Toyota Highlander vs Volkswagen Tiguan
Which used car has the cleaner record?
We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.
Last updated: June 28, 2026
Body type
- Highlander
- SUV
- Tiguan
- SUV
Years sampled
- Highlander
- 2016, 2020, 2024
- Tiguan
- 2016, 2020, 2024
Owner complaints
- Highlander
- 452
- Tiguan
- 290fewer
Recall campaigns
- Highlander
- 14
- Tiguan
- 7fewer
NHTSA investigations
- Highlander
- 5fewer
- Tiguan
- 6
Overall safety (NHTSA, US)
- Highlander
- 5/5
- Tiguan
- 4/5
Combined economy (EPA, US)
- Highlander
- 9.4 L/100km
- Tiguan
- 9 L/100km
The quick read
Over the sampled model years, the Toyota Highlander has 452 complaints and 14 recalls, and the Volkswagen Tiguan has 290 complaints and 7 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.
NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.