Planning to upgrade my car to C-segment compact mid size SUV, budget about 150k and looking for new car only. Not interested with used car nor those way above the budget...

Any comments or review on the following few cars? If happened to have few SUVs, the comparison will be even better. Thanks

1. Mazda CX5 2.5 GLS
2. Honda CRV 1.5TP
3. Volkwagen Tiguan 1.4HL
4. Hyundai 1.6 Turbo

my comments after test drove few models:

1) Mazda CX5 - small interior / space
2) Honda CRV - quite spacious
3) Volkswagen Tiguan - not being bias, but the best so far
4) Hyundai 1.6 Turbo - no info
5) Peugeot 3008 - small interior / space but very futuristic inside

all in all, i prefer and recommend Volkswagen Tiguan for its simple design, but very spacious inside and the handling no doubt - a VW

just my two cents

I had the same dilemma last month and in the end I went with the VW Tiguan due to the handling comparing CRV and CX5. Space was ample, build was solid and the handling wins all. Despite all the preceptions that my friends were given me, I went with the VW.

Although i opted cx5, i personally think Tiguan is the best here. It feels solid, powerful enough for daily usage, adequate amount of space for mid size family, drives well and quite well equipped (for HL).

Cx5 2.5 on the other hand comes with the exact same spec as 2.0 gls except more powerful engine and bigger wheels which i personally think not worth the price difference.

This is why i ended up with the 2.2d for just a few grands more than the 2.5 which is at least equipped with better safety features and diesel engine (personal preferences).

For crv, its a honda so space won't be an issue. What i didn't like about it when i test drove the car was it wasn't really stable at high speeds and corners (Tiguan wins here). NVH is also worse than cx5 and still far behind the Tiguan.

I went for Mazda CX-5 after test drive all of the above. Peugeot is my top choice if weren't for their infamous reliability and service quality.

The Subaru Forester is better than the above listed SUVs and is cheaper too. I think you can get one for RM120k at the moment.

as long you are fine with the 120,000km / 5th year service cost of having to change the DSG fluids, timing belt and v-belt/tensioner, then it's a pretty sweet choice.

https://www.volkswagen.com.my/my-vw/service...pricing-guide-1

wow..so preaking expensive for Tiquan maintainenance

CX5 for handling but poor space. Can be noisy on highway
CRV for space but poor handling. But should be the most comfy here. If you change the rims to smaller ones, perfect town ride quality
Tiguan for highway cruising but poor long term maintenance. Engine needs more love than others, consumes oil.
Hyundai 1.6 Turbo....... No comment. Dont know the car.

Cx5 diesel is wolf in sheep's skin

The engine is amazing on highway overtaking , like nothing to accelerate away

actually I find the new CX-5 to have better road noise insulation than the CR-V, although the CR-V should ride more comfortably.

Yeah agree on this, i owned few month VWTiguan highline & 4yrs old CX5 2.0cc. & Honda city, civic. i can sure CX5 can beat any japanese car in similar category.
advance features & interior was awesome. until now 4 yrs, my CX5 inner sound still like new. only suspension minor knock sound ? got 5 yrs warranty on it.
And VW personally cannot compare this, win all. inner interior & advances feature is best among here. but is continental car ! just few months old not dare to say anything yet.
still 5 yrs warranty on it. cross fingers.

I've tested 1,2,3 and Subaru Forester. The views shared by the other forumers are valid but to really answer your question, I think it depends on what stage in life are you using the car i.e. whether to fit a family comfortably or just a SUV mainly for front passengers.
If it's for a family, factors like boot size, rear ac vents, legroom will matter more. Otherwise things like drive and performance may come into play more.

The other decision that will really help you zoom in is on whether you plan to take advantage of the GST free period to upgrade. If the answer is yes, your choices are limited because 2 and 3 are sold out. For 1 and 4, they will absorb SST if you book in August. I'm not sure about the availability of Forester now but Forester has a lower price point even with SST and it's well speced.

Maybe check the Audi Q3 or Q5 if you into the VW. Same car with Audi badge.

VW Tiguan 1.4cc turbo. very powerfull can overtake car 2-3 seconds np. and park assist fun to play. interior more luxury than any japanese car here. sweet to drive if u got extra pocket $$ on maintenances. still better maintenances than BMW & Merz. is more like Lexus NX if compare.

If family use & less maintenances car, i suggest Estima ACR50. i also using it daily 7 yrs old now, very low maintenances only changed suspension, HID bulbs & Alternator after 7yrs heavily use.

