2022 VW Taos: Cheerful, cheap, and ready to haul ALL your stuff (Review) 

Best, most accurate review of the Taos I’ve seen. As a Taos SEL owner, I love my car and the safety features made driving from Chicago to Yellowstone so comfortable. The turbo lag is just a VW staple that VW drivers don’t mind much (owned a Jetta for 6 years). But it’s such a roomy car, too, and the fuel efficiency is no joke. My gas range was just about 500 miles (regular gas) and tested this numerous times. I was blown away! So far I’ve put about 6k miles on my Taos since buying in February. Oh, and it’s fabulous in the snow, dirt roads, city, etc.

you are very much my go to for car info. thank you James.

Realy really really great review glad i stumbled upon ya. First review on a taos that i feel was honest. Didn’t seem biased at all appreciate that. Thank you. Definitely helped me decide on my next ride.

Thanks so much for such an authentic take! We’re looking at the Taos as an upgrade to our 2014 Jetta, and this is really informative!

Excellent review of a lot of features other reviewers don't talk about. Thank you!

Nice and simple review ! Good non-complicated insight! Very nice car and a good price point

Great and thorough review! Thanks ❤️

nice review! learned a lot about the Taos, thanks

I just bought the SEL trim 4 days ago and I have to say that I agree with EVERYTHING you addressed in this review! Especially the way it behaves with the turbo lag causing the vehicle to be jumpy upon accelerating from a complete stop.

Thank you for all the info about the Taos thanks for helping as all our to make the right call. Be safe.

We just bought a Taos SE. It’s great fun, all the creature comforts you need, excellent mpg too. I’m 6’2” and plenty of headroom even with the big pano roof. It has a little bit of GTI in it as well with the flat bottom steering wheel, sport mode, and surprisingly fun handling.

Great video James! Like your point of view on the Taos! Keep it up!

Loving my Taos SEL. Great review.

Really great review. Thanks.

Best video that i’ve seen on the Taos yet! Love the energy bro.

Great Review Thanks

James thank u so much for the excellent review. I was so glad when you mentioned the steering on the highway. I wasn’t sure what to think about that. I thought maybe something might be wrong with the alignment So it’s good to know the frequent steering correction is just a trait of this vehicle. Thanks again. Very awesome review. The way you deliver information is clear and distinct

Great Review!!

You just helped me decide to buy this car!

We just picked one up ourselves and in regards to the unpredictable acceleration you are a 100% accurate on that. I still am struggling to get used to it and my wife really doesn't like it. It's kind of frustrating when we're trying to feed our baby in the backseat and trying to get her to go to sleep and the vehicle does its usual acceleration surges. Great video by the way, thank you.

thanks ! great review

Overall, nice review! I just bought the SEL trim, w/ glass roof & AWD. The sophistication of the ride and steering place it above its rivals in this class of vehicles. If you drive in Sport mode or with a linear foot, the lag disappears for the most part. I really have not experience it. However, I will plug in my Carista device and change some factory settings. There is one to improve throttle response. Plus, it is fun to customize some other settings as well. Lastly, I came from a 2020 Jetta GLI and the interior seems about the same between them, I think it is fine, very VW with some nice touches where they are needed most and everything fits well with no rattles. The ambient light across the dash and doors is my favorite part along with the digital dashboard. It has many things I enjoyed from the GLI and I am happy with my purchase.

I'm test driving a Taos Highline (CAN) for a few days as I'm thinking of saying goodbye to my 2009 Golf (that I love). It drives just as you noted and I couldn't be happier to be in a vehicle described as hilarious. It's the new Golf I suppose, and the hatch space is massive in the Taos, perfect for transporting a lot of stuff. Thanks for your review!

I just bought a Taos on Saturday and am hearing mostly positive reviews so far, so I'm glad to hear your experience has been good also. I'm in Canada so my trim is Comfortline, which is the equivalent of your SE. (Between Trendline and Highline) I had to go with that sunroof though. Love it. :)

