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Although the Taos is a compact utility vehicle, it could
be considered a replacement of sorts for the base
Volkswagen Golf hatchback. That model bows out for
2022, but the hot-hatch Golf GTI and hotter-hatch Golf R
have been redesigned and are still available. Compared
with the Tiguan, the Taos is nearly 10 inches shorter
and has four fewer inches between the front and rear
wheels. Surprisingly, Taos is slightly wider, which
explains why total passenger space between the two is
nearly identical. The dashboard includes configurable
digital gauges that resemble traditional round
speedometers and tachometers. The standard 6.5-inch
and available 8.0-inch touch-screens are attractively
integrated. The standard turbocharged 1.5-litre fourcylinder
engine is rated at 158 horsepower and 184
pound-feet of torque. The front-wheel-drive model
comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and
a torsion-beam (solid) rear axle. The all-wheel-drive
version gets a seven-speed paddle-shift automatic and
an independent rear suspension. The Taos’s overall
spaciousness, good looks and a comparatively strong
N E W F O R 2022
2022 Volkswagen Taos
Base price: $24,200
Type: Compact utility vehicle
Engine (h.p.): 1.5-liter I-4, turbocharged (158)
Transmissions: Eight-speed automatic;
seven-speed paddle-shift automatic (opt.)
Layout: Front- /all-wheel-drive
Base mpg (city/highway/combined): 28/36/31 (FWD)
Base weight (lb.): 3,180
powertrain should make it a popular
choice in this bracket. Unless the Tiguan’s
available third-row bench seat is an
absolute necessity, saving a few thousand
dollars on what amounts to a slightly
smaller package sounds like a sensible
move.