I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, if hard plastic brings down the price of cars give me hard plastic. It’s reviews like this that are constantly making cars more expensive. Not every car needs to be luxurious. Sometimes we need a car that is cheap and reliable.
The fact that everyone is going towards crossovers is the fact that car makers raise the prices on them. You can get a Jetta or Corolla for far less money. You really don't need AWD for 98% of the year. You don't need all that interior space. Crossovers are very inefficient than the sedan counterparts because of their boxiness. Put a set of winter or all weather tires on a sedan and you'll be fine in the snow.
It's like every other option on a vehicle. They'll charge you $10k for $5k worth of mediocre options. Anyone who upgrades to trim levels for interiors, stereos, etc... is wasting a lot of cash. You can always put in a stereo yourself, and it will be both better and half the price of the upgrade via the manufacturer.
@@miguelbaeza65 tell that to all of the people I pass stuck in the snow. Maybe where you live fwd is ok, but I live in a area where if you don't have awd you are not making it to work. Snow tires dont matter when your car is high centered from 24in of snow overnight.
I actually think he’s making that exact point. He says “once you start getting into the mid-30s,” which this car is. As in: hard plastic is great to keep the price down, and they didn’t keep the price down and still gave hard plastic.
I just bought a Taos and I have to offer some rebuttals to its criticisms. Power, it's not overwhelming, but is it sufficient and zippy around town. I have not noticed any delays that seem to plague the earlier models. The engine sounds are quite refined compared to the competition and at the end of the day, how many times are you going to floor it from a red light. The interior is typical VW, most parts are well done and very Germanic and others are cost saving elements. But the vehicle has a sense of refinement in its drive, the steering is very precise, handles better than you would think and the ride is well sorted. Not too firm, not too soft, VW hit the sweet spot. Kia and others might offer more soft touches, but lack the maturity of a well engineered product, which the Germans do best. Lastly, there are some Audi touches, the digital cockpit is quite nice, ambient lighting is better than most of the competition, even in higher price brackets. This is a very nice compact SUV, I had a few trepidations about the specs, but go test drive, you will find yourself surprised, it is pretty well done. I opted for the SEL trim with panoramic roof, basically all in, would purchase again, thanks for reading if you made it this far :)
Totally agree! We have an SE 4-Motion which we absolutely love. Very capable all around utilitarian vehicle. Lots of cargo space. Drove from San Diego, CA to Baton Rouge, LA. Continued on to Charleston, SC. ALWAYS got well over 34mpg on 87 octane, and we found it relatively quiet on the highway. Not really lacking for power either. And we came out of an Audi Q3 Quattro. The fine line between the power the Taos does have WRT the real world MPG it delivers is perfect in my opinion.
I just passed 1,000 km in my Canadian Highland trim (USA equivalent SEL I guess?), and the interior is far nicer than the SE tested here. The quality is much better, nice leather stitching, better displays, cooled seats, etc. It made my buddy's Honda Civic SI look like a crummy economy car. I agree that the car is noisy compared to the Tiguan R I drove recently, that car wasn't any louder whether you're doing 40 or 140, you couldn't tell. The Taos is a great SUV offering very good interior space compared to the competition, better interest rates, and the dual clutch transmission is awesome! The car feels connected to the engine instead of the sloppy CVT where you get the rubber band effect. However, the CVT is a lot smoother and this car with DCT coupled with a Turbo lag is not as smooth as a CVT naturally aspirated engine car. The car isn't without faults, but genuinely is a great buy and I def recommend one. I so wish they had a diesel option though !!! 😭 This guy is full of it saying it's slow, slow compared to what?! A Tesla?! The car is not slow at all, if you need speed then buy a damn Tesla Model S plad.
Everybody is bashing the interior materials. I don't see the confusion. It's a very "adult" daily driver. The Taos has room for a small family, without sacrificing the familiarity in handling with hot hatches and the like... If you have a couple little rugrats, the last thing you want is to have to clean cracker crumbs out of soft touch materials. I think VW was very wise in creating a compact SUV with enough power to DD without sucking, even if it's uninspired... It looks sharp, luxury vibes, without being pretentious. If you're 24-35 ish... Can responsibly buy a 35k car. Possibly have a small family. Need a daily driver that isn't entirely boring, looks respectable. But don't need a larger, more luxurious vehicle... Again, I don't see the confusion. The Taos might be the most VW creation in a very long time. I think it's a bigger market than "car enthusiasts" who review cars, seem to understand. I like the review format! Sub-worthy
That is a well put way to say it, it's just perfect in my eyes, coming from the Tiguan 2019 this taos is what the Tiguan should have been, if only they put a 2.0t in there for when you drop off the kiddies mwhaha
I just bought this vehicle today. I absolutely love it. I need it for exactly what you did with it. Got 37 mpg on the drive home from the dealer. Paid $32,700 off the lot which I’m happy with.
Excuse me what? This does not compete with the Forester, CR-V or Tuscon. This competes with HR-V, Kona, Trailblazer, Envision, Bronco Sport, Seltos, C-HR, Renegade, Kicks, and Crosstrek.
Haha...shout out from #Kenya 🇰🇪 .. 18:11.. Would be great if we got the Taos, we only get the Polo and Tiguan locally assembled here. It's Subaru country though! I'm sure you saw that. Love the show ✌️
I absolutely loved the Taos, I hated the Tiguan because it was way too underpowered and the Taos is more peppy. The Taos is 1000x better than the Kia Seltos, I drove that and wanted to turn right back around, it was sooo loud, not smooth at all, and overall very disappointing. I ended up trading my Arteon in for an Atlas because the Taos's are hard to find in SEL trim and Kings Red color. Atlas are easier to find.