Satisfied owner of a VW Taos SE with front wheel drive, closing in on 21,000 miles. Definitely true with the quirky kick of torque, but you get used to it. If you want to reduce the effect, a little pull on the gear shift gets you into Sport mode, where shifting happens more quickly. I'd call the Taos "Das Auto der Vernunft" (the car of reason). If you want a car that gets you from A to B in comfort, style and safety, with excellent fuel economy and plenty of space, then this is the car for you. Total fuel economy so far, calculated from all the fuel receipts, is 34.5 mpg, which beats my old Honda Fit by 1 mpg, driven in the same area. All while offering much more space, comfort, and technology. Including tons of leg room, a great big middle armrest hidden in the seat back, an air outlet, and a USB-C charging port in the back. As one reviewer said, it may not be a luxury car, but it impersonates one fairly well. My wife and I went on an overnight trip to visit family once and brought back a fully motorized, overstuffed recliner they wanted to get rid of. Fit in the back with some room to spare. Once I needed to pick up something important from deep into the next state and drove 1010 miles in 16 hours, including several bands of thunderstorms and one major traffic snafu (due to thunderstorms), totaling a little over 40 mpg. No problem comfort-wise, the driver's seat is very adaptable with lumbar support and all, the cabin is well ventilated and relatively quiet, the suspension is better than on any one of our previous cars (although it must be said we never required luxury in the past, the Taos is as close as we got so far), and your unobtrusive co-pilot the Travel Assist (adaptive cruise control plus lane-keeping) acts much more natural than the adaptive cruise control on our previous Mazda CX-3, where "is it going to slow down or not" used to be a guessing game. While I have heard some reviewers' grumbles about the size of the screens, they are perfectly adequate. Could they be bigger? Yes. Do they NEED to be bigger? No. The cockpit is fully digital and you can choose your main instrument as well as the two displays to the left and right. The entertainment system is quite responsive and connects wirelessly to my Android phone for navigation, while my wife can - also wirelessly - connect her iPhone at the same time to play her podcast or audiobook. It does attract fingerprints, but that's what lens wipes are for. A major software update happened over the air, I just had to confirm the install on the screen, promising not to drive it while this was going on. There is a minor quirk where the digital cockpit occasionally starts in what I assume is the default configuration and will not let you change it. But never fear, the display will be back to normal the next time you start the car. Still haven't found out why this happens, but I'm so not stressed about it that I haven't even mentioned it to the dealer. Whatever, it's rare. I also enjoy the myVW app that allows us to check on our car over the internet: Where is it on the map? Are the doors locked? How much range does it have left? What's my driving history? Are there any recalls? (There have been three so far, to be expected from a totally new model - caused no problems.) I can lock and unlock the car using my phone; I can let it run for 10 minutes to warm it up in winter, although that was very hit or miss in the early days. If at first you don't succeed... Well, at least the seats and steering wheel are heated. My impression is they made the connectivity much more reliable by now; I guess I will know for sure soon. The car also sends you a monthly health report via email. To sum it up, I think a lot of thought went into the Taos! The materials aren't super luxurious, but they aren't bad, and they clean up easily. You are sitting comfortably. You can drive confidently and in a relaxed manner, and if you need some extra power, it's there for the asking. The tech is fully functional. There is very little gadgetry you will never use. The main cup holders grip your travel mug securely. At first I thought I might need a cargo cover, but then I realized that the privacy tint on the rear windows makes the contents of the boot nearly invisible, so I never bothered getting that cover. The Travel Assist is your second set of eyes that helps you drive and warns you of potential dangers, usually without being too annoying. It requires you to steer a little at least ever 15 seconds or so, and if you don't respond to its warnings to put your hands back on the steering wheel, it will automatically pull over and stop (I am not brave enough to have tried this out). Good car!

like you a lot James. Trying to decided to go down from the Tiguan to the Toas. We have the Tiguan trade in, top of the line

I got a Taos SE fwd and its been great vehicle so far! Originally I wanted the SEL's cooled seats but they were out of stock everywhere near me (I live in Arkansas and the closest one was 280 miles from home). One thing to note about the SEL is that AWD consumes a bit more gas than the FWD version. I come from an Audi A4 2007 which I drove for 10 years up until 185,000 miles (it got an oil pressure error that might not be recoverable without some major mechanic tinkering). And I was planning to buy a Jetta S/Sport but when I saw this SUV in the lot I just had to try it. I decided to get it because its got a snappy little motor (the turbo lag does get much reduced in sport mode). Overall the Taos line is missing a few features from higher end SUV's such as power liftgate and standard towing hitch (Taos should be able to get a 1500 pound rating, but VW never did the towing tests here in the US). Also the interior feels plasticky when compared to my old Audi A4. But the gas mileage is excellent. I might consider upgrading if VW ever does trims above SEL (or with some of those high-end features). As a customer, I don't care if it cannibalizes sales of Audi Q3 or not. I like the baby Atlas-like exterior design, and if adding high-end features, optional 2.5T motor or similar (for high HP), plus a luxury interior, this Taos would take on the likes of BMW X1 or Mercedes GLA.

Hello. Could you make a video about the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan next? I loved the way you structured this review.

Great review. I picked up a Taos about 3 weeks ago and I’ve had issues with fuel pressure. I can’t pump gas without it stopping every 10-15 seconds and you hear the pressure coming out especially when you first open the cap. Has anyone else has had this problem?

Just bought a 2023 Taos SE and am picking it up tomorrow. You're review assured me that I have made a good choice! Informative, relatable and enjoyable to listen to/watch.

Great review. Looking at purchasing the 2023 Taos here in Canada.