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions.. I'm looking a SUV for family oriented and not necessary must get it this year, could be 2019 as well.

Audi Q3, the cheapest variant all out of stock i think and is really small size, maybe cx3 or hrv type.. The new model Q3 should be way above my budget...

Hearsay Tucson will have facelift by Nov 2018, but it seems like not many have experience on it? Kinda not popular against others... Honda, except the honda sensing and space, i dont really like its exterior design, but maintenance could be cheaper...

For tiguan, would dsg burn more fuel despite just 1.4 if compared cx5 2.0??? if take diesel cx5, anythg to take note if compared to petrol??? Tiguan vot nice cockpit and pricier among all, not sure if its 1.4 engine power enuf..

Estima too pricey and dont want used car to avoid issues...

Thats pricey!!

This post has been edited by Ekash: Jul 31 2018, 08:15 PM

For cx5 diesel, the only thing you need to make sure is the availability of euro 5 diesel at your place. Kl / Selangor shouldn't be a problem. Not sure about other states / rural areas though.

I was once worried if diesel caused problems if being in the traffic for too long but my sa told me it shouldn't be a problem. The engine is also able to clean itself as long as you occasionally go long distance.

Ive driven mine for more than a month, im truly satisfied with it even its still too early to tell.

the new kia sportage. 3 of my friends who is still single driving it. no issue so far (very reliable one). but this is according to them la. ayam not own sportage. ayam can only afford brv only

Diesel engine need cleaning??? But should cheaper in fuel but higher on road tax... Just worry gov impose rules on diesel cos less environmental friendly

Kia so not popular in msia but u got 3 ady... Soon u cn get big car

Test drive both cx-5 and tiguan, I ended up choosing cx-5
FC about the same for the tiguan and cx-5 2.0 (tiguan may consume more if u only use around town area due to turbocharged engine)
For the diesel cx-5, maintenance cost is higher than the petrol plus not all places hv euro 5 diesel and also if RV is important to u wouldn't recommend u to take the diesel variant..
Tiguan 1.4tsi engine is NOT UNDERPOWERED and in fact i found it more powerful than the one in cr-v (at town speed)

Both are great car (at this price range), just depends on wat u need and u wouldn't regret ur decision...

If you have the patience and the money then I suggest you wait for the new Q3 - just check the vids on that SUV, looks dope

else, just go for the CX-5, which should be the preferred choice

mind sharing ur reasons of choosing cx5 over tiguan are? I heard tiguan got bigger space than crv, but it look smaller from outside... Hrv got better safety feature..

As a pioneer batch Tiguan 1.4HL owner, after 1 year, my pick will still be the same if given 2nd chance. The handling & dynamic of MQB platform is among the best and FC is way better than my CVT slyphy and on par with my ex god car Vios.

Consider the 2.5 roadtax RM870 x 5 yrs wud be RM4350. Yet 1.4 Tiguan only cost me RM350 for 5yrs. So I have already safe 4K after 5 yrs which is still much more than the service fee of 3.2k.

Comparing to my brother’s 2.0gls, My Tiguan pick up is way better. Comparing to 2.5 not sure. If u gonna buy for ur wife then CRV or CX5, if u gonna use it most of the time, u will definitely looking forward to ur awesome drive day in day out with Tiguan. Interior design is boring but good enuf and will do well with age. Space is no doubt more than adequate in one of the shortest among all.

Exterior design definitely lose out yo crv and cx5 but who care, it’s stil a conti I m driving....I would nv go back to sushi or kimchi car unless it’s for my wife or for RV sake.

But Rember it’s stil VW, I still heard of a few unfortunate new owners end up in SC.

Crv is the largest in its class, tiguan is a little smaller than crv but way larger than the cx5.
Safety features tiguan may lose out on both of the japanese car maker but u get better overall ride quality (You gain some, you lose some)
The tiguan may handle better thn the cx-5 but long term reliability and high maintenance cost are the deal breaker...
Space isn't a big issue for me plus im more on the ride experience thn practicality side so ended up choosing the cx-5 as it fulfill my needs the most...

Hope it does help u choose ur nxt car

Wow, nvr heard of the new tiguan hv problems until u posted...

Ooh really? what the issue with Tiguan? I heard Tiguan not so suitable in jam area because of it gearbox...

Nice bro, u made uself a good choice.. tiguan or cx5, should be ok.. but tiguan maintenance should be higher, year 4 and 8...
I'm wondering diesel cx5 too, scare other issues pulak against petrol...

