2022 Volkswagen Taos SEL 4Motion for sale in Billings MT

AS REVIEWED BY EDMUNDS

2022 Volkswagen Taos Review

byChristian Wardlaw
Correspondent
Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at Edmunds and was the first editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

Pros

• Sharp handling and smooth driving character
• Comfortable interior that's easy to get in and out of
• Big cargo area for a little SUV
• Impressive technology features

Cons

• Transmission can be slow to frustratingly slow to downshift
• Noticeable road and engine noise at highway speeds

What's new

• All-new two-row subcompact SUV that slots below the Tiguan
• 2022 model introduces the first generation of the Taos

Overview

With the all-new 2022 Volkswagen Taos, VW is filling out its SUV lineup with a new entry-level model that provides more style, interior room and driving satisfaction than many rivals. Smaller and more affordable than the automaker's Tiguan, the Taos is sized and priced to compete against the likes of the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-30.

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Volkswagen Taos S 4dr SUV (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.05 per gallon for regular unleaded in Montana.

Monthly estimates based on costs in Montana
$121/mo for Taos S
Taos S 
$168/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
Calculate my fuel costs

The Taos is impressive from the moment you sit inside. All Taos models come standard with a digital instrument cluster that can be customized to display anything from the song that's playing to turn-by-turn directions, whether from the navigation system or from your phone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration. There's also some nice-looking materials, roomy seating and lots of cargo space for a little SUV.

Overall, we think Volkswagen has a compelling SUV on its hands. The Taos offers comparable sophistication and not much of a trade-off in cargo space compared to its Tiguan stablemate, but at a lower price. Check out our Expert Rating below for more detail on what our test team has found to be the Taos' strengths and weaknesses.

Edmunds Expert Rating
Our VerdictThe Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
Great
8.1
out of 10
edmunds TESTED
Volkswagen's smallest SUV is a big deal. The Taos packs plenty of modern tech and safety features into a tidy package. It also has excellent passenger and cargo space. The transmission makes lazy or awkward gear shifts at times, but that's pretty much the vehicle's only weakness. Overall this is one of the most well-rounded and family-friendly offerings in the class.
Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.5/10
How does the Taos drive? We were surprised to find the Taos, one of the larger SUVs in this diminutive class, is also one of the quickest. Credit goes to a fairly high-strung turbocharged four-cylinder engine that whooshes and hisses its way to 60 mph in a respectable 7.8 seconds. That speed, however, is only really achievable if you use the Taos' launch control, which we imagine few owners will. Launch control is a feature typically reserved for sports cars, so naturally it's a bit out of place here. We were equally surprised by how stable and confident the Taos felt under hard panic braking, yet it cruises easily to a smooth stop in less hectic situations.

The Taos handles around corners quite impressively as well, with well-controlled body roll and accurate steering. In fact, the Taos scores high marks in every driving aspect except what's possibly the most important for this class: drivability. The combination of that high-strung engine and moderately unresponsive seven-speed transmission makes for a jerky affair. Power surges and gear shifts can often feel delayed or clunky, making it difficult to enjoy driving at slow stop-and-go speeds.

Comfort

8.0/10
How comfortable is the Taos? When it comes to cabin comfort, the Taos does it pretty well. The front seats have a sporty shape and offer surprisingly good support despite not having all the range of adjustments we would've liked. The climate control is easy to use and effective at distributing air flow to the entire cabin. We especially love the powerful ventilated front seats, which worked wonders on some warmer days.

The Taos suspension leans a little firm and doesn't isolate bumps in the road as well as some other cars we tested, but it's also not so harsh that we'd have second thoughts recommending it for that reason. We also experienced a fair amount of ambient noise, which isn't uncommon for this class.
 Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Save as much as $2,676 with Edmunds Click on the model you’re interested in to see what Edmunds suggests you should pay to get a good deal.

2022 Volkswagen Taos pricing

 in Billings, MT

Edmunds suggests you pay

• S
  Suggested price: $22,782
  What should I pay for S trim
• SE
  Most Popular
  Suggested price: $26,725
  What should I pay for SE trim
• SEL
  Suggested price: $30,709
  What should I pay for SEL trim
• 
  *Starting MSRP of $24,155 for a 2023 Volkswagen Taos S 1.5L TSI® with 8-speed automatic transmission. Price excludes transportation, taxes, title, other options, and dealer charges. Dealer sets actual price

What should I pay
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Interior

8.5/10
How’s the interior? The interior is one of the best in the class, from the ease in which you can step in and out of the large door openings to the generous passenger space. The Taos almost feels like a class size up compared to its competition. Outward visibility is excellent thanks to square windows and good mirror coverage, and we had no issue reaching any of the controls from the driver's seat.

Some of Volkswagen's newest infotainment systems have been flops. Thankfully the Taos keeps things a bit simpler, limiting the touch-sensitive buttons. This approach makes a huge difference in usability. Touch controls can be great when they work, but most can't compare to good ole physical buttons and knobs when you want to minimize distraction.

