The 2012 Chevy Equinox and 2012 VW Tiguan are just two of your many options if you’re shopping for a small SUV, but they are also two of your best options. Both the Equinox and Tiguan offer both two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

The 2012 Chevy Equinox

The 2012 Chevy Equinox starts at $23,450 and comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 182-hp, 172 lb-ft of torque and a 22-mpg city, 32-mpg highway fuel economy rating. The 2012 VW Tiguan starts at $22,840 and comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 200-hp and 207 lb-ft of torque rated at 18-mpg city and 26-mpg highway. The Tiguan is available with either a six-speed manual transmission or an automatic, while the Equinox is auto only.

The 2012 VW Tiguan

The 2012 Chevy Equinox is larger than the Tiguan inside, so buyers who need more utility will probably lean towards the domestic. The Equinox has 40.9 inches of front head room, 41.2 inches of front leg room, 39.2 inches of rear head room and 55.3 inches of rear leg room. The Tiguan has 39.1 inches of head room up front and 40.1 inches of leg room along with 39.0 inches of rear head room and 35.8 inches of rear leg room. The Equinox also has a much larger cargo area, 31.5 cubic feet of cargo room compared to the Tiguan’s 23.8 cubic foot way back. The Equinox is also larger on the outside than the Tiguan, a full 13 inches longer, half an inch higher and one inch wider, so people who typically need to squeeze into tight spaces might prefer the Tiguan.