There is no such issue of gearbox in when caught in jam. Tiguan uses the 6 speed DSG wet clutch which doesnt has the overheating issue faced in those using the dry clutch.

The old model Tucson 2.0 my friend bought 1yr + surrender coz on & off visit service center. changed to Toyota Prado. And Tiguan 1.4cc quite impress on fuel save. Full tank can hit 600-700km town use. SA claimed highway can reach 800-900km ? i couldn't confirm coz not traveling yet. and the power sure pass my CX5 2.0 coz turbo i guess. is like diving 2.4cc car. new Tiguan DSG changed to Wet Clutch more reliable than previous model which many ppl complaint problem. And Estima i bought both also recond car ACR30 & ACR50 which im using daily. and i can assure u that less maintenance than other car, maybe im lucky lol.

for ur info, mazda maintenances part not cheap also, Honda & Toyota more cheaper. my friend opening spare parts business explain to me said, Mazda parts still direct import form Japan. not like other got local dealer supply here. Mazda given 5 yrs free warranty after that god bless us. And diesel car my friend drive land cruiser. He did some modification on his car engine filter & his car can use both Euro5 & normal diesel, so far 6yrs no problem to him. And cost few hundred only.

What your friend didn't fully clarify is because all those so called "cheap" toyota/honda parts are replica thailand/taiwan/china parts. QC is questionable and luck based. If original, the pricing are comparable; just that toyota/honda parts slightly cheaper due to bulk demand.

I once had the same side wheel bearing changed 3 times within 5 years, while the original factory unit lasted 7 years. In the end, the cost of 3 "cheap" parts still ended up more expensive then getting the original parts from the beginning.

its 1.4 turbo is like hyundai 2.0 only... way lower than hyundai 1.6... sad to hear many bad news on hyundai...
but vw maintenance fee not cheap, looking at year 4 and 8 maintenance nearly triple than others i think.. since i stay in jam area, i thought its turbo will cause more fuel burning...

Yeah true & agree, normally my friend will ask me want Ori or OEM or Replica. And sometimes my friend suggested not to use Ori parts. like brake pad & Absorber coz third party brand better quality ?

Maintenances wise VW sure expensive than Japanese car. Depend on what type ppl u r, some ppl change car like change shirts. so no worries on this issue, before warranty end he already sell.

if like this then RV will play an important role in such case, unless the person is just too much cash to not bother how much cash he can get back if he sells the car under 5 years or less
not so sure about VW Tiguan RV...

I vote for
Honda CRV for its space, practicality and peace of mind
Peugeot 3008 for its look
new proton for it price value and spec

the rest...not interested

In Taiwan, there was some serious issue with Mazda diesel engine, oil pump failure caused by timing chain / sprocket, no oil flushed up to combustion chamber => engine failure.

Appear to occur after 100k km mileage. Beware ya

https://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=276&t=5472726&p=8

You buy third party/aftermarket parts if you know what you are doing. If not, just stick to original parts for critical components, especially the brakes and suspension as those keep your car steady on the move and on the stop!

Thanks yaaa

Can consider Nissan Qashqai. With a 2.0L turbocharged engine. Cheap servicing and spare parts. Low petrol consumption. Downside is the ride not as smooth and comfy as continental cars.

We got that in Nissan Malaysia...

My cousin's buddy got the push starter malfunctioning on his 2nd week of ownership and SC have problem rectifying it. Touch wood mine still kicking well ... So far not heard of any DSG problem.

Wow, then pity ur cousin.. Service once a year only???

Yup once a year servicing

Yeah, thx. normally i choose those foreman recommended only. And all my car go in 1 workshop so he wont simply give wrong info to me.

Yes. i got 1 particular friend do like this, he got little wealth. all his car not too expensive coz he dun want show off too much to ppl afraid rob him i guess. so all his car VW Jetta, Honda CRV, Civic. after warranty end he will sell out & get another new car.

Unlucky sometimes, me too so far all goes smooth 2nd months now. just the tyre need to do balancing. and ill just sent to tyre shop will settle better than appointment with VW SC take time coz not too expensive although its free there.

Tiguan 2018 now using DSG wet clutch. should be no problem now. the problem was those using Dry clutch like Passat CC, Golf.

A classic problem of using a diesel vehicle on a city setting.

