Alex Nishimoto, with Edmunds, wroteThough it was a few years late to the party, Volkswagen finally entered the extra-small SUV game when it launched the Volkswagen Taos in 2022. Slotting below VWs Tiguan in size and price, the subcompact Taos offers attractive styling, handy available tech features and a surprisingly spacious interior. Volkswagens smallest SUV is a big deal. Taos packs plenty of modern tech and safety features into a tidy package. It also has excellent passenger and cargo space. Overall this is one of the most well-rounded and family-friendly offerings in the class.
A 158-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine motivates the Taos and helps it stand out as one of the quicker options in the class. That is surprising as it is also one of the biggest, offering an impressive amount of space for passengers and cargo. Overall, the Taos is a well-rounded SUV with a compelling blend of convenience, utility and value.
When it comes to cabin comfort, the Taos does it pretty well. The front seats have a sporty shape and offer surprisingly good support. The climate control is easy to use and effective at distributing air flow to the entire cabin. The interior is one of the best in the class, from the ease with which you can step in and out of the large door openings to the generous passenger space. The Taos almost feels like a class size up compared to its competition. Outward visibility is excellent thanks to square windows and good mirror coverage, and we had no issue reaching any of the controls from the driver's seat.
The shape and size of the Taos mean it is able to maximize interior space. With 27.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, the Taos is class-leading. The rear seats have a center pass-through and the usual 60-40 split, and they fold down mostly flat.
When it came to styling the Taos, VW did not bother reinventing the wheel. It looks very much like a scaled-down Atlas, which is to say clean and kind of rugged.