2009 Volkswagen Tiguan vs. 2008 Honda CR-V vs. 2008 Toyota RAV4

We get it already — fuel prices suck. And while we pity the poor sod who bought a new full-size SUV a few years ago and is now stuck with a fuel bill that has doubled and a vehicle whose residual value makes manure futures look appealing, everyone wants solutions. Sympathy won't heal a hemorrhaging wallet.

So what's a utility-lovin' small family to do? Downsize. Full-size SUVs provide unmatched capability but their thirst may make you reassess your needs. Think compact utility vehicle. Think crossover.

This doesn't mean you have to downsize your expectations, though. The three compact SUVs we've assembled here — the brand-new 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan and the 2008 Honda CR-V and 2008 Toyota RAV4 — are based on car platforms, a strategy that helps create an efficient utilization of interior space in a relatively lightweight, fuel-efficient package. Simply put, you can pack more stuff inside these compact SUVs than you might think.

And being car-based, these compact crossovers offer easier entry and exit and better driving maneuverability than truck-based ones, something you really appreciate when you're running errands around town. Of course, car-based SUVs lack the rough-road capability of their bigger brethren, and you can forget about serious towing. For everyday use, though, a compact ute just makes more sense.

We tested a 2008 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with navigation, a 2008 Toyota RAV4 4x4 Limited and a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion. Each one represents a different take on the cute-ute concept and carry distinct strengths and weaknesses but the three turned out to be surprisingly well-matched. Indeed, when the dust settled, we had a tie for 2nd place, and just 4.2 points separate them from the winner.

These are no penalty boxes either, as all three tested — the top trim level available — are equipped with all-wheel drive, stability control, leather and heated seats. Two of them have navigation systems with back-up cameras and satellite radio.

2nd Place (Tie): 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion
Volkswagen's baby SUV is not a shrunken Touareg. It's more of a swollen Rabbit, as the two share a chassis and 2.0-liter turbocharged engine paired to a six-speed automatic. And like its hatchback brother, the Tiguan wears a polish of refinement. It glides over road imperfections with aplomb, its interior has the nicest materials here and road noise is managed better in the Tiguan than either of its rivals.

Curiously, our tester wore the 17-inch wheels of a lesser Tiguan rather than the 18s that are supposed to be standard on the SEL. We initially thought this might have something to do with the Tiguan's 60-0 braking performance of 126 feet, which trails the Honda and the Toyota by a half-dozen feet. However, the Tiguan managed to turn in the strongest handling numbers of our comparison, posting a 63.9-mph slalom speed and sticking to the skid pad at a decent 0.80g, so perhaps the taller sidewalls of the 17-inch tires weren't a limitation after all.

The Tiguan can't quite match the more user-friendly CR-V or the cavernous RAV4 in terms of functionality. Its short overall length leaves the rear cargo area feeling the pinch, while its rear seats, though spacious, are on the flat side. Headroom is ample, however, so throw on that 10-gallon hat.

Once it's on the boil, the Tiguan turns out zesty acceleration that is exactly midpack among our group. It reaches 60 mph in 8.4 seconds (8.1 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and runs down the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 86.3 mph. Shift-it-yourselfers will find solace in the fact that the VW is also the only CUV here with an automatic transmission that offers a true manual mode.

So far so good, but the Tiguan's driving experience is at odds with its test-track results. Its electric steering exhibits a combination of quickness and overly light effort that ends up feeling eerily detached. The brake pedal is squishy in routine driving, but sharpens up when you really stomp on the binders. Likewise, when you roll into the throttle pedal, the power delivery from the torquey 200-horsepower mill is heavily damped in an elastic-band manner due to some combination of transmission syrupiness, throttle tip-in calibration and turbocharger boost response.

This Tiguan's artificial-feeling dynamic interfaces might be an attempt by Volkswagen to offer a premium feel. For sure, "premium" is the only way to describe our Tiguan tester's lofty $37,270 as-tested price tag, which worked against the smooth VW in our scoring.

2nd Place (Tie): 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L With Nav
Let's be frank. The CR-V is underpowered. Slow, even. With a mere 166 hp from its normally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-4, the CR-V gets smoked by the RAV4 and the Tiguan despite tipping the scales at the lightest curb weight in our test by more than 200 pounds. Nor does the Honda's smooth-shifting five-speed autobox have a manual mode to make the most of the engine's meager output.

