Often, these are the most versatile cars for many buyers: powerful enough for the highway, spacious enough in the cabin, with good equipment and good comfort. Still, which one is the best and why? Let's find out!
Five cars for comparison
The idea for this comparison guide was born as a response to the debut of the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan crossover and the updated Hyundai Tucson. Of course, the Nissan X-Trail should be added to the list - as the winner of the previous comparison guide; plus, a new version of the car has been released. But who else should we add? Perhaps the new generation SKODA Kodiaq? However, we do not yet have a full review and, accordingly, a full understanding of this car. Perhaps the Honda CR-V crossover, which has already been mentioned in the comments? No doubt, the car turned out to be quite successful; however, it has already been in the comparison guide and the result is known. Perhaps we should add the Mazda CX-60 crossover, but the situation with it is the same as with the Honda representative. What if we added the Mazda CX-5 crossover as a popular favorite? And the Toyota RAV4 along with it; don't you agree? Even though these cars are frankly old, they are still popular in the market and have not lost their advantages! At the same time, there is a chance that their price tags will be lower compared to ambitious newcomers - respectively, they will win by the cost of one point. Or not? So, five cars...
Hyundai Tucson - approximate price $27-49 thousand(Test drive and review from Mezha)
Mazda CX-5 - approximate price $30-46 thousand(Test drive and review from Mezha)
Nissan X-Trail - approximate price $33-52 thousand(Test drive and review from Mezha)
Toyota RAV4 - approximate price $36.5-49 thousand(test drive and review from Mezha)
Volkswagen Tiguan - approximate price $40-45 thousand(Test drive and review from Mezha)
Here are five cars for comparison: all cost in the range of $30-40-50 thousand, all offer front or all-wheel drive, all boast maximum versions with a power of about 200 hp, although this power can be obtained in different ways - hybrid, turbodiesel, gasoline atmospheric engine. This is even better, it will be even more interesting!
Car prices are as of the beginning of 2025. Prices are for all versions of a particular vehicle, from the most affordable to the most expensive. The prices are approximate and are quoted in foreign currency due to possible strong exchange rate fluctuations, but the price points are outlined. The cars are judged in several key categories with points assigned from 1 to 5. Additionally, a photo of the car that wins a particular block will be shown and a brief explanation will be provided for each point.
Package contents and price of the car
In each of these crossovers, even in the basic configuration, you can get a sufficient list of equipment: a bunch of airbags, a stabilization system, climate control, LED headlights, alloy wheels, etc. But who can offer more? For example, the Nissan X-Trail offers a 5- or 7-seat interior, three-zone climate control, and heating for everything, even in the basic version; and in the maximum versions, you can find matrix headlights, a panoramic roof, a projection display; there is also a choice of engines and drive type. The updated Hyundai Tucson is inferior in a few equipment items, but it offers a very wide range of engines and transmissions. I think we can put an equal sign between these cars. The Volkswagen Tiguan is very close to them - it has only two versions that differ significantly both technically and in terms of equipment. However, this level is very high: three-zone climate control and 10-color background lighting are immediately present, and in the maximum configuration you can get massage seats, premium audio, heated steering wheel and all seats. It's already clear who's in the race - Mazda and Toyota. But don't be in a hurry to turn away from them: both can offer a digital instrument cluster, and in the maximum configurations you can find premium sound and heated rear seats. The Mazda CX-5 crossover offers a pair of gasoline atmospheric engines, but successfully combines them with front-wheel/all-wheel drive and various configurations. The Toyota RAV4 crossover is currently available only with a 2.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid (more expensive, but an efficient and powerful engine); you can also choose the type of drive and one of several packages.
In general:
Hyundai Tucson – 5 (a very wide range of engines and configurations)
Nissan X-Trail – 5 (many different versions, you can choose a 5- or 7-seater cabin)
Volkswagen Tiguan – 4 (only two car options, but very successful ones)
Mazda CX-5 – 3 (a wide range of versions, albeit without super equipment)
Toyota RAV4 – 3 (a wide range of configurations and +1 point for a hybrid always)
Two cars deserve maximum marks at once, but I'll give the photo of the Hyundai Tucson - for the fact that it offers a surprisingly wide range of engines and the most affordable price. Of course, all the advantages come with the choice of more expensive car trims - and, after all, the Hyundai Tucson crossover is priced on par with its competitors. But if you have a limited budget, it turns out that Hyundai Tucson can fit into it, while other cars cannot.
