Overview
The Taos is the baby bear of the Volkswagen SUV lineup, residing below both the larger Tiguan and much larger Atlas. But the familial resemblance is obvious, as the subcompact Taos shares the same chunky exterior styling theme and signature front and rear lighting elements. A 174-hp turbocharged four-cylinder provides adequate thrust to either the front or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. And what it lacks in excitement it makes up for in fuel efficiency, delivering a solid 40 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test.
The Taos’s cabin is accommodating, and—just as with the exterior—borrows heavily from its larger siblings. While we’d prefer a few more knobs for frequently used functions and a more intuitive infotainment setup, the overall design is purposeful and pleasing, and the seats are comfortable.
Expert Tip: If you find the Taos’s style and functionality to your liking but need more room, the larger Tiguan is sitting nearby in the VW showroom, awaiting your approval.
What’s New for 2027?
The Taos lineup gets a new Sport trim positioned just above the base S model. It features black 18-inch wheels, black roof rails, and a black spoiler. The front bumper trim, rear skid plate, and exhaust tips are rendered in gunmetal grey. Yellow interior stitching and embossed black cloth seats further identify the new Sport trim. The base S trim now offers satellite radio, voice control, and two additional speakers for a total of six, as well as keyless entry.
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Pricing and Which One to Buy
In prior years, we recommended the mid-level SE model, but now we’re leaning towards the new Sport trim. It comes standard with 18-inch wheels, but we’d add all-wheel drive, largely because it replaces the front-drive model’s rear suspension with a more sophisticated independent setup.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance Engine: 174-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder Transmission: 8-speed automatic Drivetrains: front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive.
The Taos is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 174 horsepower and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front or all four wheels. The front-drive and all-wheel-drive Taos have different rear suspensions, with the former using a torsion-beam setup and the latter using a more sophisticated multilink design. Although the Taos can’t be considered quick, we appreciated the engine’s low-speed thrust, the eight-speed automatic’s unobtrusive operation, and the suspension’s composure during our time with one.
0–60-MPH Times C/D 60-mph Test: 8.2 seconds
In Comparison: The Honda HR-V is even slower, requiring 9.4 seconds to hit 60 mph; the Mazda CX-30 was a tad better at 8.1 seconds, but the CX-30 with the turbo engine leads the pack at 6.2 seconds.
Additional ResearchFuel Economy and Real-World MPG C/D 75-mph Highway Fuel-Economy Test: 40 mpg EPA City Ratings: 25-28 mpg EPA Highway Ratings: 33-36 mpg
The front-drive Taos is EPA-rated at 28 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined. The all-wheel-drive model is rated at 25 mpg city, 33 highway, and 28 mpg combined. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, a front-wheel-drive Taos earned an impressive 40 mpg. For more information about the Taos’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
In Comparison: The last Honda HR-V we tested returned just 32 mpg on our 75-mph, real-world highway fuel-economy test; the Mazda CX-30 with the turbocharged engine returned 31 mpg.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
First Row: A digital gauge cluster is fitted to every Taos dashboard, and the standard two-tone seats are covered in cloth. However, leatherette and leather upholstery are both available, too. There’s no shortage of popular options, either. The Taos cabin can be equipped with customizable ambient lighting, an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof.
Second Row: Second row seating follows the style of the front but with flatter base and back surfaces; technically a five-passenger vehicle, the center occupant will feel pinched for room. The Taos’s rear legroom is only 0.8 inches less than the next-larger, two-row Tiguan SUV.
Cargo Capacity: The Taos also has 28 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seatbacks and 66 cubes with them folded flat. In our testing, we fit nine carry-on suitcases in the Taos’s cargo bay; with the rear seats folded, we fit a total of 25.
Infotainment and Connectivity Infotainment: 8.0-inch touchscreen Connectivity: Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Audio System: 6-speaker stereo (standard), 8-speaker stereo (optional)
Every Taos features a slick-looking infotainment system with a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. An 8.0-inch touchscreen is standard and features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The system can also be equipped with built-in navigation, a six-speaker stereo, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. A pair of USB-C ports in the center stack features fast charging capability. A single 12-volt power port is standard.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
This smallest of VW crossovers comes with a variety of driver-assistance technologies, including forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking.
Standard Safety Features: blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross-traffic alert, forward -collision warning, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with a lane-centering feature
For more information about the Taos’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Volkswagen provides an above-average limited warranty and below-average powertrain coverage. However, the company does include complimentary scheduled maintenance that aligns with Toyota.
Limited Warranty: four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain Warranty: four years or 50,000 miles Complimentary Maintenance: two years or 20,000 miles C/D Test Results and Specs
Each year, we put hundreds of vehicles through our rigorous instrumented testing regimen. If the data in the chart below is for a different model year, that’s because this vehicle hasn’t changed from when we last tested it, and the test results remain accurate.
Specifications
2025 Volkswagen Taos SE Black FWD
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $32,070/$32,525
ENGINE
turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 91 in3, 1498 cm3
Power: 174 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/torsion beam
Brakes, F/R: 12.3-in vented disc/10.7-in disc
Tires: Bridgestone Turanza LS100
215/50R-18 92H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.5 in
Length: 175.9 in
Width: 72.5 in
Height: 65.1 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 52/45 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 60/25 ft3
Curb Weight: 3313 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 8.2 sec
1/4-Mile: 16.3 sec @ 88 mph
100 mph: 21.5 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 8.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.4 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.6 sec
Top Speed (mfr claim): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g
Interior Sound
Idle: 37 dBA/2 sone
Full Throttle: 74 dBA
70-mph Cruising: 70 dBA/27 sone
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 32 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 40 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 580 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 31/28/36 mpg