VW's Right-Sized & Right-Priced CUV | 2022 VW Taos
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Starting a hair under $24,000 the VW Taos is either a screaming deal or a little spendy depending on what you want to compare it with. Priced and sized right between the average sub-compact CUV and the average compact CUV, the Tiguan marches to a different drummer than other tweeners by being wider than the Trailblazer or Compass giving you more room in the back seat.
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I loved the size of my ‘13 Tiguan and this seems to have those same dimensions. Perfect for city driving and parking. However while the ‘13 Tiguan had the excellent 2.0T, the engine in the Taos seems to be a little underwhelming. With that said I really like the size, styling, and interior of this Taos. It’s a great way for someone to avoid the bloat of the newest Tiguan.
Currently at 103k on my 13 as well. Can't rave about it enough. Perfect size and utility for me. The Taos looks like it's successor. Engine is great on the 13, MPG's are another story haha.
The engine in this new Taos is definitely underwhelming and will feel underpowered when the Taos is loaded up with a family and all their cargo. Also puts a lot of strain on the engine.
@@braetonwilson4296 id wager it feels underpowered empty 😂
@@slscamg LOL true!!!
This is a tiny bit bigger then the old Tiguan.
This is honestly a perfect sized/powered vehicle for 95% of people out there.
158 horsepower is underpowered for a family SUV. Even when Alex drove the Taos alone, it took him around 10 seconds to do 0-60. With a full family and cargo, it would take 13 seconds.
@@braetonwilson4296 Right. It needs at least 180hp.
Turbo engine is generally not as reliable as the na engine. I would choose 2.5L Mazda FWD cx-30 over this for better value. VW also don't have good reliability record. And everytime I heard about VW, that dieselgate scandal is always the first thing comes to mind.
My wife has the first gen Tiguan and feels the second gen was too big for her. She’s really interested in seeing this one in person.
We just bought one today it's just about perfect size
We are going to buy one
I recently bought one and drove it on vacation. The gas mileage is amazing!!! I love mine. I have the SE model.
@@betsywhitley2786 very nice 👍. Congratulations!
Nobody cares.
It looks to be about the same size as the old Tiguan. A strange trend how manufacturers make cars bigger and bigger, then introduce new models that are made at the same size that the old model used to be.
Cheap Volkswagens scare me, given how cheaply made the moderate and expensive VWs are.
Yes, and the reliability of the Tiguan (and Atlas) has been very poor. I was appalled at how crummy the interior materials were on the larger, pricier models. These look much the same, but they are more appropriate at this price point. The only bit of conspicuous ugliness was that "metal effect" plastic panel stretching across the dash, right where you can't help but look at it. That would have been acceptable 20 years ago in a cheap car. Not so much now.
cap about cheaper vw, 1 of my cars is a base model, with cloth seat... that's how BASE it is. Golf 2017. no issues at all but unlike most, i do all the basic mainteince on time if not JUST before.
I like the Strong Bags roller the you have in the trunk. Best bag in the market. I have two and love that they fit in my MK 1 Tiguan. I’m very interested in this vehicle replacing my 2017 when the time comes.
If I need another VW crossover with zero style, this is it
VW style, is an oxymoron
Understated mature styling never goes out of style.
I find this kind of simplicity inoffensive for a crossover. Too many are trying too hard and have huge blind spots and compromised rear headroom. This is boxy, and better for it.
Sunroof should be optional on every car. Not everybody wants it.
I have a Taos and mine does not have a sunroof.
Sun/Moon Roof is not available on the Taos, only a Panoramic Glass, available only on the SEL trim.
@5:12 Alex's head popping up (unexpectedly!) in the pass-thru made me do a double-take.
This car is to similarly priced to the Tiguan like in the SE trim it’s a $300-$500 difference they should’ve made this cheaper
Agreed. Unless they plan to raise the price of the Tiguan next year...
@@raizt1596 Yep, they’re raising the price of the new Tiguan as well as making certain options (like AWD) more expensive so come 2022 the Taos will make a lot more sense
VW's biggest problem, and one that they persistently refuse to address is that across their entire lineup, (with the exception of the GTI and Golf R) their vehicles are vastly underpowered, and they do not give you the engine upgrade options that other manufacturers offer. Even in this segment, 10 second zero to sixty runs are rather pathetic, and not what I would wish to rely on if I had to quickly clear an intersection, or pass anything faster than a turtle on the highway.
I totally agree. I drive an old Honda Civic. Alas, my heart races every time I merge onto a highway - it takes about 8 to 10 seconds, and I’m always scared that it won’t speed up in a timely fashion. It’s actually changed my driving behavior. 😐 I’ll be replacing my car this year and have had my eye on the Taos since I heard of it. But, in spite of its positive features, its acceleration is simply unacceptable. I live in the part of the US with heavy traffic congestion, where 10 seconds to gain speed is downright dangerous.
