2022 Volkswagen Taos

The VW Taos is the latest and littlest SUV to join the Volkswagen crew. Based on the company's popular MQB platform, which also underpins the now-discontinued Golf hatchback, the Taos is a good-looking subcompact crossover powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter turbo gasoline engine. With 158 horsepower on tap, this little people carrier delivers only mild performance but compensates with its impressive gas mileage. However, the Taos faces intense competition, especially from Japanese foes such as the Honda HR-V and Subaru Crosstrek. The Koreans also offer alternatives in this segment with appealing price tags and more expressive styling. Volkswagen is anxious to grab its share of the American crossover craze and the Taos is its new entry-level offering. The slightly larger and popular Tiguan is a little more expensive. But here's the thing: In order to keep the Taos' base price low, a few sacrifices had to be made which, unfortunately, prevent the Taos from reaching the head of the pack. Oftentimes, a German brand badge helps lure customers seeking a more premium product and while the Taos has a lot going for it, it falls short in a few key areas.

The Taos doesn't stray far from the VW family when it comes to its exterior design. It's all very calculated and can be considered restrained when compared to its rivals. The overall result is a crossover SUV that looks stylish without being shouty though it doesn't set any new styling standards. We feel VW missed out on an opportunity here but instead played the design card safe.

Standard exterior features on the base model include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, power side mirrors, and black roof rails.

Our Cornflower Blue SE came equipped with standard 18-inch alloy wheels, heated windshield washer nozzles, heated side mirrors, silver roof rails, and tinted privacy glass. Top-spec SEL models get black 18-inch wheels, an adaptive front lighting system, an illuminated grille, low-speed corner-illuminating headlights, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

With slight dimensions, the 2022 Taos is classified by VW as a compact crossover but it's priced to compete in the subcompact segment. As a result, the Taos is larger than many rivals. It measures 175.8 inches in length (5.4 inches longer than the Honda HR-V) and rides on a wheelbase of 105.9 inches in FWD configuration and 105.6 inches in AWD guise. The total width is 72.5 inches, while the height is 64.4 inches for the FWD model and 64.6 inches for AWD derivatives. In terms of approach, breakover, and departure angles, the Taos has approach angles of 17.3/17.7 degrees (FWD/AWD), a departure angle of 24.8 degrees, and breakover angles of 18/18.5 degrees (FWD/AWD). Ground clearance is 6.4 inches on FWD models and 6.6 inches for those with AWD.

When it comes to curb weight, the FWD Taos weighs in at 3,175 pounds and the AWD version is slightly heavier at 3,430 lbs.

The handsome Taos is offered with five different exterior colors in base guise. Dusk Blue, Platinum Gray, and Pyrite Silver are your no-cost metallic options. VW also offers a Deep Black Pearl pearlescent option and a solid pure white, both at no additional cost. None of these are particularly vibrant, but from the SE trim upwards, you get access to Cornflower Blue at no extra cost, Kings Red metallic for an additional $395, and Pure Gray for $395. If we were buying a brand new Taos, we'd go for Dusk Blue metallic.

As Volkswagen's entry-level SUV, no one expects the Taos to shred tires and set top speed records. The opposite is true; most of those getting behind the wheel of a new Taos will expect good fuel economy and enough performance for the daily city run. The good news is that the Taos offers a balance of good performance and economy. The small-capacity turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine produces decent power in either FWD or AWD configuration. Our 1.5T SE tester came standard with 4Motion AWD system, something we highly recommend for anyone who experiences winter weather. It's worth the additional outlay.

Despite only packing 158 horses under the hood, the FWD model will still manage a 0-60 mph run in the mid-seven-second range in independent testing. That makes it easily quicker than the Honda HR-V. VW doesn't make any claim regarding towing capacity, however.

Our AWD tester was relatively quick to accelerate but the seven-speed DSG struggled to keep up at times. Once cruising speed is achieved things are fine but the normally peppy 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder was revving a little hard all the way to its 6,400 rpm redline. It was also a little too loud.

The Volkswagen Taos makes use of a direct-injection turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine codenamed EA211 that produces 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. In the case of the Taos, the intake valves are closed earlier in the induction stroke to improve efficiency and lower fuel use. The variable turbine geometry also means smoother power delivery, although we did notice a lack of low-down urge. The power figures might not look all that impressive, but the Taos is more than able to keep up with traffic and is a capable highway cruiser, but it will start to feel slightly lazy when fully loaded. FWD models are mated to an eight-speed automatic that is reluctant to offer downshifts, while AWD variants get the more advanced seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that delivers quick and precise shifts.