Technology

8.5/10
How’s the tech? Thankfully, some of the latest VW touch-base controls did not make it to the Taos. What did make it is a punchy Beats sound system that delivers more bass than what we found comfortable for daily use (in a good way). Our higher trim model also had an onboard nav system that was a tad laggy but had a nice user interface. We really like that you can display the map in the center of the driver's gauge cluster as well.

Our vehicle had a total of three USB-C ports to plug devices in, plus a wireless charger and a 12-volt outlet. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration via USB is standard and steps up to wireless connectivity on the midtier SE model and above. A full suite of advanced driver aids is offered on all trims, and sensible pricing makes it a no-brainer option. Most of the aids worked well, though even the adaptive cruise control at times got tripped up at lower speeds by the clunky engine and transmission.

Storage

8.5/10
How’s the storage? The shape and size of the Taos mean it's able to maximize interior space. With 27.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, the Taos is class-leading. The rear seats have a center pass-through and the usual 60/40 split, and they fold down mostly flat, leaving about a 2-inch level change from the cargo floor. The release levers are on the seats but are close enough to reach if you're standing at the rear hatch.

Storage options in the passenger section of the cabin are pretty good. The front door pockets are generously sized, cupholders have an anti-tip design to keep your drinks upright, and the squarish cubby under the center armrest has some depth to it to make up for its shorter length.

Because the Taos is on the larger side of the segment, there's more space for car seats. But it's the small touches we noticed too, including sleeker-looking car seat anchor covers and well-positioned top tether anchors for easy access. This is definitely one of the more family-friendly options in the class.

Fuel Economy

7.5/10
How’s the fuel economy? The Taos gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined (25 city/32 highway), essentially matching its biggest competitors. We averaged 29.6 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation loop, which is a great result and proof that the estimate is achievable. Our only concern is that if you're prone to asking for a lot of acceleration, fuel efficiency won't be nearly as good with such a high-strung engine.

Value

7.5/10
Is the Taos a good value? Value is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, but as far as we're concerned, the Taos seems fairly priced for what you get. Its entry-level price is quite competitive, but there are a lot of attractive features we'd want in the upper trim levels. Our top-trim SEL test car came in at just under $35K, which is definitely on the pricier end of this SUV class, but also provides one of the most well-rounded packages. If you look closely, you'll definitely find some cheap-feeling aspects to the Taos interior, but Volkswagen spent money in the areas that are touched more frequently.

VW's warranties are typical for this segment, with four years/50,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage and seven years/100,000 miles of rust-through coverage. On the plus side, VW offers free scheduled maintenance for two years/20,000 miles and roadside assistance for three years/36,000 miles.

Wildcard

8.0/10
When it came to styling the Taos, VW didn't bother reinventing the wheel. It looks very much like a scaled-down Atlas, which is to say clean and kind of rugged. There are bolder designs out there that some may find more attractive, but we bet the Taos' looks will be more appealing to the masses.

The same holds true for the driving experience. Some SUVs in this class are more fun to drive on curvy roads and less finicky at slower speeds, but the Taos offers a decent experience overall. And you simply can't argue with the interior accommodations. In a segment in which passenger and cargo space is in short supply, the Taos seems to have an abundance.

Which Taos does Edmunds recommend?

When choosing a Volkswagen Taos, the SE trim level offers the best mix of standard and available equipment. It lacks the top infotainment technologies but offers the full collection of collision avoidance and driving assistance systems. And it's available with a panoramic sunroof and black wheels. All you'll miss from the SEL trim is the premium sound system.

Volkswagen Taos models

Volkswagen offers the 2022 Taos in S, SE and SEL trim levels, and each has a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (158 horsepower, 184 lb-ft of torque). Versions with front-wheel drive feature an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the all-wheel-drive Taos employs a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as well as a more sophisticated rear suspension that should provide slightly better handling composure around turns.

S
Standard equipment for the most affordable Taos S includes:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Roof rails
• 60/40-split folding back seat
• Digital instrumentation display
• 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
• Connected services including onboard Wi-Fi
• Four-speaker stereo

Volkswagen offers an affordable IQ Drive package for the S trim. It contains:

• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Active blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot and can add steering assistance to discourage a lane change)
• Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while you're in reverse)
• Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
• Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go (maintains a driver-set distance between the Taos and the car in front, can bring the Volkswagen to a full stop and resume travel)
• Emergency assistance (identifies an unresponsive driver and brings the Taos to a safe stop with the hazard lights flashing)

SE
Moving up to the Taos SE adds the following equipment:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Heated side mirrors and washer jet nozzles
• Hands-free keyless entry
• Remote engine start
• Simulated leather seat trim with cloth inserts
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated front seats
• 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite radio
• Six-speaker stereo
• Wireless smartphone charging
• Forward collision mitigation
• Active blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert

SEL
The Taos SEL includes all IQ Drive driver aids as standard equipment, along with:

• Black 18-inch alloy wheels
• Illuminated grille bar
• Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
• Automatic high-beam headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Ambient interior lighting
• Heated steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather seats
• Larger digital instrument display
• Navigation system
• Eight-speaker premium sound system
• Rear parking sensors

If you select a Taos SEL with all-wheel drive, you also get:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Ventilated front seats