I'm sure their response to this critique would be "buy an Audi" if you want more power.
@@youngalientype Yeah, I totally agree. Which is why I’ve resumed looking at an Audi Q3, lol!
Quite true...20 years ago the average freeway speed was about 70MPH...nowadays, 90+ MPH.
Amber rear turn signals 😍😍😍😍 I hope they don’t change them to red like the Jetta
loving the amber too! i wish more german vehicles had amber turn signals
Ironically enough this is basically the size of the original generation of Tiguan.
Yes, and even looks sort of similar. I haven't compared, but this is probably wider, but overall gives much the same impression. I rather liked that old Tiguan, and think their lineup lost something when it was enlarged. This is a very credible smaller crossover, though the Tiguan has not been reliable, so I'd have reservations about the Taos.
Yes, a bit bigger than MK1 Tiguan from the outside but the interior space is much bigger.
yup, ppl back then didn't like the trunk of gen 1 tiguan has crap storage, Taos' solved this problem.
also Taos is 1" wider + longer ;)
I wish they at least offered forward collision assist/blind spot warning standard instead of a package on the base model. Most of its Asian competitors have that plus more standard. Rest of the car looks great though.
Is guess VW did studies and it showed that people were more drawn to a digital dash vs safety features. Much cooler to show off all the screens
Then get one of the Asian competitors with less room. It’s on the options list if you want it for a reason...some people could give a shit if they have it or not
@@jonathanhidalgo4591 What if I don't want an Asian competitor with less room? Doesn't mean it's ok for VW to exclude very helpful safety features as standard.
@@nothere572 yes it’s absolutely ok for them to do so. You are after all getting more room for your money...want those “useful” safety features? pay for them, it’s not like they’re not available. Manufactures have exactly zero obligation to give you something you find necessary that cars never really had or offered until recently and actually makes cars more expensive unnecessarily.
@@jonathanhidalgo4591 Technology that can help prevent you from getting in a collision is "unnecessary"?? Lmao that's like saying seatbelts are unnecessary. You're full of BS
Before you said “faux tailpipes” I truly thought they were indentations to provide a place to place your foot so you can reach the roof easier, like a step
Lol I love that
That would actually be handy, but I doubt they're big enough or strong enough.
LMAO nothing is stopping you from doing that either but damn are those fake tailpipes ugly
Aw man. I was looking forward to this car, but I'm really bummed at that pathetic acceleration. Dammit.
Do you want to us subcompact ride to be a rocket ?
Yeah I was wishing it would be competitive with the Kia Seltos SX turbo I test drove. That car drives great! And costs much less fully loaded than a Taos SEL awd with sunroof....
@@2004cyrus You think faster than 9.7s is "rocket"? That's like saying weighing less than 300 pounds is "skinny".
@@R56Cooper I test drove the Seltos and didn't even bother driving the base engine trim. The Turbo has a good drive but I tried to negotiate a lease and obviously they were smoking some bad crack.
@@suserman7775 Kody C is a troll who always supports VW and other German brands. Just ignore him.
The Taos really does feel like the mk1 Tiguan when they first launched it back in the late 2000s.
It’s a Seat Ateca for USA. Or a Skoda Karoq for here in Australia ;)
Same same but different.
Great vehicle all the same!
The dual-clutch transmission kills it for me; I live in Canada so I'd be more interested in the AWD version but I wouldn't get the DCT because of their reliability and usability issues. It would've been great if the 8 speed Aisin transmission, which is one of the most reliable transmissions available, could've been coupled with the AWD.
Dsg is tuned like Aisin 8 speed automatic transmission so it makes no sense to have dsg if there is Aisin 8 speed transmission already available. Dsg is not snappy like in gti and gli so what is the point of dsg then. Aisin 8 speed makes morbid sense.
Sammy, I feel exactly the way you do!
Then just get the Tiguan. It's a better deal. For what the Taos cost, the Tiguan is almost the same price and you get a bigger engine with significantly more power and the 8-speed auto is the only transmission offered on the Tiguan regardless of 4WD or FWD.
I bought the SE 4 motion Taos in January, my wife took it to Maryland(from Ohio) she was averaging 36.3mpg. She also drove through D.C. while there. So, highway it shines in gas mileage, driving through town where I live it drops to 24-26mpg
amazing how Peter left VW 20 years ago but the design language of Kia and VM are very similar as if they are partner companies. I really dig Taos design like we do with Seltos we purchased recently.
The Taos reminds me of the Seltos!