Customers in this segment expect a lot, and manufacturers competing in the subcompact SUV arena have to deliver vehicles that are good at a wide variety of things, driving dynamics included. The Taos drives well on all road surfaces but is most at home on suburban streets. Our tester's 4Motion AWD system provided solid grip in a late-season rainstorm but, again, off-the-line performance was only subpar. The suspension setup in the Taos doesn't feel as precise as a Golf and we were disappointed by that. VW knows how to engineer great suspensions and it was somewhat lacking here.

On long highway sessions, the Taos settles into a comfortable rhythm, and carving through canyons also shows that the Taos can be relatively playful when the need arises. Unlike the FWD version which makes use of a torsion beam rear end, the AWD car gets a multilink setup that makes the four-wheeler feel more planted on the road overall. The drive mode selector on AWD models offers the driver the option to drive in Normal, Sport, and Individual modes which adjust steering feel and throttle response. We were in Normal a majority of the time during regular city driving. Sport was engaged when driving through the mountains, making the experience definitely more enjoyable. Overall, the Taos drives and handles very nicely and offers an impressive balance between comfort and overall driver enjoyment. Still, it's no Golf.

Buyers in this segment are after safety, affordability, good tech, and low fuel costs, and when it comes to gas mileage, the Volkswagen Taos certainly does not disappoint. In FWD guise, the Taos, with its turbocharged 1.5-liter four-pot, will manage a respectable 28/36/31 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles.

The AWD car will see those numbers drop to 25/32/28 mpg. The Subaru Crosstrek AWD with the 2.0-liter engine and automatic transmission returns 28/33/30 mpg, which is better than the Taos AWD. Slotting between these two is the Kia Seltos 2.0-liter automatic AWD that manages 27/31/29 mpg. In our week with the Taos, we were able to match VW's claims.

The FWD Taos is equipped with a 13.2-gallon tank and has a maximum range of approximately 409 miles. The AWD gets a slightly larger 14.5-gallon fuel tank, which sees the maximum range in the same region of around 406 miles.

We appreciate the Taos' more user-friendly interior layout, which is a nice departure from the typically more complicated German interiors we see. It suits the more playful character of the car overall. Overall build quality is mostly solid although there are a few too many cheap-feeling plastic bits scattered around the cabin, such as the top of the dash. Normally, we're used to soft-touch materials from VW.

Still, nothing stood out as particularly worrying, and the Taos impresses at this price point. We particularly liked the high-quality CloudTex and cloth seats and the leatherette-wrapped steering wheel. Cloth seats can be hit or miss and full props to VW for keeping quality high here. The 10-way power driver's seat is comfortable and it's easy to find a comfortable position for any height. Our SE tester included the Convenience Package consisting of a heated steering wheel, headlight high-beam control, and rain-sensing front wipers.

In general, the driver has excellent visibility with a light and airy cabin. If you're willing to splurge a bit, we recommend the sliding panoramic sunroof for an extra $1,200, which is also optional on the SEL.

Don't let its compact size fool you into thinking that the Taos is nothing more than a city toy. This compact SUV will happily accommodate the average US family and a fair amount of their stuff. Space in the front is ample, and taller passengers will have nothing to complain about. The same goes for those at the back as there are 37.9 inches of legroom to play with, so the average adult won't have any problems remaining comfortable on long road trips. Even in base trim, the Taos offers comfy front seats. The S gets six-way manually-adjustable front seats, while the SE and SEL get an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support.

Volkswagen interiors tend to feel upmarket, and the cabin of the Taos feels no different. There's an abundance of soft-feel plastics (and, admittedly, some hard ones) and the whole thing feels properly tied together and solidly built. The base model features hardy cloth seats, while SE models get a mix of CloudTex and cloth seating surfaces. The range-topping SEL benefits from leather seats. The top two trims have a leatherette-wrapped steering wheel and a leather-wrapped shift knob.

The base model is available exclusively with a Gray and Black cloth interior with a Titan Black dashboard and carpets. The SE is offered with Black/Gray or Black seats. Finally, the SEL's interior color options are Black or French Roast/Black.

This might be the smallest VW SUV on sale, but that doesn't mean it's not practical. In fact, the 2022 VW Taos has one of the largest trunks in its class. VW claims that the Taos provides up to 27.9 cubic feet of space behind the second row of seats, narrowly beating the 26.6 cubes of the Kia Seltos and absolutely destroying the 20.8 cubes provided by the Subaru Crosstrek. However, that number only applies to FWD models as AWD versions get a less spacious but still acceptable 24.9 cubes. Fold the 60/40 split-folding rear seat, and that space opens up to an ample 65.9 cubic feet (60.2 cubes for the AWD).