Not sure if you will reply, but how do you find the Atlas? I have the 22 Taos at top trim and i love it. Im just going to need more room soon with kids on the way.
People who buy Taos want better fuel economy. Atlas is way too thirsty on fuel. Taos is a huge downgrade from the Golf, interior is really bad on the Taos.
Sports UTILITY Vehicle. Its not a sports car. Why does everyone complain about its sluggishness if you want a fast suv and be one of the douches doing 90 in a 65 then get a fng Porsche.
Another great review; really appreciate the efforts to use the same locations, techniques and camera angles to help make valid comparisons between vehicles. Can’t wait to see the improvements to the DS “proving grounds”. Keep up the good work! Sadly this VW is overall somewhat disappointing, but the dual clutch tranny did surprisingly well off-road. Higher cabin noise is a deal breaker for me on those longer trips. CS-5 has my vote in this class right now and can actually still be found on dealer lots here in FL.
I love my 2022 Taos SE, I get compliments cus I always keep it looking sharp. I bought it October 2021 and only has 6400 miles, and I intend to keep it for a long time. 😉😊
I had a TAOS it’s is a GREAT city car or even just living in the high desert will get you to 80 percent of place. And the cargo space NEVER let me down with needed cargo space… I used that car to the max. Only thing That needed some refinement was the transmission. Got it for 23k such a great price . My other cars atlas (Taos replacement) and 1992 gmc 3500HD
I have a Taos S 4Motion. My car really grew on me and the fact that it can handle off-roading is great. I do think it is slow unfortunately. I also feel like the interior is quite cheap feeling, especially the cloth seats on the S trim. Other than that I love it. I use to have a Golf SE 2019 and the interior quality of the Taos is definitively a huge downgrade. Mine is equipped with the adaptive cruise control stuff.
@@drivingsports what about Tiguan? I meant Tiguan seems to be compact SUV and competitor to CRV, Forester, and RAV4. While size wise it is somewhat close to compact SUVs, it's engine is more inclined to HRV, Corolla Cross, etc.
Me reckon it always better to opt for a mazda CX 5 may be .... There are a tonne of crossovers which sometimes doesn't stand out for that purpose and VW's ...I started to hate them ... For me Toureag is their proper cross over with a longitudinal engine and they always keep it as so premium - would have provided more choice to customers
Awesome review. Love seeing crossovers tackle this road. Also love seeing the maverick in the background. Would be cool to get an update on how it’s been since you’ve got it
Comparing this to your (somewhat) recent review of the Rav4 TRD offroad, that'll handle this course with ease, right? I remember you being slightly let down with it's performance offroad, and you didn't even take it to your own test course. (Which you said here is for more advanced vehicles)
"Once you get into the mid-30s you start to expect something better" Dont... The mid-30s is the equivalent of 20k a few years ago.. I don't believe this will change, so might as well change expectations again...
I don’t think this is a fair review for a inexpensive sub-compact crossover. I’m surprised you didn’t pull out the 4Runner and trash the Taos for not being as good 😂
Just going through the videos on your channel, and it looks like the most direct competitor is really the Chevrolet Trailblazer. I also wonder why you came away with a more positive review of this vehicle than you did the Trailblazer? Is the suspension quality and slow speed control that much better on this VW?
The Toas is notably larger than the Trailblazer. (In wheelbase, width and lenght.) Both these vehicles are on the pricy side for what you get, but being larger the Toas just doen't seem like quite as much of a stretch.
You're wrong about the ground clearance. The ground clearance for the front wheel drive model is 6.4 inches, and the all wheel drive 4motion model's have 7.6 inches of ground clearance. Check you facts.
I feel that he was a bit condescending when he smirked at the power of the Taos while climbing up those rocks. Realistically, 99.9% of people that buy this car aren't buying it for its off road capabilities. They just like knowing that if it gets a little shitty where you're going, then it's AWD coupled with the trail mode will get you around. It does that. I would also guess that 95% of the time these cars are moving it's on pavement. If you add more power to make it a bit more off road capable, you also add more cost to the car as well as more money down the drain in gas money. Give me the lower powered SUV that provides utility, saves me gas money, and can get me around on those rare occasions that I go up a trail.
Agree it's terrific driver, you hit the important stuff, the only down is the tire noise maybe it's the OEM fit; the Conti's on my otherSportwagen TDI are really good in that regard. On my front driver the 8 spd is absolutely terrific, always in the right cog. Seats with lumbar adjustment are outstanding. Right, the trip odometer I haven't figured out and use the car data window. And that lets me hyper mile, the flat road 65 mph local stuff nets always over 41 - like 45 even - which just flat out amazing. I think the fwd has plenty of pull with the 1.5, which engine has a terrific reputation in the eurozone. Nice review, thanks.
Is this how Americans think... No in the US this is not your typical road but in other 192 countries roads are like in parts of Kenya. And btw the video is in US 🤦
Si la juventud pensara y hablara como para referirse y valorar su familia otra cosa fuera. Yo como madre escucharte decir que esa señora trabajo lo que sea por darle a sus hijos que comer. No sabes cuánto se siente 💔porque así es 😔las verdaderas madres solo sufrimos cuando estamos en esa cituacion😔. No es mi caso pero se siente dolor💔ya que soy madre de tres varones que lo e sacado adelante 💪🏻siendo padre y madre
Excellent! Would you say Tiguan is a better value at only about $3K more for similar specs? I’d imagine interior is higher quality. That reminds me, can you do a review (including off-road) of the 2022+ Tiguans? While its more of a facelift, they did tune the driving a bit. Also, this is essentially a cheaper Q3, right? Thank you for these excellent reviews!
