Volkswagen Philippines has been quiet in the automotive market for some time, with its last launch being the Volkswagen Cross Santana and new colors for the Volkswagen T-Cross. 

However, something interesting happened with the launch of the Volkswagen Tharu as the newest crossover to join the brand’s local lineup. It is positioned above the T-Cross and where the Volkswagen Tiguan used to be in the lineup. 

Today, we will compare it against another new vehicle within the same price bracket with the entry-level Honda CR-V 1.5 V. As they are in the same segment, roughly in the same price point, and come with similar features, it makes them an ideal candidate for a spec showdown.

ALSO READ: Now with lower price! Volkswagen Philippines launches 2024 Tharu crossover, starts at ₱1.808M

Exterior: A battle between corporate styling

Newer vehicles, especially those within the same brand family, come with corporate styling. The same thing can be said for the brand-new Volkswagen Tharu, as it looks like an upscaled version of the T-Cross with a few minor differences. It's slightly wider and taller but carries the same broad front grille, flat LED headlights, and wide grille. It also rides on 18-inch wheels.

The Tharu also pays subtle homage to Volkswagen's ID series of EVs with the lit brand badge at the tailgate and the light bar fixtures front and rear.

Meanwhile, the Honda CR-V has similar styling to its other Honda siblings but is a bit more unique thanks to its SUV-like appeal. Unlike the Tharu, the CR-V has a sportier look with its broad front, sleek LED headlights, and massive grille. Like its Volkswagen rival, the Honda crossover rides on 18-inch alloy wheels.

As they are both similarly equipped, we will give this category a tie, as their appeal for exterior styling will depend on your preferences. 

Winner: Tie

Interior and Technology

Regarding technology, the Volkswagen Tharu has more to offer regarding the infotainment department. The German crossover has a 10.25-inch active info display and a 12-inch infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, Android users won’t be able to connect to the vehicle via Android Auto as it is unavailable.

As for its interior, it gets a youthful and clean look, with the infotainment system dominating the dashboard. It has leather seats with 12-way power adjustability to ensure you can quickly get into your preferred driving position.

Meanwhile, the Honda CR-V is equipped with a smaller 9-inch infotainment system, but it does come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available along with Bluetooth connectivity.

It also comes with Honda CONNECT available, letting you control certain aspects of the vehicle from your mobile phone. It also has a tri-zone climate control system to ensure everyone is cooled appropriately. 

As for the interior, the Honda CR-V also gets a minimalist and clean look, similar to what you would find on the Honda Civic. Soft touch materials are also present, but the retro honeycomb design of the dashboard accent can be a complex piece to clean if you do end up buying the vehicle. 

For this category, we will give the win to the Honda CR-V as it is more inclusive in what it offers for connectivity. Excluding the Android Auto feature may prevent some buyers from getting the vehicle, as many car-buying people have Android-based phones as their daily drivers. Without the feature available, it forces them to stick with Bluetooth connectivity, which is still decent, but they won’t be able to utilize the full capabilities of the infotainment system. 

Winner: Honda CR-V

1.5-liter turbocharged engines

Under the hood, both crossovers are powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. The Volkswagen Tharu produces 160 PS and 250 Nm of torque based on the specifications the German automaker gave to us. Power is sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed DSG.

Meanwhile, the Honda CR-V V produces 190 PS and 240 Nm of torque, sending its power exclusively to the front wheels via a CVT.

The figures show that the CR-V is the most powerful, with a 30 PS difference. However, we must note a 10 Nm torque difference between the two crossovers, which is enough for a noticeable difference when driving the two daily. 

As we have yet to test the CR-V V, we will put the category as a paper tie.

Winner: Tie 

Safety: The more, the better

Right off the bat, the Honda CR-V carries more safety features than its Volkswagen Tharu rival. It is available with Honda SENSING, which gives it the following features:

• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Lane Keeping Assist System
• Road Departure Mitigation System with Lane Departure Warning
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow
• Auto High Beam

On top of this, the Japanese crossover also has access to Honda Connect, which gives you the capability to control certain aspects of the vehicle from your mobile phone and other features such as:

• Automatic Collision Detection – automatically calls for help to ensure timely assistance
• Security Alarm Detection – sends an alert when the alarm is triggered by trespassers
• Speed Alert – allows the owner to monitor how their vehicle is being driven through a series of notifications if the speed limit is exceeded.
• Find My Car – helps avoid situations where the owner has difficulty locating their vehicle by sending a pin location to the mobile device.
• Geofencing Alert – notifies the owner if the car was taken beyond a set area limit.
• Emergency Calls – makes it easier to access emergency contacts through the app.
• Car Status – alerts the owner of anything that requires attention and doubles as the vehicle’s diagnostic support system. This feature can also remotely check the fuel level, battery, lock, and airbag status.
• Remote Vehicle Control – allows the owner to control various limited vehicle functions via the smartphone app. It includes Remote Engine Start and stop, Remote Air Conditioner Control, Remote Lock and unlock, and Remote Light Control.
• Service Reminder – automatically reminds the owner when maintenance is due and can schedule an appointment with the nearest official service center.

The Honda CR-V also has other standard features, such as a reverse camera, a plethora of airbags, an electronic stability program, and, of course, ABS with EBD, just to mention a few key features.

Now, its safety feature set is more straightforward for the Volkswagen Tharu. The crossover comes with many airbags that cover the driver and front passenger, the front sides of the vehicle, and even curtain airbags. 

It also comes with the following other features:

• Electronic stability program
• ABS
• Hill Hold Control
• Traction Control system
• Anti Slip Regulation
• Park Distance Control
• Intelligent Parking Assist System
• Area View Camera
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Reverse Camera

As you can see, the spec sheet of the Honda CR-V is more extensive than what the Volkswagen Tharu has to offer, and because of that, it wins this category.

Winner: Honda CR-V

Verdict: What an extra ₱150,000 can give you

Priced at ₱1,950,000, the 2024 Volkswagen Tharu is a bit steep, especially when put against a veteran like the Honda CR-V. Sure, it looks good and is the newest crossover from Volkswagen Philippines, but it loses out on an “It Factor” that could otherwise help it stand out against its competition. 

It has safe styling, which is good if you want a timeless car but lacks features such as Android Auto. It doesn’t come with advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control or automatic emergency braking, according to the spec sheet given to us, which brings it down. 

Something to note is that there is only ₱150,000 between the two vehicles as the Honda CR-V 1.5 V Turbo is priced at ₱2,100,000. While that difference is a lot, you get what you pay for with the price difference, giving you access to more features and power. The Honda CR-V is the overall winner for this spec showdown. 

Overall winner: Honda CR-V 1.5 Turbo V