2018 Volkswagen Tiguan MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan is rated 22 to 24 mpg combined across 4 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan · 4 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

24MPG combined

22 city 27 highway

$2,600 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score5/10

2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic

Best version costs $2,000 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.00 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Nov 12, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,600 to $3,500 a year. Compared with 2017, the best gas version is up 2 mpg.

One of the Tiguan years to avoid

The 2018 drew 179 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 42 for a typical Tiguan year: 4.2 times as many.

Years to avoid: 2018 and 2022; best years: 2016 and 2017. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Tiguan year ranked The 2018 Tiguan's recalls and problems

Every 2018 Tiguan version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Tiguan	24 mpg	22 / 27	$2,600
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic EPA listing: Tiguan 4motion	23 mpg	21 / 27	$2,700
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Tiguan Limited · Premium fuel	23 mpg	20 / 26	$3,350
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic EPA listing: Tiguan Limited 4motion · Premium fuel	22 mpg	19 / 25	$3,500

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.00 a gallon for regular gas and $5.01 a gallon for premium gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic	$2,500	$208	$12,500
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic	$2,609	$217	$13,043
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,267	$272	$16,337
2.0L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic	$3,416	$285	$17,080

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Volkswagen Tiguan MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 21 to 29 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); 29 since 2025.

2018: gas 24 mpg

Show as a table

Volkswagen Tiguan best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2010	21
2011	22
2012	24
2013	23
2014	23
2015	23
2016	23
2017	22
2018	24
2019	25
2020	25
2021	25
2022	26
2023	27
2024	27
2025	29
2026	29

Every Tiguan year's ratings in one table

How the 2018 Tiguan compares

2018 compact SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2018 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Nissan Rogue Best: hybrid	34 mpg	29 mpg	$1,850
Toyota RAV4 Best: hybrid	32 mpg	26 mpg	$1,950
Chevrolet Equinox Best: diesel	32 mpg	28 mpg	$2,200
GMC Terrain Best: diesel	32 mpg	28 mpg	$2,200
Honda CR-V Best: gas	30 mpg	30 mpg	$2,100
Mazda CX-5 Best: diesel	29 mpg	28 mpg	$2,200
Subaru Outback Best: gas	28 mpg	28 mpg	$2,200
Subaru Forester Best: gas	28 mpg	28 mpg	$2,200
Hyundai Tucson Best: gas	27 mpg	27 mpg	$2,300
Ford Escape Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,400
Kia Sportage Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,400
Jeep Compass Best: gas	26 mpg	26 mpg	$2,400
Jeep Cherokee Best: gas	25 mpg	25 mpg	$2,500
Volkswagen Tiguan This page Best: gas	24 mpg	24 mpg	$2,600

2018 Tiguan recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 14 safety recalls and 296 owner complaints for the 2018 Tiguan.

Owners most often describe hesitation (43 complaints, 15%), then stalling (27). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 4 to 5 stars for the versions it has rated.

See the 2018 Tiguan recalls and problems

Questions

Does the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan need premium gas?

Some versions do. EPA lists the 2.0L turbo 4-cyl (FWD) and the 2.0L turbo 4-cyl (AWD) on premium, the rest use regular.

How does the 2018 Tiguan's MPG compare with the 2017?

For 2018, the best gas version is rated 24 mpg, up 2 from 22.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Nov 4, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.00, midgrade $4.61, premium $5.01, diesel $6.13 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Nov 12, 2026 and complaint file dated Nov 11, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.