Automobile manufacturers should stop designing the engine area from manifold plastic even if they know that stealing from the material is theft weak and rotten produced vehicles cause great expenses to users why no one questions this and has to use sick cars demand value for money recycling to plastic no to the material is reliable without any quality reliable trouble-free vehicle is the right of all of us.
8 sec 0 to 60, doesn't sound suuuuper slow for a small suv, I think for the price it is better than the other cars on the segment, or at least it sound like it when you say the dsg is great, the crawling is impressive, and the seats are comfortable and you didn't rock the bottom at all.
I'm must say, that Germany's cosy relationship with Russia influenced my attitude towards things made there. They were warned for many years how this might end. Sadly they never listened.
Another enjoyable video-thank you! As a fellow dweller in the Seattle area I’d love it if you could share more information about the roads you drive. Not your private course, naturally, but I’d love to try my hand (and Subie) at the places you use for your test drives and reviews.
Pretty easy to figure out if you pay attention to the driving scenes when he's on i90 and just off the exit. I plan on checking out his spots with my WRX and later this year my Subaru Ascent. I live about 30 minutes from where he does the offroad tests. In fact, the spot at 18:28 I'm pretty sure I cut down my christmas tree from that exact spot a couple years ago (just to the right of the power line structure.
Thanks! For the review, one thing this vehicles can do if you want to do a 0-60 is launch control, it will do more than a second faster than the 8.4, I did it myself and it works great, I am surprised no other vehicle in this category and price point offer this feature. This little turbo engine using 93 octane gas will increase the hp but to save $ 87 is ok to use. I like the driving dynamics, the steering feels nice and the suspension is well tuned with the vehicle, it corner well, filling security on the road, also the 4MOTION has proved to be good, if you want a little more ground clearance you can buy a lift kid they sell for all the vw SUVs called "Basecamp accessories". I like the space it offers inside, over all I think it is a great vehicle
LC is useless any way unless you are into racing vehicles, but I was surprised that a small budget SUV like this one has one, that is a + no matter how you see it, then agen it can do 0 to 60 in 7 seconds (Not 8.4) and that time is above average for this price segment, the one I tested is the basic S model with 4MOTION, priced 27,895. Not bad at all
I would 10 to 1 take a new CX50 with standard AWD, Similar price.......Vastly nicer.......26 sensers to guarantee power goes to apropriate wheels........More ground clearance and IS a true SUV....Like Forester........The ONLY 2 I know of And Heads up display which I fell in love with Day one.................Paul
Big fan of your reviews, so I would love a recap of your recommended models; a "buyer's guide" of sorts. For example, as a geologist by trade and hiker by hobby, I do lots of rough dirt road stuff (think unmaintained USFS) and sometimes transport my bike around, but it's not rock scrambles in Moab. Some crossovers seem too much like simple appearance packages with bad clearances, etc., but true rough and tumble things like Jeeps or 4Runners are pricey toys that I'd use only rarely to their full potential. (Add other other considerations such as mpgs, reliability, and size for day-to-day in-city living.) I've been eyeing the Bronco Sport, but it's hard to know if this is the only thing fitting the bill or if I've overlooked something. So your input on topics like this in a semi-regular buyer's guide would be much appreciated by me and, I'd hazard, other viewers, too!
Doesn’t the Taos compete with the likes of the Seltos, Crosstrek, Corolla Cross, HR-V, etc.? The Tiguan is competing with the Tucson, Sportage, CR-V, etc., no?
Is funny that folks talk about low speed "brake vectoring" like it's not 20+ year old tech. VW introduced EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) back in 1995 on the Corrado VR6 and Toyota A-TRAC (Active Trac) in 2000-2001, I think first in the Land Cruiser. Both apply brakes to the wheel that's spinning to transfer torque to the side that isn't. The only thing that makes them different from any normal ABS system is that they have a pump to make their own brake pressure which is probably a small added cost and thus why not *all* cars have had it since then. The biggest mistake people make with these systems is not giving them time to do their thing. If you roll slow into a lifted tire scenario on a climb, sometimes the tire start to spin, while the car stops and sometimes even rolls backward a little, and then people panic and get off the gas or even hit the brakes. For these systems to work you just have to stay steady on the gas, give it time to recognize the wheelspin and apply the brakes and start pulling itself forward.
Funny you complained about noise. Almost every review I've read or watched comments how quiet it is for the segment (even super picky and critical Consumer Reports).
It's Ironic... Because you would need Machos more power to compete with TAOS, NM traffic... let alone Santa Fe. And at Rush Hour... No Way Jose'... Maybe that would be a good test for it! LOL
Between the color and exterior? is really not that bad.. It's in the interior which shows just what you are buying, or more to the point, "missing." For an new car/entry level/new driver, though?? Not bad..Okay, the Off-Road trail test, IMPRESSED me.. Ryan, please let me know where you got that STI hoodie.. Please?? lol
I really like Mr Ryan's reviews showing vehicles' both on and off-road. I may move to Europe in a couple of years. Right now the best vehicle I see for me is related to this Taos (who knows in 2 years). It solved Ryan's 2 main complaints: interior quality and power. Skoda Karoq. Based on this Taos, it has nicer interior (including removable back 3 section seat, any or all sections!) and can be had with VW 2.0 TDI, 150hp, 256lbft torque. So same hp, but significant torque. And 40mpg! The competition for me is Subaru. But Skoda is nicer, if not as offroad, and knowledgeable service much more available.
I test drove one and was disappointed. I had owned a Tiguan several years ago and like it. The Taos is only a couple thousand cheaper than the Tiguan but I found a swath of hard plastic surfaces in the interior. Also the engine seemed to struggle getting off the line and was a noisy lump driving around town.
question..when you accelerated did you have the vehicle in Sports mode? You said there was not a lot of lower, however I imagine it is punchier in Sports mode?