Interior, interior space, trunk size
Each of these cars offers a wheelbase of about 2.7 meters and a fairly spacious interior, as well as a voluminous trunk. At this point, only the Mazda CX-5 with a trunk of 438 liters is significantly inferior, but these are the nuances of measurements and look at the trunk in reality - is it really not enough? Plus, ventilation deflectors, backrest angle adjustment, and seat heating are provided for rear passengers. The Toyota RAV4 crossover also has a similar list; however, heated rear seats appear only in the maximum expensive configurations, but the trunk is larger - and this is in any configuration. So, give or take an equal sign between the two cars. The Hyundai Tucson crossover can offer more amenities for the driver and passengers: ventilation in the front, separate climate control and blinds on the rear windows. However, the Volkswagen Tiguan and Nissan X-Trail have even more to offer: huge ranges of seat adjustments (front and rear), heated steering wheel and all seats, and advanced climate control, plus very large trunks. By the way, it looks like the trunk of the Nissan X-Trail is inferior to that of the Volkswagen Tiguan; however, these are only features of the 7-seater test car. If you take the 5-seater version of the Nissan X-Trail, the trunk will be larger and more convenient, because movable shelves are added.
In general:
Volkswagen Tiguan – 5 (wheelbase 2.7 meters, trunk 652 liters)
Nissan X-Trail – 5 (wheelbase 2.705 meters, trunk 485 liters)
Hyundai Tucson – 4 (wheelbase 2.68 meters, trunk 616 liters)
Toyota RAV4 – 3 (wheelbase 2.69 meters, trunk 580 liters)
Mazda CX-5 – 3 (wheelbase 2.7 meters, trunk 438 liters)
Again, two cars with the maximum rating; and the choice between them is very simple: if a 5-seater interior is enough, then Volkswagen Tiguanis better ; if you need a 7-seater interior, then NissanX-Trail. In any case, you can't go wrong when choosing between this pair in terms of interior comfort.
Road behavior, comfort and handling
Here we would like to mention the Mazda CX-5 for its emotional character, desire to turn, cool engine sound, composed suspension, and mutual understanding with the driver. But the truth is that the Mazda CX-5 crossover loses in terms of dynamics to other competitors on this list; and the test car was already equipped with the most powerful engine. A couple of Volkswagen Tiguan and Hyundai Tucson are more restrained, but they do everything right: they turn easily, absorb bumps well, and "leave" from eight seconds; in general, they have very good and pleasant driving characteristics. The Nissan X-Trail crossover cannot boast of suspension tuning, but it can definitely boast of dynamics! Yes, yes, this statement is true for the e-POWER e-4ORCE variant, but it is a fact: the best acceleration to "hundreds" and at the same time maximum smoothness in the reactions and operation of the power unit. By the way, the Toyota RAV4 crossover can also boast of the latter points - I have always noted the successful tuning of the Toyota hybrid system. In addition, I have always noted the excellent energy-intensive suspension of the Toyota RAV4: it is not about sport and handling (even in the case of the Toyota RAV4 GR Sport), but rather about comfort and pleasant elasticity even on very rough roads.
In general:
Volkswagen Tiguan – 4 (easy handling, good comfort, sufficient dynamics)
Hyundai Tucson – 4 (easy handling, good comfort, sufficient dynamics)
Mazda CX-5 – 3 (an interesting car for the driver who needs better dynamics)
Nissan X-Trail – 3 (average suspension, but record dynamics in this class)
Toyota RAV4 – 2 (average dynamics and handling, but +1 point for the miracle suspension)
If the Volkswagen TiguanR-Line with a 265-horsepower turbo petrol enginecomes to Ukraine, it will have every chance to become a record holder in terms of dynamics and get +1 additional point, which will lead it to absolute class leadership; but even now it is one of the best cars in its segment.
All-wheel drive, off-road capabilities
At first glance, everything looks similar: each of the crossovers has a version with front or all-wheel drive, the latter also offering additional off-road driving modes. None of the cars has a frame or a lowering row. We can mention special versions of the Toyota RAV4 Adventure and Nissan X-Trail N-Trek, but in fact, they do not have any specific preparation for overcoming difficult off-road conditions. That's why it seems that, at first glance, everything looks similar. But at a second glance, let's pay attention to the ground clearance and the cost of the version with all-wheel drive. Let me hint: for the Nissan X-Trail, this should be the e-POWER e-4ORCE variant; the Toyota RAV4 crossover gets all-wheel drive in the second configuration; and the Volkswagen Tiguan - in the maximum. That is, it ends up being quite expensive. In contrast, Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 offer all-wheel drive even with basic 2-liter engines. So...