Have you been happy with your Seltos? My mom is considering the non turbo version. She doesn’t drive on the freeway so she doesn’t need a lot of vroom vroom.
@@eleanormassaro5195 Have you been happy with your Seltos? Any mechanical issues? My mom is considering buying the non turbo version and is looking for reliability.
@@monicawilson896 I’ve been driving a 2010 RX350 for the past almost 12 years
I’m not a big VW fan but I definitely like this. They did great.
Your NVH testing is so limited. Buyers care about cabin noise more than most of what you're talking about.
@UCW8MNZHhZOrZ2pEY1Q2FuVA Hondas are economy cars. Do you really think the 3 seconds spent on NVH was sufficient for a $40-50k vehicle?
VW are generally very quiet car.
My Jetta is extremely quiet and so is Atlas. Our experience with VW are generally very good experience. You may find more noisy in rav4 and cabin noise whereas you may find Tiguan very refined and cabin noise neatly controlled.
VW has learned from bitter experience that American consumers want their VWs larger and less expensive than European consumers. Thus, the very large US built Atlas replaced the more expensive and smaller Touargeg in this country. The US spec Paasat is larger and less expensive than its European counterpart. The current generation Jetta is noticeably larger than its predecessor and isn't even sold in Germany. Our only Tiguan model is labelled the Tiguan "AllSpace" in Europe and while it's the largest entry in the the US compact class, it's marketed in Europe as a midsize SUV. The Taos follows the same pattern. It's clearly meant to be seen as a "sub-compact" SUV, especially compared to the Tiguan, while its interior passenger and cargo space rivals that of vehicles like the RAV4 in the compact class.
I'd concur that offering the ubiquitous EA888 turbo 2.0L 4 cylinder in the Taos would be delightful. (Perhaps known as the "TLI"?) But I doubt seriously that VW will risk cannibalizing sales of their best selling model, the Tiguan, by offering that engine in the Taos. As far as the7 speed DSG vs a conventional 8 speed transmission, I'm firmly in dual clutch fan club. I've owned two GTIs with the DSG after decades of driving manual transmission vehicles and I wouldn't trade it even for an MT much less a conventional torque converter transmission. (Thank God a CVT isn't an option, at all.)
All in all, I suspect the Taos and the strong selling KIA Seltos will be among the most appealing vehicles in the category of "hatchbacks on stilts," otherwise known as the sub-compact SUV class.
VW markets the Taos as a compact SUV, not sub-compact SUV. Taos looks good but is underpowered for a family SUV.
@@braetonwilson4296 No. VW markets the Taos as a "small" SUV. They really don't care about an arbitrary category designation. But at 175" in length it's almost a foot shorter than the "compact" Tiguan. (185" long). At the same time, it's only 2" longer than a Mazda CX-30, 3" longer than a KIA Seltos, and 5" longer than a Honda HRV. It's definitely in the sub-compact category.
That depends on what kind of dsg is mated with VW Taos. If it is dq200, then it is hard pass since it is dry clutch that isn't meant to handle the baggage that comes with weak motor albeit tuned a bit more than Jetta 1.4 tsi. I am guessing this engine might come with dry clutch dq200 for fuel efficiency so towing is out of question as the result while putting more strain on the weak transmission as it is.
Save the money and buy Audi I guess.
@@ahsanmalik1013 Sorry, but the question of a dry vs wet clutch in a DCT is far more complicated than "wet = good; dry = bad." When VW went to a dry clutch in their 7 speed DSG compared to the wet clutch in the 6 speed unit they did so to prevent contamination of delicate hydraulic and electronic parts by tiny bits of debris that inevitably come with clutch wear. Putting those parts in a separate sealed "wet" unit eliminated the problem and made clutch plate replacement in the separate "dry" portion of the DSG far easier and less expensive. Since eventual clutch place replacement is inevitable in any DCT (or MT), that was a significant plus.
For a vehicle like the Taos with its limited power the DQ200 7 speed DSG is ideal since clutch wear is less pronounced than in high performance/torque engines.
Like almost all engineering choices there is no "best" solution in terms of design and that holds for the variants of the VW/Audi/Porsche DSGs.
For those interested in pursuing the topic a good article can be found at...
axleaddict.com/auto-repair/Common-Faults-in-the-7-Speed-DSG-Automatic-Transmission
@@stephenhendricks103 But there are three types of 7 speed dsg. The one you mentioned is dry clutch aka dq200. The other one that is mated mostly with gti, Tiguan in Europe are dq381 which is wet clutch. Performed engines are mated with dq500 which is also 7 speed dsg. Then there is pdk that is available in Porsche.
Wet clutch dsg is generally more reliable albeit more moving parts whereas dry clutch has less moving parts albeit garners more complaints due to overheating and some have class action going on especially in Australia.