Very nice vehicle, But it's too under powered. For the price, Should at least offer a more powerful motor option. Until then I'll look at other options.
What's the name of the trail, I really want to to trying it out!! I am new to off road and this trail seems easy for a truck and It looks like a great place for bigginers.
Rubbish dual clutch ( DSG ) 🤮 It doesn't fit for off-road adventure that dsg Another channel from us tested taos against xv off-road That lovely xv wins.. Thanks to cvt linertronic ❤️
In your opinion, which does better in trail access or forest road environments; The VW taos, or the kia seltos? I'm a huge fan of vw and it seems that the taos did better, but it's not on the same course as your seltos video so I'd rather take your word for it. Thanks!
The Tiguan is quite small. I suspect after a family of 4 uses one for a bit, you’ll be needing more room. I couldn’t imagine anyone being happy in something even smaller than the Tiguan.
I've commented on other review videos that VW really messed up by using this new 1.5l TSI engine vs. the (discontinued) VW Alltrack's much better 1.8l TSI. I had considered a Taos as a replacement for my Alltrack. Then I drove both the FWD and AWD versions and was completely unimpressed. I ended up going in a completely different direction and bought a new Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited. While it's certainly more expensive at the point of purchase, after I get the $6,587 Federal tax credit and a portion of my State's $2,500 credit, it will cost way less than an equivalent Taos. Factor in the significantly reduced cost of operating a PHEV over a conventional gas vehicle, and the decision to buy the Tucson was easy.
how are you liking it? thats the hybrid turbo version you got, correct? i also looked at the taos but it was so severely underpowered, i went with a new 2020 hyundai santa fe limited 2.0T AWD. 235 hp and 256 lb ft of torque
Hey, another Tucson owner here! Mine has the 1.6 turbo engine with the 7 speed DCT. It is mild hybrid. I love it to bits! It feels very sporty to drive and has even taken me to some cool campsites already.
hmm is that Issaquah?? lol, we bought a Taos about a year ago, mainly to take up to the mountains to snowboard but this makes me wanna take some trails on! Great video
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, if hard plastic brings down the price of cars give me hard plastic. It’s reviews like this that are constantly making cars more expensive. Not every car needs to be luxurious. Sometimes we need a car that is cheap and reliable.
Facts
The fact that everyone is going towards crossovers is the fact that car makers raise the prices on them. You can get a Jetta or Corolla for far less money. You really don't need AWD for 98% of the year. You don't need all that interior space. Crossovers are very inefficient than the sedan counterparts because of their boxiness.
Put a set of winter or all weather tires on a sedan and you'll be fine in the snow.
It's like every other option on a vehicle. They'll charge you $10k for $5k worth of mediocre options. Anyone who upgrades to trim levels for interiors, stereos, etc... is wasting a lot of cash. You can always put in a stereo yourself, and it will be both better and half the price of the upgrade via the manufacturer.
@@miguelbaeza65 tell that to all of the people I pass stuck in the snow. Maybe where you live fwd is ok, but I live in a area where if you don't have awd you are not making it to work. Snow tires dont matter when your car is high centered from 24in of snow overnight.
I actually think he’s making that exact point. He says “once you start getting into the mid-30s,” which this car is. As in: hard plastic is great to keep the price down, and they didn’t keep the price down and still gave hard plastic.
I just bought a Taos and I have to offer some rebuttals to its criticisms. Power, it's not overwhelming, but is it sufficient and zippy around town. I have not noticed any delays that seem to plague the earlier models. The engine sounds are quite refined compared to the competition and at the end of the day, how many times are you going to floor it from a red light. The interior is typical VW, most parts are well done and very Germanic and others are cost saving elements. But the vehicle has a sense of refinement in its drive, the steering is very precise, handles better than you would think and the ride is well sorted. Not too firm, not too soft, VW hit the sweet spot. Kia and others might offer more soft touches, but lack the maturity of a well engineered product, which the Germans do best. Lastly, there are some Audi touches, the digital cockpit is quite nice, ambient lighting is better than most of the competition, even in higher price brackets. This is a very nice compact SUV, I had a few trepidations about the specs, but go test drive, you will find yourself surprised, it is pretty well done. I opted for the SEL trim with panoramic roof, basically all in, would purchase again, thanks for reading if you made it this far :)
Totally agree! We have an SE 4-Motion which we absolutely love. Very capable all around utilitarian vehicle. Lots of cargo space. Drove from San Diego, CA to Baton Rouge, LA. Continued on to Charleston, SC. ALWAYS got well over 34mpg on 87 octane, and we found it relatively quiet on the highway. Not really lacking for power either. And we came out of an Audi Q3 Quattro. The fine line between the power the Taos does have WRT the real world MPG it delivers is perfect in my opinion.
I just passed 1,000 km in my Canadian Highland trim (USA equivalent SEL I guess?), and the interior is far nicer than the SE tested here. The quality is much better, nice leather stitching, better displays, cooled seats, etc. It made my buddy's Honda Civic SI look like a crummy economy car. I agree that the car is noisy compared to the Tiguan R I drove recently, that car wasn't any louder whether you're doing 40 or 140, you couldn't tell. The Taos is a great SUV offering very good interior space compared to the competition, better interest rates, and the dual clutch transmission is awesome! The car feels connected to the engine instead of the sloppy CVT where you get the rubber band effect. However, the CVT is a lot smoother and this car with DCT coupled with a Turbo lag is not as smooth as a CVT naturally aspirated engine car. The car isn't without faults, but genuinely is a great buy and I def recommend one. I so wish they had a diesel option though !!! 😭 This guy is full of it saying it's slow, slow compared to what?! A Tesla?! The car is not slow at all, if you need speed then buy a damn Tesla Model S plad.
