Ford Explorer vs Volkswagen Tiguan: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (September 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $39,495 against $24,222 for the Volkswagen Tiguan (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Volkswagen Tiguan takes fuel economy (23 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.4★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $31,474 vs the S at $20,999; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford Explorer XLT ($31,474) faces the Volkswagen Tiguan S ($20,999); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.6% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SE (19.2% of Volkswagen Tiguan listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,169) faces the 4MOTION SEL R-LINE BLACK ($29,846). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford Explorer | Volkswagen Tiguan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $31,474 | 34.6% | SCheapest | $20,999 | 8.8% |
| LIMITED | $33,470 | 5.4% | SE WOLFSBURG EDITION | $22,019 | 5.7% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,529 | 2.7% | 4MOTION SE WOLFSBURG EDITION | $23,978 | 10.0% |
| ST-LINE | $39,298 | 18.3% | SEMost popular | $24,584 | 19.2% |
| ACTIVE | $39,414 | 16.6% | SE R-LINE BLACK | $24,995 | 11.1% |
| PLATINUM | $44,998 | 6.4% | 4MOTION SE R-LINE BLACK | $27,497 | 13.2% |
| STPriciest | $46,169 | 12.7% | 4MOTION SE | $29,099 | 18.1% |
| TREMOR | $55,594 | 2.0% | 4MOTION SEL R-LINE BLACKPriciest | $29,846 | 5.9% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford Explorer prices · Volkswagen Tiguan prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Volkswagen Tiguan typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Volkswagen Tiguan MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,361 | $29,161 | Ford Explorer +$16,200 | 19–24 MPG | 25–29 MPG |
| 2025 | $39,495 | $31,369 | Ford Explorer +$8,126 | 20–24 MPG | 25–29 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,048 | $24,222 | Ford Explorer +$10,826 | 20–24 MPG | 24–27 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,985 | $22,998 | Ford Explorer +$8,987 | 20–27 MPG | 24–27 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,289 | $20,907 | Ford Explorer +$7,382 | 19–27 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,995 | $17,673 | Ford Explorer +$6,322 | 19–27 MPG | 24–25 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,084 | $16,036 | Ford Explorer +$6,048 | 19–28 MPG | 23–25 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,499 | $14,500 | Ford Explorer +$2,999 | 18–22 MPG | 24–25 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,995 | $12,995 | Ford Explorer +$3,000 | 18–22 MPG | 22–24 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,960 | $10,498 | Ford Explorer +$3,462 | 18–22 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,087 | $9,449 | Ford Explorer +$2,638 | 18–22 MPG | 22–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $10,094 | $8,895 | Ford Explorer +$1,199 | 18–23 MPG | 22–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,493 | $7,990 | Ford Explorer +$1,503 | 18–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,299 | $6,875 | Ford Explorer +$1,424 | 18–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,987 | $6,900 | Ford Explorer +$1,087 | 19–23 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,749 | $6,495 | Ford Explorer +$1,254 | 19–20 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,850 | $5,997 | Ford Explorer +$853 | 15–17 MPG | 20–21 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,998 | $5,999 | Volkswagen Tiguan +$1 | 15–17 MPG | 20–21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (September 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Volkswagen Tiguan?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Volkswagen Tiguan is cheaper: it typically lists for $24,222 versus $39,495 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, September 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Volkswagen Tiguan?
The Volkswagen Tiguan: its typical rated version returns 23 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Volkswagen Tiguan?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.4 for the Volkswagen Tiguan. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Volkswagen Tiguan?
NHTSA lists an average of 10.5 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 3.5 for the Volkswagen Tiguan — an edge for the Volkswagen Tiguan. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $31,474 vs $20,999 for a Volkswagen Tiguan S; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,474, 34.6% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SE ($24,584, 19.2% of Volkswagen Tiguan listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,169) faces the 4MOTION SEL R-LINE BLACK ($29,846). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/explorer/vs/volkswagen/tiguan.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Volkswagen Tiguan — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Volkswagen Tiguan prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Volkswagen Tiguan MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.