Small-item storage is adequate. The VW Taos offers a decent glove box, dual front cupholders, door pockets, and a center console storage bin.

The base model isn't completely barren, but we wish VW had added a few more driver-assistance systems as standard. The base model comes with six-way manually adjustable front seats, manual air-conditioning, a rearview camera, a multifunction steering wheel, two front USB-C data ports, push-button start, heated front seats on AWD models, and driver aids such as automatic post-collision braking, and intelligent crash response.

The mid-range SE adds keyless access, an eight-way power driver's seat with power lumbar support, heated front seats on both FWD and AWD models, blind-spot monitoring, and wireless phone charging. The top-of-the-line SEL model features an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats on AWD models, and 10-color ambient interior lighting. The SEL also comes standard with Volkswagen's semi-autonomous IQ.Drive suite. This model also has adaptive cruise control, high beam control, park distance control, and dynamic road sign display.

Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit is a significant step forward for the brand, and the eight-inch customizable digital instrument cluster comes standard on the first two trims. The base model features the MIB2 software with a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen display, AM/FM radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a four-speaker sound system, and Bluetooth connectivity. The SE gets a bigger eight-inch display with voice control and MIB3 software, two additional speakers, SiriusXM satellite radio, and HD Radio. The SEL upgrades to a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit display, navigation, and an eight-speaker BeatsAudio premium sound system which sounds great when playing Feel Too Good by The Move. All models come with Car-Net and available in-car Wi-Fi.

The Android Auto on our test car was a little glitchy. There was one time when the system suddenly stopped when the Waze app was running on this reviewer's Android device. The touchscreen seemed to reset itself without warning and went back to its main menu while driving on the highway. Fortunately, it was almost impossible to get lost in this particular situation but it was troublesome this happened. We had to pull over in order to safely get Waze working again.

The Taos is a brand new model but it has already been subject to two recalls. The first pertains to a fuel line connector that may cause a fuel leak, and the second for the engine control unit software potentially causing the engine to stall.

Volkswagen will cover the Taos with a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty that includes a drivetrain warranty for the same time/distance, a seven-year/100,000-mile corrosion warranty, a two-year/20,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance, and three years or 36,000 miles worth of roadside assistance.

We also hope VW figures out why the Android Auto suddenly stopped working en route.

There was no safety review for the Volkswagen Taos from the NHTSA nor the IIHS at the time of writing. We don't think new owners have anything to worry about, however, as the Taos' bigger siblings all seem to fare well in these tests.

Our SE sampler had the optional $895 IQ.Drive Package which tacks on the Travel Assist semi-automated driving assistance that essentially bundles the adaptive cruise control and lane assist systems. Some standard safety includes a blind-spot monitor, rear view camera, tire pressure monitoring system, and hill descent control.

All new Taos SUVs come standard with a six-airbag system, including front and rear curtain airbags, a direct tire pressure monitoring system, an automatic post-collision braking system, and an intelligent crash response system. Unfortunately, driver-assists are otherwise largely absent from the base S, but at least it gets the obligatory rearview camera. The mid-range SE adds pedestrian monitoring with front assist, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. SEL models come standard with Volkswagen's IQ.Drive suite that enables semi-autonomous driving. This system includes lane centering. The range-topper also boasts adaptive cruise control, dynamic road sign display, high beam control, park distance control, travel assist, lane assist, and emergency assist. At least lower trims can be upgraded with some of the available safety systems.

Volkswagen studied the competition very well and come up with a solid product. There's certainly room for improvement, namely adjusting the transmission shifting algorithms and improving the quality of some interior plastics. Its exterior styling isn't groundbreaking but it's still handsome. The interior layout is very nice overall and provides sufficient passenger and cargo space for this class. We would like to see VW make additional driver aid systems standard on at least the SE model.

On the road, this car is excellent to drive though it's not as fun as the Golf, the icon it replaces in the US. The powertrain won't blow you away, but it won't leave you hanging in the slow lane either and will return good fuel economy to boot. We'd like to see a hybrid powertrain option arrive at some point. An electric boost could not only improve fuel economy but also help with off-the-line acceleration.

As a practical family vehicle, the Taos does the job; there's lots of cargo room, and seat comfort and visibility are excellent. It comes nicely equipped, especially the mid-range SE, and offers relatively good value for the money. Is it the best in the segment, maybe not, but you could definitely do far worse.