Everybody is bashing the interior materials. I don't see the confusion. It's a very "adult" daily driver. The Taos has room for a small family, without sacrificing the familiarity in handling with hot hatches and the like... If you have a couple little rugrats, the last thing you want is to have to clean cracker crumbs out of soft touch materials. I think VW was very wise in creating a compact SUV with enough power to DD without sucking, even if it's uninspired... It looks sharp, luxury vibes, without being pretentious.
If you're 24-35 ish... Can responsibly buy a 35k car. Possibly have a small family. Need a daily driver that isn't entirely boring, looks respectable. But don't need a larger, more luxurious vehicle... Again, I don't see the confusion. The Taos might be the most VW creation in a very long time. I think it's a bigger market than "car enthusiasts" who review cars, seem to understand.
I like the review format! Sub-worthy
That is a well put way to say it, it's just perfect in my eyes, coming from the Tiguan 2019 this taos is what the Tiguan should have been, if only they put a 2.0t in there for when you drop off the kiddies mwhaha
I just bought this vehicle today. I absolutely love it. I need it for exactly what you did with it. Got 37 mpg on the drive home from the dealer. Paid $32,700 off the lot which I’m happy with.
are you still happy?
You probably got the 8 speed transmission too.
Excuse me what? This does not compete with the Forester, CR-V or Tuscon. This competes with HR-V, Kona, Trailblazer, Envision, Bronco Sport, Seltos, C-HR, Renegade, Kicks, and Crosstrek.
Haha...shout out from #Kenya 🇰🇪 .. 18:11.. Would be great if we got the Taos, we only get the Polo and Tiguan locally assembled here. It's Subaru country though! I'm sure you saw that. Love the show ✌️
I absolutely loved the Taos, I hated the Tiguan because it was way too underpowered and the Taos is more peppy. The Taos is 1000x better than the Kia Seltos, I drove that and wanted to turn right back around, it was sooo loud, not smooth at all, and overall very disappointing. I ended up trading my Arteon in for an Atlas because the Taos's are hard to find in SEL trim and Kings Red color. Atlas are easier to find.
Not sure if you will reply, but how do you find the Atlas? I have the 22 Taos at top trim and i love it. Im just going to need more room soon with kids on the way.
People who buy Taos want better fuel economy. Atlas is way too thirsty on fuel. Taos is a huge downgrade from the Golf, interior is really bad on the Taos.
Nice video I have the awd Taos would never take it off road.It’s not fast but definitely not slow I find it be quite zippy for the power it has.
1.5 faster than anything around its segments
Sports UTILITY Vehicle.
Its not a sports car. Why does everyone complain about its sluggishness if you want a fast suv and be one of the douches doing 90 in a 65 then get a fng Porsche.
Another great review; really appreciate the efforts to use the same locations, techniques and camera angles to help make valid comparisons between vehicles. Can’t wait to see the improvements to the DS “proving grounds”. Keep up the good work!
Sadly this VW is overall somewhat disappointing, but the dual clutch tranny did surprisingly well off-road. Higher cabin noise is a deal breaker for me on those longer trips. CS-5 has my vote in this class right now and can actually still be found on dealer lots here in FL.
I love my 2022 Taos SE, I get compliments cus I always keep it looking sharp. I bought it October 2021 and only has 6400 miles, and I intend to keep it for a long time. 😉😊
That is actually pretty damn impressive! So much better then 1995-2017 outback’s and Toyota 2001-2022 rav4, highlander, and all Hyundai vehicles lmao!
Not even in the same catagory as the new CX50...............Paul
Too bad Subaru, Toyota and Hyundai would blow the brakes off ANY VW in terms of reliability lmao!
I had a TAOS it’s is a GREAT city car or even just living in the high desert will get you to 80 percent of place. And the cargo space NEVER let me down with needed cargo space… I used that car to the max. Only thing That needed some refinement was the transmission. Got it for 23k such a great price . My other cars atlas (Taos replacement) and 1992 gmc 3500HD
I prefer those hard plastic instead of the ugly piano black!
I have a Taos S 4Motion. My car really grew on me and the fact that it can handle off-roading is great. I do think it is slow unfortunately. I also feel like the interior is quite cheap feeling, especially the cloth seats on the S trim. Other than that I love it. I use to have a Golf SE 2019 and the interior quality of the Taos is definitively a huge downgrade. Mine is equipped with the adaptive cruise control stuff.
Luckily its turbo charged tune it or see if you get more power using prem gas
plastic in interior is using also Audi Q2 and Q3 this is normal how they saying for mid range cars
wait for Unitronic 87/91 ocotane tune. it will be perfect.
DSG is what made the 4Motion amazing.
Go to sel pay more u get beats audio IQ DRIVE 19 inch wheels heated ventilated seats heated steering
Taos is not compact but subcompact SUV. It does not compete with Subaru Forester, Honda CRV, or Toyota RAV4.
The Taos has the same wheelbase as a Forester. Just shorter overhangs. It's a likely competitor even if the size is a bit off.
@@drivingsports what about Tiguan? I meant Tiguan seems to be compact SUV and competitor to CRV, Forester, and RAV4. While size wise it is somewhat close to compact SUVs, it's engine is more inclined to HRV, Corolla Cross, etc.
VW's SUVs have all grown to fit "adjacent" to their respective classes. With a 109" wheelbase the Tiguan is squarely in the mid-size realm now.