Too expensive, too slow. Otherwise it’s really nice. I’ll take a Seltos
I’m not sure they’ll add more power. The Tiguan definitely needs the 235hp 2.0t from the atlas but they’d rather you just buy a Q5. With the Taos if you want more power go get the Q3. I think it’s a stupid business choice as my pick in the segment would be the CX-30 as 9.7 0-60 isn’t acceptable to me.
These aren’t created to be rockets
@@2004cyrus 9.7 seconds is barely enough to get out of it's own way. Just getting into traffic on a busy state highway could quickly become a problem.
@@2004cyrus Not to mention, that's likely best case scenario. Load it with people and cargo, as it's intended, and it could be impossible to get into faster moving traffic without cutting off someone
@@Ichibuns I mean I’d the Taos is already moving when it needs to get onto the highway it’s not going to be a problem: it has good torque. I own a 2019 and it’s no speed demon and I never have issues getting onto the highway. I’d be the first to admit if it was bad and I would have already sold it. I carry a wife and 3 kids. It’s better than those numbers would indicate with the torque.
@@Ichibuns the power isn’t that big of a deal the Crosstrek is slower and yet it outsells everyone in this class
So essentially this is the same size of the original Tiguan sold in the U.S.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious lol: any original thoughts or insights?
Now i understand why they say mazda has great interiors, hard touch plastic still in 2021 VW?
Yes there are other reasons for that. Plus it’s easier to clean.
Plus it’s a compact. Not an Audi. Starting at $22k. So this vehicle clearly isn’t for you.
Price sells car and people like the screens more than soft touch plastics these days.
Too hard for you? Don’t touch it. Ha
@@2004cyrus Starting at 23K and that's completely stripped. A decent mid trim with some useful packages bumps it up to 30K, too expensive for such a cheap Mexican made interior.
Not only is the VW Taos smart packaging, the design language has hints of ID.4 - excellent family resemblance VW!
Dsg is slow to shift which is not impressive and certainly not live up to the hype of dsg. Which one is better? dsg or Aisin 8 speed from Tiguan/Atlas. If dsg is not quick enough, then what is the point? Not to mention, lack of Electronic differential lock XDS. Not impressed for the price with 1.5 TSI that sounds terrible lag compared to my Jetta 1.4 tsi with Aisin 6 speed.
Owner of a 2015 Tiguan SE here-the shorter and older Tiguan model. In my eyes this is the exact replacement to my vehicle, which I think is great. Very similar dimensions, same character. The major difference is the engine and the digital cockpit.
All that said, unfortunately VW decided to replace the real double exhaust pipe that comes in my 2015 Tiguan with this .. whatever it is .. exhaust-look-alike chrome detail in the rear number.
Yeah that fake exhaust. I just can’t concentrate on any of the great points of this car. Deal breaker 119% for me.
The base model seems like a decent deal, but if I want an AWD Taos with that panoramic roof, it will cost me about $35k... for a car with 158HP. This price range would get you a CX-30 turbo with 250HP. If only they had offered a more powerful engine with this, I'd have probably bought this for the sweet DSG transmission.
Purchased one 4 weeks ago and I have to say Alex I followed your advised and you were wrong, sort of. This Taos is not built for people who likes cars, let alone someone who likes driving them. I test drove it, seemed a little odd but my wife liked it an we jumped on the lease. The following is the list of things driving me crazy:
1) Start Stop system cuts the A/C when stationary while blowing hot air to passengers. It is unacceptable in Miami weather, I can turn it off but how did VW think it was ok?
2) Digital Cluster will NOT display speedometer AND tachometer simultaneously, you get one or the other. Between the really smooth engine and start stop system I can't tell if its running, and I often think the car is off when it wasn't, and sometimes I turn it off by mistake. If I had a tachometer I could just glance at the RPM's to confirm. BTW, I am not a fan of digital speedos, I bought a car not a clock.
3.1) Seats. They are highly uncomfortable, we opted for the SE model as the S had horrible fabric thinking the suede will make a difference. The Suede makes you get stuck on the seat before you can slide your butt into comfort, you will have to pick yourself up from the armrest and steering wheel to accomplish that. Every time.
3.2) Seats. Have yet to find a proper driving position to facilitate driving and TMI here, they cut circulation on my private areas giving me a sensation of Blue b*lls, has anyone else experienced this? They are not car seats but a chair in which as the driver you become a passenger and you just ride on it.
4)The drive. This is were I think you left out a big point Alex. The TAOS is capable and feels very safe but I have absolutely no idea what the engine, brakes and steering are doing and that makes it hard for me to trust this vehicle and apparently the TAOS doesn't trust me either as I am constantly distracted with "turning on my headlights" and "collision" warnings.