We used GPS-based logging equipment, but in a pinch you could measure the CR-V's acceleration with a calendar — 60 mph comes up in a lackadaisical 10.0 seconds (9.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip), while the quarter-mile oozes by in 17.4 seconds at 79.2 mph. Think of the sweaty palms when trying to merge into freeway traffic when the Honda is weighed down with three additional people and a full load of gear.

It just gives you more time to enjoy the CR-V's exquisite control feel, which is easily the best of the three CUVs compared here. Despite its midpack 0.76g skid-pad grip and 63.1-mph slalom speed, the CR-V handles precisely. If you had to pick one of these vehicles based purely on its ability to communicate with the driver, the Honda is your steed.

The Honda's steering could have been lifted intact from a more expensive vehicle, as it is replete with road feel. The brake pedal, too, delivers terrific modulation and requires just the right amount of effort. You may be asking yourself why these things are pertinent in family-oriented vehicles like these CUVs. Beyond the fun-to-drive aspect, these nuances in driving character make for a more confident driver, and confidence is a prerequisite for safety.

And yet the CR-V has more to offer than just driving dynamics. Its cargo area is surprisingly large and its removable rigid panel provides two-tier loading which can support real weight. The rear seat provides good seat comfort, though the leather has a rugged quality that feels like vinyl next to the Tiguan's glove-soft hides.

The CR-V's interior may not wow you with overtly opulent materials like the Tiguan, but it is a logically laid out and well-screwed-together environment. However, road noise is a constant companion.

At $29,070, the lowest price in our test, the well-equipped CR-V makes a strong case for itself despite its shortcomings under the hood and relatively basic AWD system. Were it equipped with the company's upcoming turbodiesel power plant, the CR-V might have taken the top spot.

1st Place: 2008 Toyota RAV4 4x4 Limited
The 2008 Toyota RAV4 won our last compact-ute comparison test almost exactly one year ago due its combination of utility and power, and by simply doing many things well. The formula still works, and the RAV4 burnishes its reputation on the same platform.

There's notably more room in the rear cargo area of the RAV4 than in the others, as the RAV4 is the only one in our test to offer third-row seating as an option. When the third row is deleted as in our tester, even four adults will never have to pack light.

You won't be wanting for more power to move that stuff around, either. The 3.5-liter V6 has power aplenty and hurls the Toyota forward with ease, as shown by its storming 7.3-second run to 60 mph and its quarter-mile result of 15.4 seconds at 90.2 mph.

Choosing the RAV4 for its powerful V6 is a guilt-free decision, too. It's easily the quickest in our test, yet still frugal — the RAV4's EPA fuel economy estimates are 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway, and its city rating is just 1 mpg shy of the city rating for the CR-V, which has 102 hp less to fuel.

Passengers in front or in the spacious second-row seats enjoy comfort that holds up over long trips, although lateral support could be better. In addition, Toyota would do well to upgrade the interior materials and copy the climate control knobs found in the other two CUVs.

Like many modern Toyotas, the experience of piloting the RAV4 is notable because it makes no lasting impression. From the effort of the steering to the response at the brake pedal, the RAV4 neither offends nor inspires. The RAV is the least agile of the three by the numbers, turning out 0.75g on the skid pad and 61.6 mph in the slalom. In doing so, the RAV4 exhibits less body roll than the Tiguan but lacks the CR-V's playfulness, and while the Toyota's squooshy tire sidewalls don't help it inspire as much driver confidence as the Honda, they also transmit less road noise.

The RAV4's middle-of-the-road character extends to the asking price of $33,858, which nearly bisects the difference between the as-tested prices of the CR-V and the Tiguan. You don't get a navigation system or back-up camera at that price, nor do you get a cabin that you'll feel bad about spilling stuff on (something of a mixed blessing, we expect). This price does, however, net you a locking differential plus this test's only rear-seat DVD entertainment system. For families with young children, that feature alone might make all the difference.

Where Are We Going?
But what about the whole reason for downsizing in the first place? Glad you remembered. As it turns out, all three of the CUVs in our test produced the same as-tested fuel economy of 20.7 mpg in mixed driving. It's important to note that the 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan recommends premium fuel, whereas the 2008 Toyota RAV4 and 2008 Honda CR-V do not.

In the end, the choice depends largely on your particular sensibilities, as all three are enjoyable and capable compact sport-utility vehicles in their own right. Have money to burn but want top refinement and a cosseting interior? Visit your local VW dealer. If sharp dynamics in a package that provides more usable interior space is more appealing than the ability to carry heavy items, the CR-V is for you.

And if you want to make a choice that you just can't go wrong with, Toyota makes the RAV4.

The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.