Me reckon it always better to opt for a mazda CX 5 may be .... There are a tonne of crossovers which sometimes doesn't stand out for that purpose and VW's ...I started to hate them ... For me Toureag is their proper cross over with a longitudinal engine and they always keep it as so premium - would have provided more choice to customers
Awesome review. Love seeing crossovers tackle this road. Also love seeing the maverick in the background. Would be cool to get an update on how it’s been since you’ve got it
We have an update on the Maverick coming in a couple weeks.
VW just needs to make their engines more powerful. The Tiguan is also underpowered.
They can't because of Dieselgate
Would another 20 pony's under the hood and a slightly better interior be enough to make worthwhile or competitive in its class?
What a great review! I will not buy one now ! Thanks guys :-)
nice
Nice
Comparing this to your (somewhat) recent review of the Rav4 TRD offroad, that'll handle this course with ease, right? I remember you being slightly let down with it's performance offroad, and you didn't even take it to your own test course. (Which you said here is for more advanced vehicles)
"Once you get into the mid-30s you start to expect something better"
Dont...
The mid-30s is the equivalent of 20k a few years ago..
I don't believe this will change, so might as well change expectations again...
Except other car makers do it better in this price range.
Ya.. 30k is the new 20k. So...
The Tiguan has a bigger engine and cost less
I don’t think this is a fair review for a inexpensive sub-compact crossover. I’m surprised you didn’t pull out the 4Runner and trash the Taos for not being as good 😂
Just going through the videos on your channel, and it looks like the most direct competitor is really the Chevrolet Trailblazer. I also wonder why you came away with a more positive review of this vehicle than you did the Trailblazer? Is the suspension quality and slow speed control that much better on this VW?
The Toas is notably larger than the Trailblazer. (In wheelbase, width and lenght.) Both these vehicles are on the pricy side for what you get, but being larger the Toas just doen't seem like quite as much of a stretch.
You're wrong about the ground clearance. The ground clearance for the front wheel drive model is 6.4 inches, and the all wheel drive 4motion model's have 7.6 inches of ground clearance. Check you facts.
I feel that he was a bit condescending when he smirked at the power of the Taos while climbing up those rocks. Realistically, 99.9% of people that buy this car aren't buying it for its off road capabilities. They just like knowing that if it gets a little shitty where you're going, then it's AWD coupled with the trail mode will get you around. It does that. I would also guess that 95% of the time these cars are moving it's on pavement. If you add more power to make it a bit more off road capable, you also add more cost to the car as well as more money down the drain in gas money. Give me the lower powered SUV that provides utility, saves me gas money, and can get me around on those rare occasions that I go up a trail.
I think that you are on the wrong side with competitors, Forester and Cx-5 are above level. Right competitors are Crosstrek, Corolla Cross, HR-V.
Agree it's terrific driver, you hit the important stuff, the only down is the tire noise maybe it's the OEM fit; the Conti's on my otherSportwagen TDI are really good in that regard. On my front driver the 8 spd is absolutely terrific, always in the right cog. Seats with lumbar adjustment are outstanding. Right, the trip odometer I haven't figured out and use the car data window. And that lets me hyper mile, the flat road 65 mph local stuff nets always over 41 - like 45 even - which just flat out amazing. I think the fwd has plenty of pull with the 1.5, which engine has a terrific reputation in the eurozone. Nice review, thanks.
Is this how Americans think... No in the US this is not your typical road but in other 192 countries roads are like in parts of Kenya. And btw the video is in US 🤦
Its like hes trying to make it fail excellent haldex system
Si la juventud pensara y hablara como para referirse y valorar su familia otra cosa fuera. Yo como madre escucharte decir que esa señora trabajo lo que sea por darle a sus hijos que comer. No sabes cuánto se siente 💔porque así es 😔las verdaderas madres solo sufrimos cuando estamos en esa cituacion😔. No es mi caso pero se siente dolor💔ya que soy madre de tres varones que lo e sacado adelante 💪🏻siendo padre y madre
Debating a 2024 highline (sel) 4motion, just hesitant due to reliability concerns I’ve seen…
My 2023 4 motion is not slow. It’s faster than our Lexus NX 300. Safer, peppier and 36 miles to the gallon.
Excellent! Would you say Tiguan is a better value at only about $3K more for similar specs? I’d imagine interior is higher quality. That reminds me, can you do a review (including off-road) of the 2022+ Tiguans? While its more of a facelift, they did tune the driving a bit.
Also, this is essentially a cheaper Q3, right? Thank you for these excellent reviews!
1.4 engine in the taos is more reliable than the 2.0 in the tiguan.
This guy is so right. If you are paying mid 30's you expect better materials.
Automobile manufacturers should stop designing the engine area from manifold plastic even if they know that stealing from the material is theft weak and rotten produced vehicles cause great expenses to users why no one questions this and has to use sick cars demand value for money recycling to plastic no to the material is reliable without any quality reliable trouble-free vehicle is the right of all of us.
if Taos had 2.0t，mind blowing.
People always sleep on vw's awd systems. I have a 1st gen VW touareg V8 that will do most things that stock jeeps will do.
8 sec 0 to 60, doesn't sound suuuuper slow for a small suv, I think for the price it is better than the other cars on the segment, or at least it sound like it when you say the dsg is great, the crawling is impressive, and the seats are comfortable and you didn't rock the bottom at all.
The Taos with a 2.0 turbo and a 2 inch lift and better off road tires would be a blast !
Hyundai never use DSG . what Hyundai cars have DCT.
Dual Clutch trannies aren't great for off roading (nor are CVT), I guess good old torque converter automatics are the best for off roading,
looks cool.
i wish quality was there overall!
I'm must say, that Germany's cosy relationship with Russia influenced my attitude towards things made there.
