Compare the2025 Infiniti QX50VS 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the QX50 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Infiniti QX50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the QX50. But it costs extra on the Tiguan.

Both the QX50 and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Tiguan’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX50 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Tiguan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Tiguan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The QX50’s 7 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Tiguan runs out after 100,000 miles.

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX50 for 1 year and 2500 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Tiguan (3/22500 vs. 2/20,000).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the QX50 has a standard 720-amp battery. The Tiguan’s 360-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti above average in initial quality. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 48 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Infiniti higher than Volkswagen.

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (268 vs. 201) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 207) than the Tiguan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 67 more horsepower (268 vs. 201) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The QX50 has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tiguan FWD’s standard fuel tank (16 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The QX50 has a tether attaching its gas cap to prevent its loss. The Tiguan’s gas cap isn’t tethered, so it can be left at a gas station if the driver forgets to screw the cap back in.

The QX50 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a CVT.

The QX50’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Tiguan are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the QX50 has larger standard tires than the Tiguan (235/55R19 vs. 215/65R17).

The QX50’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tiguan’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Tiguan.

The QX50 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tiguan doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Tiguan doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the QX50 is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Tiguan.

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Tiguan’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Tiguan (8.6 vs. 7 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Tiguan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The QX50 has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear hip room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tiguan.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the QX50’s rear seats recline. The Tiguan’s rear seats don’t recline.

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Tiguan with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 26.5 cubic feet). The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Tiguan with its rear seat folded (65.1 vs. 58.9 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the QX50. The Tiguan doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 52% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 31st.

The QX50’s standard Infiniti Intelligent Key allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. KESSY Keyless Access standard on the Tiguan doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the QX50 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Tiguan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the QX50 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Tiguan doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Infiniti QX50 Luxe/Sport eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Infiniti QX50, based on reliability, safety and performance.