A BOLD CROSSOVER OPTION
This perky performer features great handling, has plenty of power and is fuel efficient
The introduction of the 2022 Taos continues Volkswagen's shift from car company to crossover brand. When VW decided the cute and cuddly T-roc was too small for North American tastes, it started planning. The result is the Taos, which straddles the gap between the traditional subcompact and compact segments.
It is a bold entrant that picks up a lot of its style from its larger Atlas siblings and slots neatly under the Tiguan, so it becomes the gateway to the brand's range of crossovers. When it lands, Taos — named after a small New Mexico town — will be offered in Trendline ($26,695), Comfortline ($32,395), and the top Highline ($36,695) model tested.
The strong exterior style flows neatly into a clean and well conceived cabin. The Highline brings classy materials. The leather covering the heated and cooled front seats is much nicer than the leatherette in the Comfortline. This alone is worth the Highline premium.
Centre stage is an eight-inch infotainment screen that is fast and easy to use. It supports wireless Apple Carplay, Android Auto, and a solid Beats sound system with eight speakers and a subwoofer.
You'll also find VW'S Digital Cockpit, with a 10.25-inch configurable screen, and a power panoramic moonroof.
There is plenty of room for a pair of 6-footers in the rear seats, which is generally not the case in a subcompact crossover. The legroom in the Taos is only 45 millimetres less than in the Tiguan, despite the wheelbase, at 2,689 mm, being 101 mm shorter.
The Taos also has generous cargo space. With the seats up, it measures 790 litres, but drop the 60/40-split folding rear seats down, and it grows to 1,866 L. The amount of space does drop slightly in the 4Motion all-wheel-drive models. Regardless, it still has significantly more cargo space than the Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek.
One small nit is that when the seats are folded, there is a 25-mm or so lip where the folded seat backs meet the trunk floor.
While the Trendline is missing key safety equipment, the Comfortline and Highline come with forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, along with blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Highline then adds active front headlights, rain-sensing wipers, auto high-beams, and rear parking sensors. A $1,000 package on Highline brings lane-keep assist, remote start, and adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality.
Power comes from a new 1.5-L turbo four derived from the 1.4L turbo four in the Jetta. In this case, it twists out 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. It works with an eightspeed automatic transmission in the front-drive model, and a better seven-speed twin-clutch box in the all-wheel-drive units. The smart entry-level shopper will go with the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system — the $2,500 option cost on the Trendline is money wisely invested. The AWD system is standard on Comfortline and Highline.
Normally, 4Motion feeds the power through the front wheels, which helps fuel economy. However, an impending loss of traction will send up to 50 per cent of the drive flow to the rear wheels. Because the system is proactive, the continual ebb and flow of power means wheelspin is basically banished, so it is just what's needed on a slippery Canadian road. It also uses a brake-based differential action to ensure the drive goes to the wheel or wheels that can use it.
Drive modes include Normal, Sport and Individual. Sport puts a little more weight in the steering, sharpens the throttle response and quickens the gearshifts. There are also terrain modes, which include Snow and Off-road.
The Taos is a perky performer, partly because the turbocharger blows air into the engine at 25.9 psi. In spite of this high boost pressure, the Taos burns regular gas, which will cut the cost of ownership.
Another reason to go with the 4Motion AWD model is the fact it gets a better rear suspension. Where the front-drive model uses a torsion-beam setup, the 4Motion models employ a multi-link layout, which helps both the ride and handling. And this is where the Taos really shines. On an intermittently wet drive route, the all-wheeldrive system hooked up seamlessly and the suspension soaked up road ripples.
Body roll is limited, so the Taos holds a flat attitude through a fast corner. The steering has good on-centre feel, and the response to input is quick and refined. As a package, it is one of the sportier crossovers at this end of the market.