Coming from a Manual MKV GLI I might be a little harsh on this car, but I loved that thing and how about my wife's 09 Tiguan and 12' Passat which we both dear so much and this new TAOS feels like it was built for someone else by someone else.
My SE Tiguan was 24k in 2019, prices really went up
Exactly they’re similarly priced i really don’t understand why vw made it so expensive I’m sure most people are just gonna pay the extra few hundred dollars and just get the Tiguan for more space
Same I paid $24,300 for my 2019 also. But.. Alex has to quote retail and he did mentioned generous incentives that VW will likely offer soon.
Was that sticker price or after incentives and haggling? VW will no doubt be marking these down.
@@keyshawnrussell245 Tiguan motor is absolutely pathetic
@@thrasherx2k1 yeah hopefully the Taos will be a little better
From my standpoint, It is a good choice. Thank you for the detailed review.
Nope. Don’t like it! VW just really uses a lot of cheap materials lately. I’ve owned Passat, Touareg, and Tiguan… and honestly, they’ve lost me as a customer. Good luck in Europe. But in North America…you just don’t compete well.
The Taos may be an alternative to the Jetta for many VW shoppers. That interior looks much better than the Jetta’s cost cutting look. Hopefully VW updates the Jetta interior for 2022
I bet it feels and looks similarly cheap, as like the Jetta this is a model designed for China (and the US), not Europe. None of the non-Euro models have had decent interiors. That ugly panel of "metal effect" plastic right across the middle of the dash is a bad sign.
I came here just to be upset about click-bate about price - Taos in maximum cost 37k right now, I can take Tiguan R line for the same money, but with more obvious advantages
16min of speech, clear and concise. Alex is a great presenter.
Not liking the rims on this trim. VW is definitely trying to cut costs to keep the price low that it doesn't even have those foam inserts in the hood to dampen the noise from the engine.
This looks like an excellent package and value proposition. It compares well to the Seltos and the CX30. Could use more power, though.
I'll pass. I went down the whole fanboy path with VW for a few short years. Never again. Expensive, frequent maintenance, warranty issues, etc. Of all companies, VW needs to be offering a Hyundai/Kia like warranty. In 2019 the had the "VW peoples first warranty" 6/72 for one year -- and I'm sure they lost their ass. They also have the worst CPO warranty program.
Been waiting for this one - On the short list to buy!
i think all new Honda HR-V hybrid is on the way....
Didnt think we’d be getting this in the states
VW never said we wouldn’t. This has been planned for us. Europe gets the T-Rock.
We get whatever China gets. Ironic.
Every other mainstream make has been introducing these, so why wouldn't they? This is a bit more premium than most, engine excepted.
@@markmiller3279 The odd thing was that when VW replaced the old, small Tiguan, it chose to do it only with the giant long wheel base Tiguan in North America, while doing it with a smaller Tiguan everywhere else, so their strategic thinking was that Americans don’t want small CUVs. Now, instead of introducing the already developed smaller Tiguan, they bring in an odd duck model that was designed only for China. Unfortunately, like all other “only for China/America” models, this one is absolute garbage, with poor dynamics, cheaper engines and many corners cut in QC. Even Škodas and Séats are better quality than what they build in Puebla/Smyrna. Look at all the issues the Jetta, Passat and Titan have had. They’re killing the brand.
@@afcgeo882 I got a MK7, SEL Premium 2020 so I don’t agree with you at all. The MK7 is actually quicker then my 2014 was.
I'm very disappointed that VW would release a family SUV with only 158 horsepower. When the Taos is loaded up with a family and all their cargo, it will feel underpowered. Not to mention the constant strain on that tiny turbo engine. Expect to pay out of pocket to replace engine and DCT right after warranty expires.
In the US this class of vehicle are not family SUVs. They're much, much smaller than that. The Tiguan is even at the smaller end of the family market. No, this is for the young and childless, or empty-nesters (a market no one admits they target, but small crossovers are popular with that group.) In reality this would be plenty big enough for small families, but for some reason people think a baby needs a room full of gear, instead of a child seat, diapers, and food.
@@markmiller3279 Much much smaller? This Taos is almost the size of the RAV4/CR-V/CX-5 etc. and those are all bought as family vehicles. Most Americans can't afford full-size SUVs such as the Pilot, Highlander, Telluride etc.
This, CX30 and Seltos are imo the best subcompact crossovers.
Not this. It will fall apart after a few years.
@@Mgoblagulkablong how do you know that? It just came out.
I have a CX30. Very happy with it
@@Mgoblagulkablong Nonsense.
@@stephenhendricks103 Statistics don't lie. VW has a much lower reliability rating than both Mazda and Hyundai/Kia.