They were warned for many years how this might end. Sadly they never listened.
This is made in Argentina 😂
@@NormandyFoye
So what?
Is VW an Argentinian company?
Where does the profit goes?
What would have happened if he aired down or had slightly wider tires for that trail?
I was happy with our Taos until we started having multiple issues, had to dump it at a huge loss.
Another enjoyable video-thank you! As a fellow dweller in the Seattle area I’d love it if you could share more information about the roads you drive. Not your private course, naturally, but I’d love to try my hand (and Subie) at the places you use for your test drives and reviews.
Pretty easy to figure out if you pay attention to the driving scenes when he's on i90 and just off the exit. I plan on checking out his spots with my WRX and later this year my Subaru Ascent. I live about 30 minutes from where he does the offroad tests.
In fact, the spot at 18:28 I'm pretty sure I cut down my christmas tree from that exact spot a couple years ago (just to the right of the power line structure.
VW Tiguan Allspace looks better !
Agreed. But North America only gets the Allspace version. The rest of the world gets a smaller, Taos-sized version of the Tiguan too.
Pretty good for what it is and the price, if you need more buy a jeep.
VW is really good at designing a nice looking car, great options, but no power and how NOT to sell it. 150+ horsies?? My 93 Altima had more
Their design teams are spot On..But the power train 🤮🤢
Thanks! For the review, one thing this vehicles can do if you want to do a 0-60 is launch control, it will do more than a second faster than the 8.4, I did it myself and it works great, I am surprised no other vehicle in this category and price point offer this feature. This little turbo engine using 93 octane gas will increase the hp but to save $ 87 is ok to use.
I like the driving dynamics, the steering feels nice and the suspension is well tuned with the vehicle, it corner well, filling security on the road, also the 4MOTION has proved to be good, if you want a little more ground clearance you can buy a lift kid they sell for all the vw SUVs called "Basecamp accessories". I like the space it offers inside, over all I think it is a great vehicle
Why would this vehicle even have a launch control system is kind of useless imo.
LC is useless any way unless you are into racing vehicles, but I was surprised that a small budget SUV like this one has one, that is a + no matter how you see it, then agen it can do 0 to 60 in 7 seconds (Not 8.4) and that time is above average for this price segment, the one I tested is the basic S model with 4MOTION, priced 27,895. Not bad at all
Pretty bad mpg for a 1.5 engine!!
I have one it gets 32
It's a turbo 1.5
@@akilghosh mine gets 32 that’s good
I would 10 to 1 take a new CX50 with standard AWD, Similar price.......Vastly nicer.......26 sensers to guarantee power goes to apropriate wheels........More ground clearance and IS a true SUV....Like Forester........The ONLY 2 I know of And Heads up display which I fell in love with Day one.................Paul
Big fan of your reviews, so I would love a recap of your recommended models; a "buyer's guide" of sorts. For example, as a geologist by trade and hiker by hobby, I do lots of rough dirt road stuff (think unmaintained USFS) and sometimes transport my bike around, but it's not rock scrambles in Moab. Some crossovers seem too much like simple appearance packages with bad clearances, etc., but true rough and tumble things like Jeeps or 4Runners are pricey toys that I'd use only rarely to their full potential. (Add other other considerations such as mpgs, reliability, and size for day-to-day in-city living.) I've been eyeing the Bronco Sport, but it's hard to know if this is the only thing fitting the bill or if I've overlooked something. So your input on topics like this in a semi-regular buyer's guide would be much appreciated by me and, I'd hazard, other viewers, too!
Get a forester
VW is one of top from German cars about plastic interior also Audi Q2,Q3 is using plastic I think this today what they doing
DSG is better then CVT
I’m not a fan of this vehicle. I’ll just leave it at that.
Doesn’t the Taos compete with the likes of the Seltos, Crosstrek, Corolla Cross, HR-V, etc.? The Tiguan is competing with the Tucson, Sportage, CR-V, etc., no?
If u really need power buy audi vw offers dozens of luxury cars like audi bently Bugatti Lamborghini.......
Is funny that folks talk about low speed "brake vectoring" like it's not 20+ year old tech. VW introduced EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) back in 1995 on the Corrado VR6 and Toyota A-TRAC (Active Trac) in 2000-2001, I think first in the Land Cruiser. Both apply brakes to the wheel that's spinning to transfer torque to the side that isn't. The only thing that makes them different from any normal ABS system is that they have a pump to make their own brake pressure which is probably a small added cost and thus why not *all* cars have had it since then.
The biggest mistake people make with these systems is not giving them time to do their thing. If you roll slow into a lifted tire scenario on a climb, sometimes the tire start to spin, while the car stops and sometimes even rolls backward a little, and then people panic and get off the gas or even hit the brakes. For these systems to work you just have to stay steady on the gas, give it time to recognize the wheelspin and apply the brakes and start pulling itself forward.
Funny you complained about noise. Almost every review I've read or watched comments how quiet it is for the segment (even super picky and critical Consumer Reports).
It's Ironic... Because you would need Machos more power to compete with TAOS, NM traffic... let alone Santa Fe. And at Rush Hour... No Way Jose'... Maybe that would be a good test for it! LOL
Can you please try the same off road path with a FWD crossover to see how limited they are.
We did this trail with the 2WD VW ID.4 last year. ua-cam.com/video/K-Q5o96tsoI/v-deo.html
Think I'd rather have the Atlas CS. I believe it has more ground clearance. Seemed to do well in that video you made a while back.
CX50 has more than either and better off road ability............Paul
Between the color and exterior? is really not that bad.. It's in the interior which shows just what you are buying, or more to the point, "missing." For an new car/entry level/new driver, though?? Not bad..Okay, the Off-Road trail test, IMPRESSED me..