The TS's sump got filed up with diesel as very likely he/she turned off the engine during the DPF active regeneration phase. If the diesel engine wasn't driven for long enough distance or too much start/stop traffic condition where the engine can't reach an optimum combustion temperature, the DPF active regeneration phase will get activated to clear off the soot inside it by a combination of VVT and post combustion injection to flame off the contents in it.

So, he/she didn't realise the engine in active regeneration mode quite often and turned off the engine. So, the excess diesel will flow back into the oil sump (all diesel engined cars are designed like this). It slowly builds up while the owner didn't realise till it was too late. The lubrication ability of the engine oil got compromised too much and ended up with bore scuffing (signs of bad lubrication), and other related parts that require proper lubrication.

In malaysia context, pretty much all diesel engined cars sold here have their DPF removed, except for the skyactiv mazda. So, for skyactiv diesel owners out there (or those that drives grey import diesel cars that didn't have their DPF removed), if your daily commute daily is short or involve a lot of start/stop traffic, please go for a highway blast at least once a week for about 20 minutes to clear your DPF. For the rest, you're pretty safe.

I saw in paultan page saying this car a bit throttle lag when the car just move / or at jam area... true??

I suggest you test drive the Tiguan and all other SUVs in your list to experience the drives yourself. All cars will have different power curves where it performs optimally. E.g. Tiguan turbo kicks in at 1500rpm which is actually quite early considering CRV only comes in at 2500rpm. It's really down to what is acceptable to you.

with that budget just get the crv.

equip with full features.

If u r daredevil enough ? get Tiguan Apple to Apple compare sure Tiguan beat CRV & CX5. especially interior material & modern features. Park Assist, Car Bonnet lift up went accident & etc.
But Japanese car cheaper to maintain than conti car. And for me CX5 better than CRV coz CRV too plastic but better space, since i got MPV so space not a problem to me.

tiguan？hell no.....

- high service cost
- no sensor radar cruise.
- no auto follow car
- no autonomous emergency break
- more expensive than crv
- practicallity crv win
- build in quality cx5 win

so？why tiguan then.....
on the road mostly cx5 ，so it mean cx5 is better buy car compare to tiguan.

when i saw tiguan maintenance cost, at one second i felt relieved that i didn't choose tiguan at the first place..

I tried the tiguan, basically quite good and pick up kick in early n fast.. But spec lose a bit...

Yes, Tiguan power respond very good compare to CX5. handling also better, both car i also tested & i owned. CRV i tested not mine it was my opposite house owner. feel better power than CX5 2.0cc but interior very plastic and i dont like it. CX5 going to 5yrs. interior still solid like new, only leather start peeling off at driver side. my fren HRV 2yrs already loose & sound a lot.

4yrs++ ago i bought CX5 2.0cc RM143k 3yrs free maintenances. high spec CKD. & Tiguan highline 2018 RM145k CKD 3yrs free maintenances also. as u can see, pricing not much different. but i get totally different.
For me Tiguan more worth it, the handling & power, interior, spec & the feel. Totally win all CX5, CRV & Forester. and about maintenances cost went u bought the cow back better don't said u cannot effort to feed them lol..

How about ur tiguan? Okay or got any issues??

Aikss, how come ur Tiguan so cheap 145k? When did u get it?? Seems much cheaper than 0% GST...

Ur tiguan got any issue?? Except the regular maintenance, any other issue or fees??

I bought it when no GST season & Raya promo. retail price for highline about RM165k deducted 6% 7 Raya another RM10k i guess..

Just daily used car to work at Cheras - KL. only 2 months old so far no issue at all. got tyre balancing problem & i didnt sent to SC. just settle at tyre shop only. problem not coming yet lol.. But once i drive Tiguan is like a mistress u dun want ur CX5 wife anymore. CX5 solid built only minor suspension issue after 4yrs. But the power cannot compare with my Tiguan is Turbo although 1.4cc only. is like beast to me. But no regret also to have CX5.

Thanks for inputs yaaa...

Is tiguan still stands at no.1?

This post has been edited by Kilohertz: Dec 14 2018, 02:26 PM

Can shortlist the facelifted Sportage also, 2.0 Turbo Diesel with 180 PS and 400 NM torque, fitted with the new 8 speed automatic gearbox which is a good match.

FC should be 14-18km/L on highway.

Diesel a bit noisy n smelly than petrol car... Sportage got those new active safety features??

yea.. the turbo diesel sportage seems powerful but underrated

This post has been edited by Kilohertz: Dec 14 2018, 02:40 PM