Don't let the fact that the 2022 Volkswagen Taos is German scare you off. The premium family SUV is competitively priced and won't completely ruin your bank balance. The base model will set you back $22,995, excluding tax, registration, and a destination fee of $1,195. That's only a few hundred dollars more than the Subaru Crosstrek and about $500 more than the Kia Seltos. The mid-range SE costs $27,245, and the range-topping SEL goes for an MSRP of $31,490. Going for the AWD version with the seven-speed DSG transmission will add $2,045 to the asking price of the base model, $1,450 to the SE, and $1,555 to the SEL.

There are three models on offer for the 2022 Taos: S, SE, and SEL. All three models are powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission for FWD models or a seven-speed DSG transmission in AWD configuration.

The S features LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and black roof rails on the outside. Inside, it gets six-way manually adjustable front seats with cloth seating surfaces, a multifunction steering wheel, push-button start, manual air conditioning, and driver aids such as automatic post-collision braking and intelligent crash response. It comes with VW's eight-inch Digital Cockpit and a 6.5-inch infotainment display with a four-speaker sound system, two USB-C ports, and Bluetooth.

SE models get standard CloudTex seating surfaces, an eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, heated front seats, keyless access, a leatherette-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and wireless phone charging. The SE's infotainment system features an eight-inch display with voice control, a six-speaker sound system, and SiriusXM radio.

The top-of-the-line SEL model adds an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control, leather seating surfaces, and 10-color ambient interior lighting with ventilated front seats offered on AWD models only. The SEL gets a 10.25-inch digital cockpit display, navigation, and a premium BeatsAudio eight-speaker sound system. The SEL is also the only trim level to come standard with VW's IQ.Drive suite, along with adaptive cruise control and park distance control.

While there are a variety of lifestyle accessories you can add to your Taos, the S and SE models only have one significant package available: the IQ.Drive and S Convenience package. On the S, this adds features such as a leather-wrapped gear shift knob, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers. With this package, you also get adaptive cruise control, high beam control, a blind-spot monitor, travel assist, lane assist, and emergency assist. It costs $995 on base models and $100 less on mid-spec SE models.

The $999 Basecamp styling package is also available, which makes the Taos look more like a hardcore off-roader by adding styling features such as fender flares with integrated splash guards, a Basecamp front grille badge, and skid plates. There are no changes to capability, however.

The SE and SEL can be fitted with a $1,200 panoramic sunroof.

If we had to choose, we'd go for the mid-range SE (our week-long test car). It blends the best features into a single and affordable package.

We'd stick with the standard FWD system unless you require more traction for inclement weather. Not only does this trim add luxuries such as an eight-way power driver seat with lumbar support and wireless phone charging, it also gives you upgraded headlights and rain-sensing front wipers.

We also highly recommend the IQ.Drive package for another $895. Safety-conscious buyers will certainly appreciate it. All told, our AWD SE sampler came to a grand total of $32,380, including the $1,195 destination fee. The SE normally begins at $28,695.

The Tiguan sits one level up from the Taos and slots in below the Atlas Cross Sport. The Tiguan features three-row seating and is the larger of the two vehicles. It's also VW's most popular model in the US and VW's most popular global model, so that should say something. These two cars share similar low-key styling and the MQB platform. The Tiguan is over ten inches longer than the Taos but offers slightly less second-row legroom due to the third-row seating. The Tiguan's cargo volume behind the second row is a far superior 33 cubic feet, but you only get 12 cubes behind the third row.

Under the hood, the Tiguan gets a more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which sends 184 horses and 221 lb-ft to the front, or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Tiguan is heavier and more powerful and will return less economical gas mileage figures. Since both cars ride on the same platform, the ride quality is similar, as is interior build quality. We'd suggest going with the Tiguan if you need the extra space and passenger capacity.

The Kia Seltos slots in above the awesomely-styled Kia Soul and features cute boxy styling, an impressive turbo engine option, and good value for money. Powering the Seltos in base guise is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine, but we'd suggest going for the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, which produces a healthy 175 hp and 195 lb-ft. Power is sent to the front or all four wheels via a clumsy seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This engine offers a reasonable 25/30/27 mpg. In terms of size, the Seltos is slightly smaller but offers superior ground clearance.

Inside, you get more front and rear-seat legroom in the Kia, while the Korean's cargo capacity falls between that of the FWD and AWD Taos models. On the road, the Seltos is a decent handler and offers a comfy ride, but it can't match the refined feeling of the Taos. Inside, Kia has stepped up its game, and we could argue that the cabin is more attractive than that of the Taos. The standard features list is impressive, and the infotainment system is superior. If you won't miss the premium image of a VW product, then the Kia Seltos is a solid choice.