You have the most accurate review of this car that I have seen. I have an SE for one week and still working on that turbo lag issue. But I am getting used to it for better or worse. And why does VW use such hard plastic feeling interior components? Subaru and Honda seem to have figured that out. The SE was a replacement for my Subaru Impreza Sport, which has a CVT and could barely outrun a riding mower. This car can actually move once you get it to respond. The interior room is remarkably spacious for this size vehicle. Its easy to drive and maneuver.

I experience all of those things in my Jetta. I just feel bad that Taos was not available in 2020 when I got my Jetta as I need more space for my roadtrips.

We just got a 2022 Volkswagen Taos SEL but didn't get the lane keep assist package. We had it on my golf R and found it annoying, the car was constantly tugging on the wheel, but we opted for the all-wheel drive. I find the acceleration is adequate, fuel mileage I'm not getting the numbers you're getting right now I got 290 km on this tank full so far and I have slightly under a half a tank left! Well usually get about 500 km out of one tank and being the all-wheel drive it has the bigger gas tank. So I think when it's all said and done we're getting about 25 miles to the gallon combined.

I just bought the Taos and I love it.

The problem with most wireless chargers in cars, yeah it’s cool it’s super convenient. Like you said they get hot and basically the moment they get hot is the moment they stop charging with any gusto. It’s just cars typically stay too hot inside for them to work efficiently at all.

Good review, in regards to the acceleration with the DSG I needed to learn to push the throttle, I also use the sports gear and it will work better, I like it, it also has launch control shaving one full second 0-60

I agree on all the factors, but my fuel consumption is very high. I own Comfortline (SE) and getting around 10L per 100km (City).

I have just gotten a ‘2023 Taos SE….not wanting to be too concerned, but have noticed it at times pulling to the left🫤? Cheap seat belt🙃 But I do like it -perfect size for just myself. The color I chose is Platinum Gray Metallic. I don’t use a charger( phone already charged).

I really like the Taos for the most part, though the interior felt a little too cheap to me. I currently drive a 2015 VW Golf which feels a like a much more expensive vehicle. I think if they included the Digital Cockpit Pro on the SE, it would really help out a lot as well. Great review!

Did you look at this before buying the CX30? You seem pretty happy with what you have. But I'm down to the Taos and the CX30, leaning more toward the Mazda though

I'm in the market for a Taos and I have watched a bunch of videos on it and enjoyed your quick are through assessment over all the other videos. Did you see that "basecamp" styling add-on? Thoughts? Also, if you're getting 40 mpg I wonder how good the FWD one does? pretty crazy.

Would you pick this Taos or a Mazca CX30? I can't decide! I wish the Mazda was a bit bigger or that the Taos had better interior materials...

I'm considering buying a Volkswagen Taos right now. I've been driving a '15 Audi A3 for a while but it's time for an upgrade. The only thing that really worries me is that lag that you and others have mentioned about the car. Is it something I should worry about? Also, are there any other AWD options under 30k that you'd suggest like a Subaru Legacy, or would you pick this?

Great review. I test drove an SE FWD when the car first came out and my experience was a lot like yours. The light steering was wild. I didn’t buy one because of major reliability issues. VW had to do a stop sale on the AWD versions, and reading new owners’ comments showed all kinds of issues and glitches. I wasn’t in a rush to buy anything and I was also interested in a couple of other new entries from other car companies, so I decided to wait and see how things work out. Also, dealerships were charging ridiculous prices for everything.

Great info on the Taos. Some automotive journalist have been really hard on this thing. Can’t imagine an interior more opposite of Mazda then these sterile VWs. Turbo lag and downshift delays are even present on the GTI/GLI with the DSG. But the automotive journalist crowd conveniently overlook that because, well, it’s a GTI.

I test drove one today. Can anyone tell me if the steering feels a little on the loose side or is it just me?

looking to buy Taos SE $31000 $550 a month and $97 a month for insurance

Living in a low elevation area of California I'd pass on the AWD and the DSG transmission. Every review I've read or watched has complained about how bad it is at low speeds. The engine may have a bit of turbo lag in the FWD/8 speed auto combo, but at least its not going to be a complete p.i.t.a. in city driving jerking back and forth. I'm with you on the sunroof though. I never use the one I have and they're just a problem after a number of years with rattles and/or leaks.

Cheap? 😂😂😂 It also has a timing belt not a chain, so not cheap to repair

.. and it’s got, all that plastic under the hood

I think it's overpriced, not cheap. At least the awd models.

This is not an affordable small SUV as a matter fact it is a tad cheaper than the Mazda. Hyundai or Kia small SUVs are more affordable.

7:45 … can tell that he doesn’t live in a warm climate - Auto Stop Start is the absolute WORST feature in any vehicle. 95 degrees outside and the bloody engine turns off so the A/C can blow hot air at me… yeah. Delete that $hit.

So ridiculous, this isn't cheap at all. Only the base trim FWD, and who gets that, is sort of affordable, but otherwise it's more expensive than competition - more expensive than Mazda CX-30 or Honda HR V, not to mention the likes of Seltos...