Volkswagen Tiguan vs Nissan Xterra 03/31/2011
Drivers don't necessarily have to break the bank in order to purchase an SUV, as there are plenty of options available for less than $25,000. We pitted two of those choices, the Volkswagen Tiguan and Nissan Xterra, up against each other to see which one offered drivers the better value.
The Xterra is the more expensive of the two vehicles, with a starting price tag of $24,260 compared to the Tiguan's $23,720 sticker. Both models come with 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranties.
Under the hood, the Xterra greatly benefits from its V6 engine, while the Tiguan only comes with a four-cylinder on the base model. That means the Xterra can produce 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque, while the Tiguan can only muster 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque.
Neither SUV offers much to write home about when it comes to the interior. The Tiguan has Bluetooth connectivity standard, but all other features on both models require upgrading to a more expensive trim level.
In the end, we give the edge to the Xterra, as an extra $500 to upgrade to a V6 engine is a pretty good deal.