Compare the2025 Volkswagen TiguanVS 2026 Honda Passport

The Tiguan has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Passport doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Tiguan has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Passport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To deliver safety and visibility under dusty conditions the Volkswagen Tiguan’s backup monitor has a standard rear washer to keep the view clear. A camera washer system is only offered on some models of the Honda Passport.

Both the Tiguan and Passport have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Tiguan has Rear Traffic Alert (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Passport’s Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Tiguan and the Passport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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 Tiguan comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Passport’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Tiguan’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Passport’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tiguan for 1 year and 8000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the Passport (2/20,000 vs. 1/12000).

The Volkswagen Tiguan’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Passport’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Tiguan’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Passport’s camshafts. If the Passport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

On the EPA test cycle the Tiguan gets better mileage than the Passport:

Regenerative brakes improve the Tiguan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Passport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Tiguan’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Passport’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tiguan offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Passport’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Tiguan has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Passport’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Tiguan has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Passport doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Tiguan’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Passport’s (38.1 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Volkswagen Tiguan may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 pounds less than the Honda Passport.

The Tiguan is 7.1 inches shorter than the Passport, making the Tiguan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Tiguan is 6.4 inches narrower than the Passport, making the Tiguan easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Tiguan is 7 inches shorter in height than the Passport, making the Tiguan much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The Tiguan uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Passport uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Tiguan R-Line has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Passport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the Tiguan and the Passport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tiguan is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Passport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Tiguan the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Passport can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tiguan’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Passport’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Tiguan to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Passport doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Tiguan SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Passport doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Tiguan also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Tiguan SEL has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Passport.

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Passport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Tiguan is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Passport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen Tiguan outsold the Honda Passport by almost three to one during 2024.