What's a trunk comfort score?
VW should make a Taos GT or Taos R with the 2.0T from the GTI. 241 HP would be amazing in this vehicle.
I’m not sure I agree with Alex as far as value... while it might offer that in terms of size it only applies to base models. 34k for top level trim is absolutely way too much money for this car, and as others have pointed out a base Tiguan is only a few hundred dollars difference compared to an SE Taos
I find it baffling that the VW Taos actually has an option for ventilated seats while the Audi Q3 doesn’t. Terrible decision by Audi, imo, definitely a dealbreaker for me.
Pro Tip: Always keep your hands in the 9-3 positions to maintain a constant leverage/control of your steering. Avoid your 'shuffle' to enhance safety.
Can anyone tell me why US VW cars do not have the "Auto Hold" button (or that functionality at all) next to the parking brake button?
US VW are cheaply made in Mexico and low quality.
34 grand for a top end trim is really pricey. Especially for not having more power and no power lift gate. I’d rather save 5-6 grand and get the Kia Seltos and not have ventilation on the front seats!
Well you are right except that VW will probably take $3500-$5000 off of the price in a year
@@2004cyrus, their going to have to reduce the price to make it sell! Otherwise it will just set on the Lot and not move enough volume
@@jonathanjackson9208 oh are you an economist or a marketer or a regional sales manager? Or an executive in the auto business. VW group is the largest auto group. They’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive. They are not new to volume sales neither in the USA or in Europe. Sounds like they need to call you and get a winning strategy because they are clueless at the whole game from manufacturing to selling. Not! They may not sell you one but they will sell 50-100 thousand per year. And I think they know how to price vehicles so that they can build in incentives when necessary to move cars… and still take in their profits all the way to the bank. C’mon now Mr Jackson
@@2004cyrus, it’s called research. The Tiguan alone was the 13th best selling small SUV sold in 2020 they only moved 110,502 units here in the US and considering VW reliability and Diesel scandals still haunting them they have a whole lot of catching up to do before they will be a top selling reliable vehicle. The Taos is cute and everything but Cute doesn’t sell, they will have to mark them down to make them move. For the money you might as well buy a Tiguan over a Taos!
@@jonathanjackson9208 I research everything! My family owns 17 dealerships for the last 50 years and I have a 2019 out in the driveway. I have fords and an Infiniti and a new Mazda CX-5. They are dealer loaners or I bought them and I share them with family and friends. I understand the industry. I’m not 19. I’m 34
I own one. It’s a great little suv. For real world driving the 1.5 turbo is fine, and have not felt any noticeable lag. Go drive one, don’t get caught on the 150hp number
Sandy Munro took a close look at the ID4 (not a full teardown though) and in his interview today wouldn't even mention it in his list of decent EVs. In fact he said places #1,2,3 and 4 belonged to the 4 Tesla models (although he didn't list the model order), #5 was the Ford Mach-E and #6 was the Polestar 2.
158 horsepower is a missed opportunity. Like the current Tiguan, they underestimated the power demands of people who buy top level trims. The Seltos has 175 hp and the CX-30 has even more. 158 is a good base number but not great for those who choice to add more features.
Agreed. Given how many engines VW has in the company that would fit in here easily, they really should have offered a more powerful engine on the higher trim levels. It wouldn't really have cost them much more. They're all fours of similar complexity, differing mostly in displacement.
I don't think the power and torque numbers of this engine are so bad. Twenty years ago they would have been considered more than adequate, but there's still no reason VW shouldn't have offered more performance for people who wanted it.
Actually, it feels quick. I test drove a FWD SE version and at no point did it feel slow. Not gonna race Mustangs in it, but for what it is, felt quite agile.
We need the ID.3!
Absolutely!
VW TDi guy but outgrowing my ‘15 Golf TDi. AllTrack was tempting but still has the same backseat space and no diesel. Taos is only 6 inches longer than a Golf. 2wd Taos gives you the same interior and cargo space as much bigger Tiguan. 2wd Taos gets an extra gear for mpg 8 speed. The engine is the proven 1.4 bored out to 1.5 and uses a Variable Turbine Geometry Turbo which is tech from Diesel engines. Truly a worthy Golf successor. If you don’t care about AWD why wouldn’t you get one?
I drive a SV model. It is an very nice driving experience with acceleration, handling and turning circle. It's fun to drive - simply put. The visibility is pretty good out of the car, and the seating position is high. The interior fit is well, but the materials are cheap - hard plastic dash and door sides, with soft door sills only. It's a durable surface, but odd for the market. The DSC takes some getting used to and works nicely with the Taos except for off the line where there may be a jerking motion on launching from a rolling stop.
