Volkswagen tweaks Taos for US market
Volkswagen’s entry-level compact SUV receives some subtle design tweaks for the American market as the carmaker hopes to sell in more segments
As car companies scramble to electrify their portfolios and the EU battles over the end of combustion engines, Volkswagen has rolled out a new petrol-powered crossover specifically for the Americas. Built on the scalable MQB platform, which also underpins the large Atlas and midsize Tiguan models, the Taos comes in at 9.3 inches shorter than the latter and fills a gap in the VW portfolio at a time when customer demand for SUVs are as high as ever.
Although currently supply is vastly hampered by the current microchip shortage, VW is counting on Americans to keep clamoring for crossovers. In first quarter of 2021, SUVs accounted for 64% of VW sales in the US – and that’s before the Taos went on sale.
VW Group is a master of rebranding essentially the same vehicles for its portfolio of brands, and even different markets under the same nameplate. This, of course, is where design teams – and especially satellite studios – play a starring role. The bones of the Taos are shared with the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq, and is mainly derivative of the VW Tharu, introduced last year for China and Russia. But while the Tharu was designed to be a miniature version of the Atlas, mimicking more of what head of VW Group design Klaus Zyciora called its “wide appearance and earnest look,” the Taos has subtle but significant differences suited more toward the American driver.
The Taos starts with a typical SUV silhouette, with a strong stance and short overhangs. VW’s designers say its very upright D-pillar is a tribute to the Tiguan, while the squared-off wheel arches share a visual similarity to the Atlas. Optional 19-inch wheels give the Taos more presence than the standard 17-inch setup.
With the input of VW’s California studio, designers gave the Taos a front end more reminiscent of the bolder, coupe-like Atlas Cross Sport, including the three-bar grille with its LED light bar that connects the projector headlamps. Differences can also be seen in the moulded front bumper and lower air intake. At the rear, the Taos gets its model designation printed across the center of the tailgate, flanked by LED tail lamps.
As for the interior, designers gave the Taos clean lines with horizontal focus. It keeps the same basic design as the Tharu, but colour and materials designers changed palettes and trims for the American car, including grey contrast stitching and optional two-tone colour schemes like black and French Roast (a rich tan).
The Taos is powered by VW’s 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 158bhp and 184lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel-drive cars use an eight-speed automatic transmission, while AWD versions get a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. On a drive through the mountains near Malibu California, the AWD Taos proved to be a great little runabout with the comfort and ergonomics on par with the best of VW’s offerings.
In addition to the US, the 2022 Taos is sold in Canada, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico – where it’s built at VW’s Puebla manufacturing plant. A faster version may well be in the works, as a VW spokesperson tells us, “We know people love the GTI and we have a desire to execute a high-performance version of the Taos, but not before the facelift.”