For the latest Volkswagen Taos pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/volkswagen/taos/
Another SUV? Yes. This one is from VW and it’s the Taos. This is a pre-pre-production prototype, so I don’t know much about it, but here’s the little I do know.
The Taos is a five-passenger SUV that for right now at least, even with the bits of camo still on it looks sort of like a baby Atlas. It’s handsome, but I’ll hold off on final judgment until I see the finished product.
It’s not as small as a subcompact, but not as large as a compact. And oddly VW isn’t in this segment yet, which is sort of weird for a company that’s known for the small Golf.
The Taos was conceived, engineered, and produced exclusively in North American with this market specifically in mind.
It’s very unusual that they let us drive these things, so I’m going to give it a whirl and tell you what my very first impressions are.
I can’t tell you about the inside because, well, I can’t see it.
As you may be able to see from this angle, the entire dash is covered up. It’s super weird driving without instruments. I have no idea how fast I’m going, but I’m sure it’s legal-ish.
Okay, onto what I do know.
So some of the bigger news about the Taos is the all-new powertrain it’s getting. It’s a 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine.
The biggest news about the Taos is the all-new powertrain it’s getting. A 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine.
It gets increased power (OLD: 1.4-liter 147 hp NEW: 1.5-liter 158 hp) better low-end torque and increased turbo response time. The powertrain this is replacing felt peppy and energetic and now, it’s even better.
I was told by the folks at VW that this is going to be an extremely efficient powertrain as well, and an excellent value proposition for the segment.
I actually got 28 miles per gallon on my drive, so yes, good start.
Not sure if that value statement translates to the price, so we’ll have to wait and see on that one.
I haven’t done a whole lot of twisty driving, here, but in turns, especially in acceleration situations, there’s good balance. With a shorter wheelbase, you always have an advantage, but dynamically, this car actually feels pretty fun.
The new engine mates to VW’s solid 8-speed automatic transmission. Shifts are quick and smooth, delivering that newfound power effectively. With this new engine, it makes for a nice package.
As far as roominess, I feel comfortable. Lots of headroom and my seating position feels good. Behind me obviously, there’s lots of room because I’m short stuff, but for a compact SUV, it does nicely in the space arena.
The Taos’ nemeses will be the Nissan Rogue Sport, Kia Seltos, Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson, and Subaru Crosstrek among others.
Lots more to hear about the Taos when we get it so stay tuned.
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