We compare the 2022 Volkswagen Taos to the current Ford Escape, new Nissan Rogue, new Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Chevrolet Equinox.
The Volkswagen Taos should be one of the more affordable compact SUVs
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos will slot below the Volkswagen Tiguan in the VW SUV lineup when it arrives next year, but it isn’t a subcompact or urban SUV. It will actually compete in the same compact SUV segment as the Volkswagen Tiguan, but will still reach a different buyer according to Volkswagen.
In the current compact sport utility vehicle segment, the Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the largest and most expensive models available. Its direct competitors in terms of price and space would be the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Forester.
2022 Volkswagen Taos Unveiled as VW’s Smallest and Cheapest SUV
On the other hand, the Volkswagen Taos will likely compete with more entry-level options in the segment including the Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson, and Jeep Cherokee. These are generally more accessible than the three listed in the previous paragraph, but also slightly smaller.
So yes, these are all compact SUVs on paper, but within the largest segment in the industry, there are subsections. The Tiguan aims at the upper level, the new 2022 Volkswagen Taos will focus on the lower tier. Here’s how it compares in terms of interior space, cargo space, and powertrain.
Granted, how marketing teams see a market and how the market actually plays out are two different things. The major variable is pricing, and we don’t yet know the 2022 Volkswagen Taos’ price in Canada or the US. We do know it will get a standard digital instrument cluster and a full suite of comfort and safety technologies either standard or optional, but until we know how much each of its three trims (Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline) will cost it’s hard to compare value.
So, for now, let’s compare what we do know.
Interior Space
2022 Volkswagen Taos | Photo: Volkswagen
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos will measure 4,466 mm which is 24 centimetres shorter than the current Tiguan. It will offer 2,817 litres (99.5 cu.ft) of interior passenger space which is 45 litres less than the Tiguan.
- New Nissan Rogue Interior Passenger Space: 2,985 litres (105.4 cu.ft)
- Ford Escape Interior Passenger Space: 2,947 litres (104.1 cu.ft.)
- Mazda CX-5 Interior Passenger Space: 2,933 litres (103.6 cu.ft.)
- Chevrolet Equinox Interior Passenger Space: 2,922 litres (103.2 cu.ft.)
- New Hyundai Tucson Interior Passenger Space: 2,893 litres (102.2 cu.ft.) – Estimated
- Jeep Cherokee Interior Passenger Space: 2,893 litres (102.2 cu.ft.)
- 2022 Volkswagen Taos Interior Passenger Space: 2,817 litres (99.5 cu.ft)
- Kia Sportage Interior Passenger Space: 2,792 litres (98.6 cu.ft.)
The Taos will be one of the smallest compact SUVs on sale, but that appears to be part of Volkswagen’s strategy of filling a gap in the lower end of the segment.
Cargo Space
2022 Volkswagen Taos | Photo: Volkswagen
The 2022 Volkswagen Taos will offer 795 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place.
- Ford Escape Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 1,061 litres (37.5 cu.ft.)
- New Nissan Rogue Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 1,033 litres (36.5 cu.ft.)
- New Hyundai Tucson Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 1,096 litres (38.7 cu.ft.)
- Mazda CX-5 Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 875 litres (30.9 cu.ft.)
- Kia Sportage Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 869 litres (30.7 cu.ft)
- Chevrolet Equinox Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 847 litres (29.9 cu.ft.)
- 2022 Volkswagen Taos Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 795 litres (29.1 cu.ft.)
- Jeep Cherokee Cargo Space Behind Rear Seats: 730 litres (25.8 cu.ft)
Again, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos isn’t aiming to lead the segment in space, focusing instead on smaller dimensions and a more accessible price.
Engines
2022 Volkswagen Taos | Photo: Volkswagen
The 2022 Taos will offer one engine, a more powerful version of the current turbocharged engine in the Jetta. The 1.5-litre, four-cylinder will deliver 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.
- Mazda CX-5 Base Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque
- 2022 Volkswagen Taos Base Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque
- New Hyundai Tucson Base Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 190 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque (estimated)
- Kia Sportage Base Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque
- New Nissan Base Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque
- Chevrolet Equinox Base Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque
- Ford Escape Base Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque
- Jeep Cherokee Base Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder with 180 horsepower and 171 pound-feet of torque
The numbers matter less than how the engines actually behave. Knowing what we know about the current Jetta’s turbo and how these engines behave in their respective models (with the exception of the new Tucson which isn’t available to drive yet), we’re fairly confident that the Taos will be right near the top of its direct competitors in terms of accelerations and overall performance.
There are many elements we don’t know yet about the 2022 Volkswagen Taos, but so far we can see it won’t be the most versatile model in the segment, but it will be one of the sportiest.
