`The 2022 Volkswagen Taos is a brand-new offering of the subcompact crossover SUV segment and is here to compete with the arch-rivals like the Mazda CX-30 and Kia Seltos, both of which offers exceptional value and comfort. Offered for a base MSRP of $23,295, the 2022 Taos is one of the best-looking offerings of the segment, both in terms of interior and exterior. The cabin is very spacious and comes loaded with all the techs and features.
When it comes to performance, the drivers are going to enjoy the torquey turbocharged motor on offer, which comes mated to a smooth-shifting automatic transmission. The AWD can be had with all the trims, which also upgrades the transmission to the lightning-quick DSG automatic. Offering one of the best acceleration times coupled with impressive ride quality and driving dynamics, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Volkswagen Taos.
10 Not The Fastest SUV Out There
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos comes with the 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 motor producing a respectable 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission if you opt for the FWD trims. However, the 4MOTION AWD drivetrain, which is offered with all three trims, comes mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Even though the performance numbers of the Taos look pretty ordinary, it managed to impress us with its punchy mid-range and low-end performance due to the presence of forced induction. As a result, the car is a delight to drive in the cities and on highways, even though it loses its steam higher up the rev range. The automatic transmission is reasonably quick to respond as well.
9 Exterior Design Looks Very European
Volkswagen has managed to strike the right balance between classy and youthful design with the 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The bold design language could be easily understood with just a glance at its front fascia which gets the chrome inserts on the grille, LED headlights with LED DRLs, and the blacked-out elements, all of which make the car look purposeful.
There are eight exterior color palettes and if you opt for the Basecamp Styling Components option, which is offered for an MSRP of $1,050, you would get fender splash guards, skid plates, and a few other additions, making the car more masculine. The elegant character lines on the side profiles, chrome window lining, and the optional 19″ alloy wheel make the car look much more expensive than it is.
8 Cabin Looks Beautiful
Step into the cabin of the 2022 Taos and you would appreciate the elegant design language, which has been borrowed from the exterior. Even though the base MSRP of $23,295 makes it one of the cheapest offerings of the segment, the cabin quality, and the design is much superior to the Subaru Crosstrek and Kia Seltos.
The car comes covered in leather and leatherette upholstery depending on the trim that you opt for, and the beautifully crafted dashboard and door cards make it in line with the more expensive Volkswagen Tiguan. The chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel, black and French roast color combinations, and the angular AC vents with dark silver borders look very appealing too.
7 Plenty Of Space
The interior space is where this subcompact SUV really managed to surprise us. The front seat occupants are going to rave about the easy ingress and egress due to the wide-opening doors, and seats that offer top-notch side bolstering and under-thigh support are unmatched. They are electrically adjustable and offer heated functionality too. The steering wheel gets heating support as well.
The rear seat turned out to be easily the best of the lot, with more than adequate under-thigh support, precise lower back support, and enough room to accommodate three passengers with ease. The front and rear also turned out to be impressive in terms of headroom and legroom, making it one of the most ideal choices for family SUV buyers. The cargo capacity of 27.9 cu ft betters all the rivals too.
6 Top-Notch Fuel Economy
A well-spread out 8-speed torque converter automatic mated to a 1.5-liter turbocharged motor means that the 2022 Taos equipped with the front-wheel-drive drivetrain manages to give out an impressive 28 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which equates to combined gas mileage of 31 mpg. With 13.2 gallons of fuel tank capacity, 475 miles of highway range is possible too.
However, if you opt for the AWD variant which comes with the dual-clutch transmission, the fuel efficiency does come down to 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. With multiple driving modes on offer, many have also received an even better gas mileage. In comparison, the Mazda CX-30 offers a combined gas mileage of 28 mpg, which is much lower than what is offered by the FWD variant of the Taos.
5 Infotainment Offers All The Necessary Features
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos comes with a 6.5″ touchscreen MIB3 infotainment system as standard. Coming loaded with all the tech and features including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, steering mounted audio controls, Bluetooth, SiriusXM radio, and many more, the passengers are going to enjoy the traveling experience offered by the Taos.
The user interface is pretty intuitive, with no lags and stutters to report. The learning curve is minimal, too. However, if you want an even better system, Volkswagen also offers an optional 8″ infotainment system, which turned out to be even better. The audio quality showcased by the Beats Premium Audio System is exceptional too.
4 Offers Variety Of Driver-Assistance Tech
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos comes with many safety and driver-assistance features as standard, making it a great subcompact SUV for family buyers. The standard list includes forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, tire pressure monitoring system, and a few more.
However, you could opt for the inexpensive optional packages to get more driver-assistance features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, etc. Even though the car hasn’t been crash-tested by the NHTSA and IIHS yet, with the strong build quality and impressive safety features on offer, it is likely to get top-notch scores in these crash tests.
3 Ride Quality Is Decent
If you opt for the 2022 Volkswagen Taos with the FWD drivetrain layout, the car comes with a torsion beam setup. Even with that, the Taos turned out to be pretty impressive in terms of ride quality, filtering most of the bumps and potholes you throw at it, irrespective of the speed that you do. Even though there is a hint of stiffness, it doesn’t unsettle the ride.
However, we would recommend you to opt for the 4MOTION AWD variant as it comes with a more modern independent multi-link rear setup. This turned out to be even better in terms of ride quality. The slow-speed ride was pretty pliant, filtering even the sharpest of potholes with ease. When driven on the highways, the suspension works pretty silently and with no body roll and pitching, all of which are very un-SUV like
2 Grips The Road Pretty Well
The driving dynamics offered by the 2022 Volkswagen Taos turned out to be better than expected from this segment. Even though it doesn’t come out as a more fun to drive offering than the Mazda CX-30, which has always retained the title, the precise and feel-some steering wheel coupled with a balanced chassis makes sure that the car corners pretty flat.
The AWD variant grips onto the road pretty well when pushed around the corners, and the traction control and stability control don’t intrude too much. The body roll is well under control and the understeer could only be felt at the limits. Even the FWD version turned out to be a better handler than the Subaru Crosstrek, Chevrolet Trailblazer, and Kia Seltos.
1 Excellent Brakes
The braking performance on offer is very Volkswagen-like, even with an economical price tag. The car comes with 12.3″ front rotors and 10.7″ rear rotors and a host of features including ABS, EBD, brake assist, hill hold control, and electric parking brake. The transmission also does a wonderful job of shedding the speed.
The brakes offered impressive initial bite and the brake pedal presented more than enough feedback, making it pretty entertaining to drive. Even under hard braking, we were more than happy with the brilliant braking progression on offer, which could easily rival the Mazda CX-30. The 70-0 mph braking distance of 176 feet turned out to be up there with the best of them.
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