The infotainment unit is frustrating as it allows wireless Apple CarPlay, but that's where the convenience ends. The unit must be powered "on" to work, and the radio won't share with the CarPlay nav screen which forces you to flip screens manually using the "APP" button which is far to the right for the driver's reach ( a distraction) to get back to the navigation screen after adjusting the radio. Unless you memorize all the presets in your memory, you can used the steering wheel switch to toggle through the stations.
The HVAC system is manual which is odd for the segment as the competition offers automatic climate controls. It's somewhat sensitive and finding temperature control takes some practice. The backup camera is plain and has no 360 view nor turning guidance. There is a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, odd for a mid level trim in this segment. I would've traded the heated steering wheel for a automatic climate system and 360 backup camera.
The TAOS looks great and is fun to drive, park and maneuver. It does all road work competently and suredly. What is lacks in finesse, it makes up for in handling and driving enjoyment.
Alex, Very interesting, this is one more piece of evidence that shows Toyota really needs to bring their 50+ mpg Corolla and Yaris Crosses to market ASAP. Kudos to VW for choosing an Aisin transmission.
The steering wheel doesn't have the crap haptic feedback buttons! Good
I was thinking the same. The conventional buttons look good on there.
I just can’t stand all the “fake” with VW these days. Fake exhaust. Fake vents * everywhere *.
3:37 Taos listed twice for a 2nd Row Headroom!
Noticed that, too, and noticed that the Bronco Sport is listed for 2nd-row headroom but not for combined legroom. Hmmmmmm ...
How about a PHEV for more power?
Nope. This is it
Those have to be designed in from the start, and I doubt they did that here. It's a cheapish crossover for the Chinese market that the US also gets a few of.
Please review the 2022 HYUNDAI Kona N-Line (similar engine to the i20N)! Thanks Alex on Autos!
what do you think about placing the POV camera behind you, looking at the dashboard and the road ahead? i feel personally that looking at the steeringwheel in one shot and then looking at the road from the rear c panel is ok, but maybe those two cameras can be merged into one. i don't really get much benefit from looking at the wheel the whole time or looking at the side of the car....just one person s opinion
I have had 3 VW Jettas.
The Tornado Red R line was my favorite. However, I just purchased a white Taos (Taco)with black alloy rims 2022 on 8/31/21. I love the sporty look and the panoramic view.
Thank you VW…👌🏽 BTW Alex u did a wonderful job in the detailed video!
Have you had any issues so far? Too many people dismissive of VM in the comments section. I’m floored by the comfort and the drivability. I drove it through potholes and didn’t feel a thing, while Kia Sportage shook me up pretty well. Not sure how people miss the excellent drivability experience of the VW.
Anyone else having occasional high pitched squeaking when accelerating. (Occurs at city and highway speeds). Seems to happen when the gears shift. Lasts about 5 or so seconds. Stops immediately when I let off accelerator. I have the 8-speed auto (about 2,000 miles on it). Happens in "D" and in "S", maybe a little less in "S". TIA!
It would be better to bring Tiguan X to the US.
How would you compare this to the 2014 Tiguan I saw you do a review on? I bought that car. Is this more comfortable for a 260 lb 6 foot tall man??
I test drove this and previously test drove the old Tiguan. The Taos feels much nicer. Very sizable on the inside. I also felt it drove better than the old Tiguan, but others may have a different opinion on that point.
Excellent overview. Wow that's slow though. Motortrend has a base CX-30 at 7.8 seconds 0-60 and Mazda is also pretty generous with it's standard safety suite. If you can live with the smaller backseat and cargo capacity, it would be my choice. (PS Dear Mazda more of your competitors are adding ventilated seats, please add them to the CX-30 and Mazda3!)
LOL, the Americans in the comment section are hilarious, you guys want huge SUVs with huge HP, best Fuel economy, best space, best driving, best quality, best everything for 24K 😂 160 HP for a compact crossover is beyond enough for the market, the new 1.5TSI delivers torque at very low rpm, the HRV produces 17 less hp, the CHR 14 less HP do you guys buy a compact crossover to race or something?... In the rest of the world, the basic Tiguan starts with 150 hp lol.
i was looking at the Q3. this one is pretty stylish, nice interior. i like the exterior, tasteful and discrete. how's interior space compared to Q3 and XC40?
As all three are very boxy, comparing exterior dimensions should give you a pretty accurate idea. I'm happy to see a small crossover without a swoopy roofline that robs rear headroom. This looks very practical.
I guess that the reason that all the full-LCD instrument cluster is standard across all trim levels is that it is more cost-efficient to offer only one choice of instruments rather than two and it seems that LCD screens come pretty cheap nowadays.
