Summary
- The Volkswagen Taos offers impressive features and value for its price in the subcompact SUV segment, making it a practical choice for daily driving.
- The Taos stands out with its fuel efficiency, thanks to its turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and all-wheel drive option, outperforming competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek.
- The Taos showcases beautiful, understated German styling, with clean design details and a mature aesthetic that sets it apart from trendier competitors like the Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul.
The Volkswagen Taos was initially released for the U.S. market in 2020 as a practical subcompact SUV to slot in below the Tiguan. With the entry-level variant starting at $24,155 MSRP, the 2023 Taos is the German automaker’s smallest and cheapest available SUV offering in the U.S. But its features say otherwise. For its price, the Taos offers some of the best features while being in the middle of the price range among its contemporaries in the segment.
Although the Taos is available with only one engine option, in the form of a turbocharged 1.5 liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine, it is only one of the few in the subcompact SUV segment that offers all-wheel drive. A pleasant surprise from Volkswagen to offer their 4Motion all-wheel drive system in their baby SUV, the same all-wheel-drive system that is found in their Golf R ultra hot-hatch.
The updates for the 2023 model year focus on safety and driver assistance systems to bring the Taos up-to-date with the segment offerings from other automakers. These updates along with its small-car-big-space persona make the Taos a more refined and practical choice as a daily driver and very hard to ignore if you’re in the market for a sub-compact SUV.
10 The Volkswagen Taos Is Fuel Efficient
At 1.5 liter, the 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet turbocharged engine that comes in the Taos is small when compared to the 2.0 or larger 2.5-liter engine available in the Subaru Crosstrek, and similar-sized 2.5 liter in the Mazda CX-30 which is closest to the VW price-wise. But when fuel efficiency is the game, the Taos definitely wins out.
Paired with an eight-speed automatic in the front-wheel drive models, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine returns a very efficient 28mpg around town and 36mpg on the longer highway drives based on its EPA ratings. That’s quite significant against the Mazda’s 26 city and 33 highway, figures and the Crosstrek a little closer at 28 and 33mpg respectively. Even with the seven-speed DSG transmission and heavier all-wheel drive system in the equation, the small VW is still thrifty on fuel at 25mpg city and 32mpg on the highway.
9 Beautiful Understated German Styling
There is no doubt that among the others in its class, the Volkswagen Taos is the grown-up in the room. The German automaker has carried-over the handsome, understated styling that has become synonymous with their brand even down to its entry-level SUV. The body lines and design details of the small Volkswagen are neat and tidy when put beside the trendy designs of the Hyundai Kona or Kia Soul.
While it has all the signature SUV details like the black plastic wrap-around cladding to give a rugged look, the rest of the exterior details on the Taos are subtle and take after its larger Atlas sibling. The design of the front grill and bumper cover are on the mature side, standout details are the piano black accent and the LED daytime-running lights laid across the grill that bleed into the LED headlights seamlessly.
It doesn’t attract attention using aggressive vents and lines, but rather it’s timeless design cues and distinguished posture. The Taos is available with either 17-inch alloy wheels in the base S trim level, 18-inch in the SE and 19-inch in the top SEL trim.
8 Driver Assistance And Standard Features Make Life With The Taos Convenient
As Volkswagen’s affordable baby SUV, the Taos was already a compelling option, but the updates for the 2023 model are mostly inclusions of previously optioned-in features, which is not a bad thing. It’s always a welcome addition when an automaker includes features to make their cars safer and help driver awareness on the road.
2023 Volkswagen Taos Features and Pricing
|
Features |
S Variant |
SE Variant |
SEL Variant |
|
Price |
From $24,155 |
From $30,220 |
From $35,830 |
|
LED headlights and tail lights |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Wheels size |
17-inch standard |
18-inch standard |
19-inch standard |
|
Wireless connectivity (Android Auto/Apple CarPlay) |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Infotainment Screen |
6.5-inch touchscreen with bluetooth connectivity and four-speaker audio syetem |
8-inch touchscreen with bluetooth connectivity and six-speaker audio system |
8-inch touchscreen with bluetooth connectivity and BeatsAudio premium sound system |
|
Forward Collision Warning w/ autonomous braking and rear cross-traffic alert |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Anti-lock Braking System and Driveline Traction Control System |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Electronic Stability Control System (ESC) |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Blind Spot Monitor |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Reverse Camera |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
|
Panoramic Sunroof |
Optional |
Optional |
Standard |
|
8-way power adjustable driver’s seat |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
|
Leather seats |
Optional |
Optional |
Optional |
Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian monitoring, blind spot and rear cross-traffic monitors, previously offered as factory options, now come standard on all trim levels while the full IQ.Drive suite of driver-assist features is now standard on the SE and SEL trim levels. Adaptive cruise control, Emergency Assist, and Travel Assist are additions to the Volkswagen IQ.Drive for the two upper trims. Lastly, the panoramic sunroof is now standard for the top-of-the-line SEL trim.
