In terms of pure value, neither is great – that said, the Tucson is quite clearly a better choice in that regard. VW skimped quite a bit on this one even compared to the Mk2 Tiguan (no Matrix LEDs as standard etc).
I do think that the Tiguan is the better looking car by a mile, and i think that the PHEV system in the Tiguan is somewhat nonsensical. I think that it’s too much range. I understand that this sounds weird, and it might be different circumstances for different people, but if we’re taking my personal situation (since that’s the one i can speak to):
I charge at home, wall charger. Everything that needs to be driven to is within 20 miles, be it weekly shopping trip, hospitals etc pp. That means i can go there electric, come back electric, put the car back on charge and have 38ish miles tomorrow again.
Everything past those 20 miles would require me to use roads going 70mph+. Where range drastically implodes. At 70mph+, my best guess is, you’d get maybe 35 miles range. At best (and it’s gonna be way worse at that speed in winter). Which is reasonably pointless for a motorway journey.
So in my case with said Tiguan, i’d never be able to use more than slightly more than half the battery. I drive 40 miles tops and then charge, or i drive 70+. That means they could’ve saved me 100kg+ by installing the older, smaller battery, and make the car more efficient. I understand that these circumstances are coined to me directly, but i don’t think that there’s many people required to drive 72 miles every day – and every day you don’t and charge the car back up in the evening, you wasted money.
At least, my opinion. Our last refuel lasted for almost 1500 miles, at 38 miles avg electric range.
It’s just something to consider and really think about, if the 72 miles really are that much of weight on the scales between them – not saying it’s impossible, but i am saying that it’s a headline grabbing number that might simply not make sense to you or someone else.
I also couldn’t live without Matrix LEDs anymore, amongst other things – so the Tiguan would command a considerable premium over the Tucson, without really justifying it.
Just as a 2 cents, i haven’t driven either of course (i did drive the older Tucson as well as Tiguan, but not either of the new ones).
Prior: SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux 1.5 TSI DSG MY19, VW Golf GTE PHEV DSG MY23
Current: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Ultimate
Next: we'll see what's available in 2028.