Yahoo Autos 2022 Volkswagen Taos revealed with in-betweener compact size and rugged styling cues
Volkswagen is expanding its crossover lineup with the compact 2021 VW Taos. Although it is instantly recognizable as a Volkswagen with plenty of styling cues shared with the Tiguan and Atlas Grand Sport, the Taos gets VW's new horizontal LED lighting strip across its grille on the range-topping SEL (see the ID.4) plus a variety of pseudo rugged styling flourishes on every trim. These include black plastic lower cladding and fender flares, raised roof rails, and alloy trim on the front and rear bumpers that mimic skid plates. Besides serving as an obvious point of difference with the more traditional, family-friendly Tiguan, this more rugged look is the telltale sign that the Taos was designed specifically for the North American market where outdoorsy-themed models like the Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota RAV4 Adventure are booming.
Volkswagen's flexible MQB architecture underpins the Taos, which stretches 175.8 inches from end to end, 72.5 inches wide, and 64.4 inches tall. For context, it's about 9.3 inches shorter than a Tiguan, and only a couple inches longer than the growing list of "in-betweener" crossovers that bridge the gap between subcompact and compact choices. These include the Kia Seltos, Chevy Trailblazer and Jeep Compass. Its cargo capacity is consistent with those, too, as there is 28.1 cubic feet with five adults on board and 66.3 cubes with the second-row seats folded flat. Back seat legroom is 37.9 inches.
From the driver seat, horizontal lines on the dashboard emphasize the crossover's width, and the basic layout looks familiar if you've seen the most recent Volkswagen Jetta. A 6.5-inch touchscreen is standard on the base Taos S, while the SE SEL get an 8-inch unit running Volkswagen's latest MIB3 infotainment system. Every Taos also gets an all-digital instrument panel measuring either a standard 8 inches or 10.25 inches on the range-topping SEL.
