Introduced to the U.S. market for the 2022 model year, the compact Taos anchors the bottom of Volkswagen’s five-strong SUV lineup that also includes the just-redesigned 2025 Tiguan, all-electric ID.4, and midsize-plus sized three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport. SUVs are big business for Volkswagen, constituting 76 percent of the brand’s sales in the U.S. in 2024.
Photo: Ron Sessions
As the least expensive Volkswagen SUV, the German automaker positions the Taos to appeal to first-time buyers on a tight budget or those coming out of a small sedan, wagon, or hatchback like the Golf. Its small size makes it a natural for city dwellers, singles, or families just starting out who need a fuel-efficient vehicle with good cargo versatility and enough space for five passengers.
The Taos features a 174-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can configure it with front-wheel drive (FWD) or Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD).
For 2025, Volkswagen gives the Taos a mild refresh that includes:
For the 2025 model year, the Taos model lineup includes the following trims:
The destination charge is an additional $1,425.
Highlights of the base S trim include 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, cloth seats, manually adjustable front seats, heated, faux-leather-wrapped steering wheel, pushbutton start, 8-inch digital cockpit driver display, free-standing 8-inch infotainment screen, two front USB-C fast-charge ports, four-speaker stereo, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and VW’s IQ.Drive advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
Moving up to SE grade gains 18-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, heated front seats, faux-leather seat coverings, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, six-speaker stereo with HD Radio and a 90-day trial of SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, three front USB-C fast-charge ports, voice control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, electronic touch dual-zone automatic climate control, and front and rear parking sensors.
The SE Black trim adds cosmetic touches such as black wheels, mirror caps, roof, and spoiler, a panoramic sunroof, 18- or 19-inch wheels, and a light bar above the front grille.
SEL trim brings 19-inch wheels, genuine leather seat coverings, ventilated front seats, embedded navigation, 10-color ambient cabin accent lighting, a configurable 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro driver display, and a dynamic traffic-sign display.
JD Power previously published a review of the 2022 Volkswagen Taos. This review focuses on the Taos’ updates for 2025 and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
For this 2025 Taos review, Volkswagen provided a test vehicle equipped with SE Black trim and Bright Moss Green premium paint with a Deep Black roof.
The test vehicle’s price was $33,725, including the $1,425 destination charge to ship the SUV from the Volkswagen assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico, to your local dealership.
Photo: Ron Sessions
For the 2025 model year, the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the Taos gets retuned for more power, courtesy of a modified turbocharger housing, a higher-capacity intercooler, and reduced-friction piston rings. Output rises from 158 to 174 hp. However, torque remains the same at a healthy 184 pound-feet.
Despite the power boost, the EPA-estimated fuel economy has not declined. The 31-mpg combined EPA estimate for the 2025 FWD Taos remains the same, and the 28-mpg combined estimate for the 2025 AWD model represents a one-mpg improvement.
The 2025 model year also sees the Taos ditch the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) used previously with 4Motion models, instead switching to the same, smooth-shifting eight-speed conventional automatic transmission as used in FWD Taos models.
The most noticeable elements of the refreshed 2025 Taos are its more aggressive and expressive front and rear designs. A significantly larger and more menacing-looking Tiguan-like bottom-breather grille moved lower on the front fascia. Above that, new LED projector headlights bracket the prominent VW logo, connected via an ID.4-like light bar on SE Black and SEL trims. Upper trims also add adaptive front lighting that adjusts brightness and angle automatically and brings a cornering function.
In the rear, the 2025 Taos gets a meatier-looking rear bumper, full-width LED taillights, and an illuminated VW emblem.
There are new 17-, 18-, and 19-inch alloy wheel designs at the corners and a robust exterior paint palette that includes new Bright Moss Green, Monterey Blue Pearl, and Monument Gray hues.
Photo: Ron Sessions
One of the digs against the 2022-24 Taos was a plasticky interior. Volkswagen addresses that in the 2025 model using soft-touch wrapped and stitched surfaces running under the driver and infotainment displays and fanning out into the doors.
A redesigned dashboard includes a new free-standing infotainment screen measuring 8 inches on all trims. The new screen looks more modern, and all iterations now use the faster-processing MIB 3 architecture. Volkswagen wisely chose to retain the rotary analog volume and tuning knobs from the old infotainment system, which is great for making quick adjustments on the fly.
Elsewhere, VW also kept meaty knobs for the headlight controls, drive-mode selector, side mirror controls, and the base model’s climate control system. Electronic touch slider controls not unlike those in the new ID.4 replace the old knobs in SE, SE Black, and SEL trims. In a mixed bag, the controls look sleek but lack tactile feedback, and it can be hard to adjust successfully in a moving vehicle. Further, the driver must take their eyes off the road to find and operate the controls located low in the dashboard center.
However, the new Taos exudes a premium interior vibe not generally found in small SUVs. Unexpected features include an available panoramic sunroof and, in the range-topping SEL, heated and ventilated front seats and leather seating, newly available for 2025 in dark blue.
During a 160-mile drive encompassing city stop-and-go, rural two-lane highways, and 70-mph interstates, the new Taos offered comfortable ride quality, predictable handling, accurate steering, and firm brake response. The 4Motion-equipped SE Black test vehicle was pleasantly fuel-efficient during the drive, averaging an indicated 29.6 mpg.
The Taos was stable and settled at freeway speeds, but I didn’t feel the added 16 hp of the 2025 model when merging into a fast-moving stream of traffic or overtaking a slower vehicle. That said, the satisfying throttle response and good low- and midrange torque of the revamped 174-hp 1.5-liter turbo engine made the small SUV a seamless partner in urban and suburban settings, and it was easy to move with the ebb and flow of traffic with no muss or fuss.
The switch from the prior year’s seven-speed DCT automatic to a conventional eight-speed in 4Motion versions has also added refinement. Where the previous DCT could be jerky when launching from rest and sometimes experienced uneven shift quality, the 2025 model’s shifts proved smooth and unobtrusive.
Putting it all together, the new Taos offers a pleasingly premium driving experience with a level of refinement uncommon in entry-level small SUVs. Outward visibility to the front and sides is good, and the cabin is surprisingly free of intrusive road, powertrain, and air-rush noise. The front seats offer a nice balance of support and comfort, and I had no problems getting my 6-foot, 2-inch frame into the rear seats.
Photo: Ron Sessions
With its first refresh since its 2022 U.S. market introduction, Volkswagen has addressed the Taos small SUV’s shortcomings and enhanced what was already a roomy, comfortable, and well-equipped offering with good road manners. The 2025 Taos competes in a challenging segment populated with strong contenders such as the Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30, and Subaru Crosstrek. Still, there’s one thing the Taos brings that the others can’t match: a European brand pedigree.
Ron Sessions is a seasoned vehicle evaluator with more than four decades of experience. In addition to his contributions to jdpower.com, he has penned hundreds of road tests and buyer's guide reviews for Road & Track, MotorTrend, Car and Driver, and Autotrader.
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