Ford Kuga vs Volkswagen Tiguan: which is the better used buy?

Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 0.1 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.

83.4% of Ford Kugas pass their MOT first time (32,869 tests in DVSA's records) and 83.7% of Volkswagen Tiguans pass their MOT first time (26,428 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Ford Kuga's age average 81.2% and cars of the Volkswagen Tiguan's age 81.6% — so the Ford Kuga runs 2.2 points better than its age group and the Volkswagen Tiguan runs 2.1 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Ford Kuga: 2019–2020 Mk3 PHEVs are covered by DVSA recalls R/2020/224 (the high-voltage battery pack can overheat and vent hot gas, which can ignite vehicle components; built 1 July 2019 to 7 September 2020) and R/2020/317 (particle contamination can short-circuit battery cells; the remedy is a replacement battery pack; built January to September 2020). Check the registration before buying any 2019–2020 PHEV. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Volkswagen Tiguan: Early Mk2 with the 1.4 TSI and DQ200 dry-clutch DSG followed the same failure pattern as the Passat B8: mechatronic failure around 70,000–85,000 miles at £1,500–£2,500, as reported by owners. How often it happens is not known. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2016, 2017 and 2018 registrations above all cars registered those years, so they are not named as years to avoid. Judge a Tiguan by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year.

On fuel it depends on the engine, and for a plug-in or electric version on whether you can charge at home. Ford Kuga: PHEV: 35–42 miles of official electric range depending on model year and wheel size; real UK use gives less than that, and less again in winter. Once the battery is flat it drives as an ordinary hybrid at roughly 39–49 mpg, so the economy you get depends almost entirely on whether you can charge at home. FHEV (non-plug-in): 40–47 mpg real-world UK mixed. Volkswagen Tiguan: 2.0 TDI 150: 40–47 mpg real-world. 1.5 TSI petrol: 31–38 mpg. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Ford Kuga or Volkswagen Tiguan registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.