2025 VW Taos Review: Space And Style But Something's Missing

You're spoiled for choice, if you're shopping for an extra-small SUV these days. The "subcompact crossover" segment — cars in which, given vehicles just keep getting bigger, aren't actually so tiny any more — now spans super-budget sedan replacements, through earnest all-rounders, to mini off-roaders. The2025 Volkswagen Taos slots somewhere in the middle of all that.

At the entry level "S" end, it starts at $24,995 (before the $1,425 destination fee), or $1,700 more if you want all-wheel drive. The mid-tier SE kicks off at $27,895 (with the same destination and AWD option), while the flagship SEL is from $34,695 and gets AWD as standard.

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Volkswagen's Bright Moss Green paint — a $455 option — certainly split opinion during my time with the 2025 Taos, but I can't really argue with the refreshed styling generally. The fettled crossover looks chunkier and bolder, borrowing features like illuminated logos and body-spanning light bars from bigger siblings such as the Tiguan and Atlas. 17-inch wheels are standard, with 18- and 19-inch versions available.

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With the largest wheels on this Taos SEL 4MOTION, it looks the part but ride quality suffers. It's hard not to conclude that a little extra sidewall would make all the difference, unless you can be certain of only tackling the smoothest asphalt.

Inside, the Taos feels spacious, particularly with the panoramic glass roof that's standard on the SEL, and an option on the SE. While base S trim cars get cloth seats, SE upgrades to leatherette, and real leather on the SEL. I give VW credit for skipping the all-black hide, and offering the SEL with either two-tone black and gray, or a fetching blue option for its leather.

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The dashboard gets an 8-inch touchscreen, paired with a digital driver display on all trims — 8-inches on the S, and 10.25-inches on the SE and SEL — plus support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All trims get two front USB-C 45W ports; SE and SEL add a third port in the center storage, and wireless phone charging. VW's software is a little sober, with its dark color scheme, but generally straightforward to navigate.

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The base S spec is fairly spartan, compared to higher trims. Dual-zone climate control is only standard from SE trim and up, as are heated front seats and side mirrors, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, and an 8-way power adjusting driver's seat. SEL trim adds ventilated front seats.

The 1.5-liter turbo-four gas engine in the Taos is standard, with 4MOTION AWD optional. Whether front- or all-wheel drive, it's now paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission; the seven-speed DSG used on the old Taos AWD has been retired. Horsepower is up, from 158 hp to 174 hp, while torque sticks at 184 lb-ft.

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Around town, the 2025 Taos with AWD feels as perky as you'd want a subcompact crossover to be. There's a Sport drive mode — along with Normal and Individual, affecting things like steering weight and throttle response — along with a Sport mode for the transmission; 4MOTION models get Snow and Off-Road modes, too. Even at its most sedate settings, though, this is an easy little car to drive: I generally stuck to the transmission in "D" and the drive mode dial twisted to Sport.

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At highway speeds, though, the Taos doesn't feel so assured. Trying to keep up with roughly 70 mph traffic saw the automatic regularly downshifting, just to muster sufficient pace. The cabin gets loud and, even after the transmission's shuffles, the experience feels ponderous.

At least VW's frugality claims hold water. The automaker says the 2025 Taos with front-wheel drive should do 28 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined; the all-wheel drive version sees those numbers dip to 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined. Mixed driving saw the Taos 4MOTION land at just over 27 mpg.

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On paper, that's basically on a par with the Subaru Crosstrek in its standard all-wheel drive form. In practice, the Crosstrek — at least, when not in Wilderness form — actually exceeded its combined rating by several points, in our testing.

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Volkswagen's dearth of hybrids in the U.S. continues to feel like a missed opportunity. You could spend $34,695 (plus destination) on a 2025 Taos SEL 4MOTION, for example, or you could stroll over to the nearest Mazda showroom and pick up a 2025 CX-50 Hybrid from $33,970 (plus destination). Sure, Mazda's base trim misses out on a few of the Taos SEL's creature comforts, but the 38 mpg combined economy rating might make that easier to stomach.

Officially, VW compares the Taos to the smaller CX-30, which Mazda doesn't offer in hybrid form. Dimensions-wise, though, the CX-50 finds the Volkswagen snapping on its heels. With 27.9 cu-ft of trunk space (for the front-wheel drive model, at least; opt for AWD and that dips to 24.9 cu-ft) with the rear seats up, and 65.9 cu-ft (or 60.2 cu-ft in AWD form) with them folded, the VW actually boasts more cargo space with the bench flat. Front and rear legroom aren't much different from the larger CX-50, either.

That, you could conclude, is one of the upshots of the Taos' segment being so large: drivers with very different priorities can invariably find a subcompact crossover to suit. There's a solid argument to be made, therefore, in skipping the high-end Taos trim and striking a comfort/space balance with the SE.

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The result parked on your driveway will look good, and be practical, but you'll need to set aside any aspirations of fun driving. For some, that'll be a dealbreaker. For many others, factors like the 2025 Taos' healthy 4 year/50,000-mile warranty, spacious interior, and the familiar (and now potentially glowing) badge will make up for merely average dynamics.