In general:
Mazda CX-5 – 5 (all-wheel drive in the $33 thousand version, ground clearance of about 19 cm)
Hyundai Tucson – 4 (all-wheel drive in the $31 thousand version, ground clearance of about 17 cm)
Toyota RAV4 – 3 (all-wheel drive in the version for $42 thousand, ground clearance of about 20 cm)
Nissan X-Trail – 2 (all-wheel drive in the version for $44 thousand, ground clearance of about 19-20 cm)
Volkswagen Tiguan – 1 (all-wheel drive in the $45 thousand version, ground clearance of about 17 cm)
Are you surprised? I'm surprised myself! If you need all-wheel drive to drive confidently out of snow and mud, without any other off-road desires, then Mazda and Hyundai are the most affordable options; and the Mazda 's minimal advantage is provided by a similar minimal advantage in ground clearance.
Fuel consumption, warranty, liquidity
Each of these cars is a real monster in terms of liquidity compared to most models on the market: well-known brands, excellent reputation, many dealers. But if we compare them within the top five, who is the best? Certainly not the Mazda CX-5: it lacks an economical engine (hybrid or diesel) and extended warranty terms - today, three years or 100 thousand kilometers are already considered the norm. For example, the Nissan X-Trail crossover offers a similar standard warranty, but an additional 5-year warranty on the electrical components of the powertrain; and the e-POWER options are quite economical. The Hyundai Tucson can also offer an extended 4- or 5-year warranty and several fuel-efficient engine options - hybrid or turbodiesel. As for the Volkswagen Tiguan, it is the diesel engine that is its major advantage: it proves to be quite economical not only in the city but also on the highway, where hybrids cannot always compete with it in terms of efficiency. However, the warranty is only two years, although there is no mileage limit. Finally, there's the Toyota RAV4 crossover: it offers a fairly fuel-efficient hybrid (although there are already more economical competitors), as well as a standard 3-year warranty, but with an additional extended warranty program of up to 10 years.
In general:
Toyota RAV4 – 4 (economical hybrid, possibility of warranty extension)
Hyundai Tucson – 3 (the model range includes economical engines, good warranty conditions)
Nissan X-Trail – 3 (the model range includes economical engines, good warranty conditions)
Volkswagen Tiguan – 3 (very economical turbo diesel, limited warranty)
Mazda CX-5 – 1 (standard warranty and no hybrid or diesel)
Once again, Toyota wins this competition, but not with the highest score, as there are already more fuel-efficient cars available today. However, it is unlikely that an extra liter of fuel will have much impact on a buyer who wants to maximize liquidity.
Conclusion and afterword
We summarize the results in two categories at once. The "absolute" score is the best result in terms of points without taking into account the price, it is the best car in this comparison, period. The "bargain" score is the ratio between the price and the number of points scored, and it is the most logically correct option for purchase.
The "absolute" score:
Hyundai Tucson – 20 points
Nissan X-Trail – 18 points
Volkswagen Tiguan – 17 points
Toyota RAV4 – 15 points
Mazda CX-5 – 15 points
"Bargain purchase" score:
Hyundai Tucson – price $1.35-2.45 thousand per 1 point
Nissan X-Trail – price $1.8-2.9 thousand per 1 point
Volkswagen Tiguan – price $2.35-2.65 thousand per 1 point
Mazda CX-5 – price $2-3.1 thousand per 1 point
Toyota RAV4 – price $2.4-3.3 thousand per 1 point
Congratulations to the Hyundai Tucson on its victory, both in absolute terms and in terms of value per point. It's simple: it has a lot to appeal in the top-end versions; but it also has simpler, yet more affordable versions to offer. The Nissan X-Trail crossover deservedly stays in the top group. I admit that I am not a fan of the current Nissan X-Trail, but these comparison guides show how many advantages the car has if you choose it in terms of rationality and practicality - a very strong position in the market! The new Volkswagen Tiguan is in the middle of our list, but it has every chance of becoming a class leader - it is a surprisingly pleasant and capable car. In addition, note the price tag: now the Volkswagen Tiguan is sold at a price plus or minus within the class, which is quite an achievement for the Germans. Finally, the elderly Japanese crossovers, the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4, were expected to be among the catch-ups. And the offsetting of the cost of one point tells us that the price cannot be the reason - it seems to be all about people's love and years of well-deserved popularity.