Volkswagen’s Taos CUV had a tall order on its plate when it was asked to replace the iconic Golf in the U.S. a few years ago. The Taos was meant to appeal to urban dwellers and give VW an entry that would be a true gateway model while also allowing the Tiguan to move upmarket as well. The Taos has proven to be somewhat successful in that regard but the CUV also suffered from styling that was too bland and preferred to lurk in the shadows of the crowded CUV segment.Â
Volkswagen is now attempting to bring it into the light with the 2025 model which gives the CUV a new face and a new lease on life as it attempts to refocus itself in the CUV segment.
New Taos styling does take some getting used to
We’ll admit that the full exterior revamp on the Taos does take some getting used to with our green-hued SEL tester getting a new front end that gets a chunkier front bumper, new headlights, and a reworked front grille that now allows the CUV to embrace VW’s current design language. The look is more expressive but it also takes some getting used to with the new face embracing its love-it-or-hate it persona.
The side profile is chunkier and the rear styling now gets a lightbar and reworked letter script to try and make it look more upscale. Extreme temperatures and snow kept our tester covered by a light layer of grime most of the time but even when covered by the worst winter could throw at it, our tester still managed to stand out which is the core theme VW was trying to project. Buyers looking to maximize the visual impact will have to go for the SEL which gets 19-inch alloy wheels, more access to colors, and splashes of chrome accents here and there to project an upscale image.
Taos interior embraces the tech
Slip inside the Taos and you’ll find that the interior is a more premium experience than before with VW upping the ante when it comes to interior quality Two-tone cloth seats are standard but while leatherette seats are available in mid-grade trims, our SEL arrived with fully leather thrones. While these seats are not as squishy soft as more luxury-minded entries, they are supportive and comfortable enough for most occasions including a trip to Flint to see Clarissa Shields fight in her hometown at Dort Financial Center.
However, while the seats were good, VW’s insistence on using haptic controls for the climate control system made it feel like the co-main of that event with the controls delivering erratic responses and lacking the precision needed to be used on the move. Unlike the fight, the system did not get a DQ for driving occupants through the timekeeper’s table but we wish that VW will eventually listen to owners and make these controls analog again. The fully digital instrument cluster continues to be a highlight in the Taos and is standard on every Taos model. Options also continue to be a prevalent theme with our tester loaded to the gills with equipment including dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, and more.
The Taos gets 37.9 inches of rear seat room which is only slightly less than the bigger Tiguan but when it’s not hauling people, the rear seats can be folded down to boost cargo room with the space growing from 28 cubic feet to 66 cubes when they are folded flat into the floor. AN 8.0-inch infotainment system is standard and it gives the Taos standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability with phone mirroring also being thrown in for good measure.
More power but less refinement
Performance for all Taos models comes from a turbocharged 1.5 liter four-cylinder which is more powerful than before thanks to its 174 hp. An eight-speed automatic is the lone transmission on hand but it continues to deliver smooth shifts and is also a smooth operator in its own right. Our tester also arrived with all-wheel drive but don’t mistake the Taos for a raw performance bargain with our example needing 7.5 seconds to make the sprint to 60 mph. The engine is also buzzier than before and it’s clear some of its prior smoothness was axed for more oomph.
That said, ride comfort proved to be the Tao’s claim to fame with our tester helping to keep bumps and divots at bay during the long drive to Flint as well as some of the ruts that dot the city’s roads. The Taos was also small enough to snake its way through Dort’s tight parking lot and helped us navigate back home with no problem. Drive setup plays a role in this regard too with front-wheel drive models getting a simple torsion beam suspension while all-wheel drive swaps it out for a more advanced multi-link setup.
The EPA says a front-wheel drive Taos is capable of getting 28/36 mpg in city/freeway driving but the addition of all-season ready all-wheel drive does cut into the efficiency slightly with our tester getting a slightly lower 25/33 mpg tough the freeway category here is slightly higher than the outgoing AWD version of the Taos.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the 2024 Volkswagen Taos starts at $24,995 before fees which will get you into a base S model. SE models are one rung higher with these models starting at $27,895 with a Black Edition adding more darkened trim and a slightly higher $30,145 admission fee. A range-topping SEL model like our example will set you back a pretty penny with a base model starting at $34,695. Equipped with options, our tester crossed the $36,000 barrier which puts it in the higher end of the market.
But while the SEL’s value quotient is marred by this high price, the SE’s value is unaffected with this trim level continuing to be the best bet for buyers. The SE offers just the right amount of style and equipment and it also continues to be targeted towards buyers who would otherwise go for the Chevy Trax, Kia Seltos, and the Hyundai Kona. As a whole, the 2024 Volkswagen Taos is a noticeable improvement over the outgoing model but we need to see a bit more from it before we can truly call it a segment disruptor to established models. Â
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.