7 The Volkswagen Taos Is Capable
Built on a compact version of Volkswagen-Audi’s MQB global platform, the Taos suits even the adventurous. Supplied with front strut suspension and a torsion beam at the rear for the front-wheel drive variants. The 4Motion all-wheel drive variants come with a more complex independent multi-link rear suspension, but regardless of which variant, the Volkswagen is able to keep up with daily duties and weekend road trip exploits.
- On-road mode
- Snow mode
- Off-road mode
- Off-road Custom mode
Volkswagen’s signature 4Motion AWD gives the Taos the capabilities of a mountain goat. It comes with four modes, activated via a rotating dial near the gear selector. In off-road custom mode, it offers the capability to set certain parameters to suit driver preference.
6 The Interior Is Clean And Simple
The interior follows the same design ethos as the exterior. Clean, simple and understated. And again, that isn’t a bad thing. No frills and avoiding the over-styled aesthetic of many current cars of today. Everything in the cabin of the Taos is intuitive. The dash layout, switches, and buttons are where you expect them to be and are all within easy reach.
Although the interior materials are mostly composed of hard-touch plastic and cloth, it’s to be expected in this price bracket and should you want it, a leather package is an available option. As with the rest of Volkswagen’s line-up, a fully digital screen is in place of the previously traditional analog gauges and the 6.5-inch infotainment screen at the center of the dash comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other features include heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an eight-speaker BeatsAudio sound system, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.
5 The Taos Is Big For A Small SUV
When it comes to cargo capacity, the Taos is at the top of the class. With five passengers on board, the cavernous trunk measures out to 27.9 cubic feet, which is best-in-class. Three passengers less and the rear split folding seats tucked down, an additional 38 cubic feet of cargo space is made available. Due to the body design of the Taos, passenger legroom and headroom at the front and rear are equally spacious.
Front passenger legroom is at 40 cubic feet, while the rear passengers have a comfortable 37.9 cubic feet for their lower extremities and around 40 inches worth of headroom. It’s because of this that the Taos feels bigger than others in the segment. Even the windows are big, giving good outward visibility, and the power-sliding panoramic sunroof helps to give the Taos an even more spacious cabin feel.
4 Easy To Drive
Being a small compact SUV, the Volkswagen Taos is pleasant to drive. Its engine is eager once you get past the inevitable turbo lag, and when paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission, the Taos is a quick and easy city runabout. Because of its size, the Taos is very easily maneuverable around town or tight city streets.
And the array of driver assistance systems make the driving experience much easier.
The seating is comfortable even for long drives thanks to the power-adjustable driver seat and the supportive seat construction; not to mention the switchgear is also easily comprehensible. Because of its tried and tested MQB platform, the Taos has very good road manners and comfortable even in hour-long bouts with heavy traffic.
3 Perceptible German Engineering
Even though the tiny VW is built outside Germany. In Mexico, fittingly where the origins of its name come from, and in Argentina, its German roots are evident not only in the exterior and interior design but in its engineering as well. The type of engineering that is perceptible and that you can feel. The kind that is instantly noticeable upon getting into the driver’s seat. That sense of something being solid and well-built.
The quality of the materials, on the surface, may leave more to be desired, but besides that fact, Volkswagen cars have been largely considered well-engineered and reliable vehicles. Plus, it’s arguable that these hard-touch plastics are tough and durable. It’s the exact same material that Toyota uses for its immortal Hilux and yet nobody seems to mind.
2 The Volkswagen Taos Is Honest
The Taos was designed to be a daily driver that is capable of the occasional weekend camping trip and that multi-day cross-country drive to meet relatives on the Holidays. And while it has some standout features it can brag about, what it is well-equipped and very capable to be is an all-rounder.
Like a Leatherman multi-tool that’s well-designed and well-made.
Packed with knives, files and screwdrivers that are useful but not spectacular at anything, this small SUV is not trying to be anything it isn’t. It’s not a performance SUV and so it’s fuel efficient, rides nice and is quiet. It isn’t a hardcore off-roader, and so it doesn’t come with long travel suspension and noisy mud-terrain tires instead, 18-inch alloys with all-seasons and a supple ride.
The Taos is a pleasant driving, feature-packed compact SUV that has the all basic amenities of a modern-day vehicle. More space for passengers and luggage than it logically should have, and a gutsy 1.5-liter fuel-efficient engine that motivates its weight sufficiently. The Volkswagen Taos is what it is; an honest, no frills, no gimmicks’ subcompact SUV.
1 Still Value For Money
The Volkswagen Taos straddles weirdly between being bang for the buck and way too expensive for its class. Especially when the top trim Taos coming in at $35,830, is already more expensive than its bigger brother, the Tiguan in its base S trim which starts at $28,245 but is much more car than you might need. Not all hope is lost though. With a little restraint in selecting the trim level and features that best suits your daily lifestyle, the 2023 Taos can still be value for money.
In SE trim, Volkswagen asks $30,220 and the Taos would come with everything you would need in a daily driver and adventure mobile. For a little extra, 4Motion AWD could be specified for $1,450 if it would be doing double-duty as a light off-roader on the weekends.