Ryan, please let me know where you got that STI hoodie.. Please?? lol
You did not do the Launch control it should be 6.5sec on 0-60.
Everything's good except the price. VW priced it similar to Rav4 & Forester.
If you are going to complain about road noise, how about trying it with the rear seats up and the parcel cover done up.
I really like Mr Ryan's reviews showing vehicles' both on and off-road. I may move to Europe in a couple of years. Right now the best vehicle I see for me is related to this Taos (who knows in 2 years). It solved Ryan's 2 main complaints: interior quality and power. Skoda Karoq. Based on this Taos, it has nicer interior (including removable back 3 section seat, any or all sections!) and can be had with VW 2.0 TDI, 150hp, 256lbft torque. So same hp, but significant torque. And 40mpg! The competition for me is Subaru. But Skoda is nicer, if not as offroad, and knowledgeable service much more available.
I test drove one and was disappointed. I had owned a Tiguan several years ago and like it. The Taos is only a couple thousand cheaper than the Tiguan but I found a swath of hard plastic surfaces in the interior. Also the engine seemed to struggle getting off the line and was a noisy lump driving around town.
question..when you accelerated did you have the vehicle in Sports mode? You said there was not a lot of lower, however I imagine it is punchier in Sports mode?
Very nice vehicle, But it's too under powered. For the price, Should at least offer a more powerful motor option. Until then I'll look at other options.
I like the Taos except for the interior. I think Kia, Hyundai, Mazda, and Subaru, offer more.
I just got my VW Taus S with AWD for $27,509
This car won’t last long lol
What's the name of the trail, I really want to to trying it out!! I am new to off road and this trail seems easy for a truck and It looks like a great place for bigginers.
Exelent TEST of the 4wd system Thank You for your content. 👍
great vedio..can i ask a question , who is gave new generation vehicles to you...are you buying?
a 30 minute review and we didn’t see how the sunroof functions. which is a big selling point because of how large and beautiful it is
Would you prefer this over the new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross? Which interior and AWD system do you prefer?
4th gen Haldex? My 2016 Tiguan had a 5th gen Haldex
Rubbish dual clutch ( DSG ) 🤮
It doesn't fit for off-road adventure that dsg
Another channel from us tested taos against xv off-road
That lovely xv wins..
Thanks to cvt linertronic ❤️
CVT is quite shit off road.
In your opinion, which does better in trail access or forest road environments; The VW taos, or the kia seltos? I'm a huge fan of vw and it seems that the taos did better, but it's not on the same course as your seltos video so I'd rather take your word for it. Thanks!
The golf all track was so much better. No power on this.
Excellent review 👍
Subaru Forester 8.5s 0 to 60mph. VW Taos 10.1s 0 to 60mph. :) Subaru Forester is still quite a bit faster.
The Taos is more comparable to a Crosstrek. No one buys a Subaru for acceleration, in fact Subie drivers are well known for slow driving.
Нужно сделать разнообразие в припятствиях для машин ( песок ,грязь ,каменистый подъем уже есть))
I don't consider this off roading. I can go in with my camry
Looks great but needs improved interior materials, as you said. Also, maybe a 2-Liter turbo engine?
I'm thinking of Tiguan and Taos. Which one should i buy? I feel the Tiguan might be a bit too big...is Taos good enough for a family of 4 (2kids)?
The Tiguan is quite small. I suspect after a family of 4 uses one for a bit, you’ll be needing more room. I couldn’t imagine anyone being happy in something even smaller than the Tiguan.
I don’t think this vehicle is made for off-road
Nice video, please test the 2022 Tiguan 4motion
Got my Jeep compass Trail Hawk yesterday..
Thanks for the Review
Trail Hawk just got some upgrades
360 cam And some other stuffs
Too bad VW did not put the motor that is in the GTI in the Taos.
I've commented on other review videos that VW really messed up by using this new 1.5l TSI engine vs. the (discontinued) VW Alltrack's much better 1.8l TSI. I had considered a Taos as a replacement for my Alltrack. Then I drove both the FWD and AWD versions and was completely unimpressed. I ended up going in a completely different direction and bought a new Hyundai Tucson PHEV Limited. While it's certainly more expensive at the point of purchase, after I get the $6,587 Federal tax credit and a portion of my State's $2,500 credit, it will cost way less than an equivalent Taos. Factor in the significantly reduced cost of operating a PHEV over a conventional gas vehicle, and the decision to buy the Tucson was easy.
how are you liking it? thats the hybrid turbo version you got, correct? i also looked at the taos but it was so severely underpowered, i went with a new 2020 hyundai santa fe limited 2.0T AWD. 235 hp and 256 lb ft of torque
Hey, another Tucson owner here! Mine has the 1.6 turbo engine with the 7 speed DCT. It is mild hybrid. I love it to bits! It feels very sporty to drive and has even taken me to some cool campsites already.
Replaced my Alltrack with an Outback XT Onyx. Would have loved to buy a Volvo V60 Cross Country but just could not find one in stock.
@@DavGreg I'm thinking about getting a 19 Alltrack pretty soon, what did you think of yours?
hmm is that Issaquah?? lol, we bought a Taos about a year ago, mainly to take up to the mountains to snowboard but this makes me wanna take some trails on! Great video
Outside issaquah. Near Snoqualmie.
What happens if you actually push start/stop button while driving? It seem at a wrong place
Nothing. The computers are smart enough to not let that do anything.
I guess that ground clearance number is at fully laden capacity. I have a Tiguan and VW India quotes 175mm, but in reality clearance is around 200mm
Yes, it is. The numbers are all over the place on the "unladen".