Unreliability comes standard
So much Mountain town names lately. Taos, Palisade, Telluride
Similar size and more features and a DCT and a much better warranty and very connected to the road and for 5k less at a top of the line model? Taos? No, Seltos. Kia Seltos has those features but the VW fanboys (I'm guessing there are fewer and fewer over time) will stick to their brand until the end of days while the products around them get better and better. 22k on a 2021 SX Turbo Seltos and I still love driving it. (lots of highway miles...who knew Kia could make a great smallish highway SUV?).
Can't you get navigation map to show up on dash? He said thats not possible?
I believe you can, on the SEL trim
Yay!! No Haptic Buttons, might have to grab me one of these for the winters!
I noticed that too.
Unfortunately I drove one and it’s has major turbo lag. Like you have to think ahead a few seconds before you take off cause you have no power till 3-4K rpms
@@CaricatureFun That’s a problem.
This will do well. Might be under powered as most VWs are.
Could have just made a shorter version of Tiguan.......like Europe version
Well this is a Skoda Karoq/Seat Ateca offered in Europe, both goods cars
Good to see the SEAT Ateca heading off on adventures around the world.
It needs a EV drive train option.
They have the ID.3 in this space I believe.
@@gregkramer5588 Hi, it's smaller than this I think
@@davidws5439 A little but too close for a separate model based on size.
It doesn't really work that way. Proper EVs need to be designed to be EVs from scratch, not as a battery awkwardly added to an ICE model. If you do that you get an e-Golf, with a useless range. VW has the ID line for their EVs. We'll see which they make and import.
Jetta sales to plummet. No reason for it to exist anymore, except for base trims. Definitely the reason they stopped the Golf. And if the did a GTI version, that would be interesting.
Can you find out the dimension of the tires, and the ground clearance?
The driving dynamics of the KIA Seltos SX is great--- and also much less $ than the Taos....
SX Turbo seltos
I wish offer hybrid Toas thanks Alex 👍🌹
The RAV4 rides quite firmly, so Alex's comment about it riding better than the Taos is a negative.
Did anyone else think this was named VW Tacos?
Exc review as always but taos is Waayy Overpriced. Hate those fake exhaust--mazda beats it
"Pedestrian detestion"? I don't like them either!😁
Sigh... hate to admit but this seems like a perfect fit for me. Now I gotta test drive it.
you admitted it. Now we hate you 😆
@@naveenthemachine I’m ashamed 😅 I feel like I betray the sedan and wagon clan.
@@nattga I cross shopped an suv w a sedan I chose the sedan
I'm not a VW fan. But I was mildly curious right up until the engine came up.
Automakers, stop throwing turbos in every little thing. I want dependability and reliability. Turbos just put more strain on weak engines deisgn for a smaller car. What is wrong with yall.
Great execution by VW on this, but the mpg is a bit disappointing. This could really benefit from a hybrid system.
Yes, but 30mpg is pretty typical. They should be better, but most crossovers are not very aerodynamic. They push aside a lot of air.
@@markmiller3279 I agree, it's difficult to get a low coefficient of drag on a brick. I'm curious to see the real world mpg numbers of the Taos once Alex gets one for his usual testing. I'm surprised VW didn't get more output from this engine. Honda is able to get 190 HP out of their 1.5L Turbo.
I got a Taos S with 4Motion and its great. My only complaint is that the S trim has cheap feeling cloth seats :/ Coming from a 19 Golf SE, the interior is definitely cheaper feeling (In the S Trim). Also the sound system could be better.
The size comparison should be with the Golf. This is basically the same size as a Golf, but jacked up a bit, right? I have had rabbits and Golfs in the past and they are excellent daily drivers/road trip cars even for very tall people.
Is there a shade for the panoramic sun roof? The over head glare is headache inducing on a long drive if you don't have one and I would think the car gets hotter in the summer.
So VW just did a CRV/HRV, Tuscon/Kona, Rogue/Rouge Sport/Qashqai on us. If only they'd put a GTI engine in it like the previous genTiguan.
About those LED taillights. Not a fan. I know this is a pessimistic take but headlights being LED are logical because of the vision improvements, but tailights should be cheap and smashable.
:/ for the price you're better of getting a GLI if you're looking for better driving dynamics and power. Just another one of those head scratchers for me on why people would rather have a slower SUV than a better driving sedan at the same price point from the same manufacturer.
Tested an Awd version of this the other day. I was surprised. Made me rethink after my experience. Though I will have to test out the Tiguan for comparison. I’m getting tired of Nissan and the cvt and the joystick shifter.
Another nice car from VW and considered one But the more you inquire the more Horror stories you hear about service delays and parts? This is a Big country and this ain’t Europe!