making longer drives a little less taxing as well as more comfortable.
Trims and Features
Volkswagen offered five Tiguan trims in 2020. It’s worth noting that as of this writing, neither of the top two trim levels, SEL and SEL Premium R-Line are available in our directory under our budget. Nevertheless, we detail their features below.
Tiguan S – The S comes with 17-inch wheels, LED DRLs, cloth upholstery, a 6.5-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, forward collision mitigation, and blind-spot monitoring.
Tiguan SE – The SE upgrades the infotainment system to an 8-inch unit and adds wireless device charging, heated front seats, automatic climate control, and unique 17-inch wheels.
Tiguan SE R-Line Black – Consider this the first luxury trim for the Tiguan. It gets a panoramic sunroof, fog lights, a black headliner, parking sensors, and 20-inch wheels.
Tiguan SEL – The SEL ups the game even further with a heated steering wheel, special 19-inch wheels, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, a power liftgate, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line – The top trim adds adaptive headlights, a motion-activated power liftgate, leather seats, heated wipers, a Fender audio system, and 20-inch wheels.
The 2020 Mazda CX-5 was available with five trims as well and all are available under our budget and with 25,000 miles or less.
CX-5 Sport – This trim begins the model lineup with 17-inch wheels, a 7-inch infotainment system, cloth upholstery, automatic LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency braking.
CX-5 Touring – Step up to the Touring and you’ll get dual-zone climate control, faux leather upholstery, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, rear privacy glass, and rear HVAC venting.
CX-5 Grand Touring – This trim adds a 10-speaker Bose sound system, a power sunroof, an upgraded driver information display, 19-inch wheels, and a power rear tailgate.
CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve – The turbocharged engine and AWD are both standard at this trim level. It also gets a heads-up display, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.
CX-5 Signature – Atop the range, the Signature gets upgraded leather upholstery, parking sensors, real wood trim, and a 360-degree camera system.
The Verdict
If you’ve been tracking the progress of this competition throughout our article it should come as no surprise that the Mazda runs away with this victory. It has so much going for it that it’s hard to list everything in this small conclusion but we’ll try. It’s better to drive, its top trim levels are all available under budget whereas the Tiguan’s are not.
The Mazda CX-5 also has better safety equipment and better safety scores, its infotainment system is better, and finally, it’s got a reputation for reliability that Volkswagen can only dream of. We’re only speaking in generalities though so be sure to check out our article on what to look for when buying a used car so that the specific example of the CX-5 that you find is of good quality.
