2025 Volkswagen Taos vs The Competition

The Chevrolet Trax is a very affordable crossover that has been very successful. Powered by a small turbocharged three-cylinder engine, it was made for space and efficiency. The four-door crossover comes only with front-wheel drive.  

• The Taos is available with 4Motion all-wheel drive offering optimal traction on all surfaces and conditions. The Trax does not come with all-wheel drive.  

• When it comes to performance, the Taos has it. With more horsepower (174 vs. 138) and torque (184 lb-ft vs. 162 lb-ft) than the Trax, it has more than enough power for passing and confident highway cruising. You also have more gears available through our automatic transmission – eight compared to six – to deliver a more efficient drive.  

• The Taos also delivers improved fuel economy overall. The Taos front-wheel drive model is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at 36 mpg on the highway versus the Trax’s 32 mpg. The Volkswagen is also rated at 31 mpg for combined city/highway driving, compared to the Trax’s 29 mpg. With 4Motion all-wheel drive, the Taos is rated higher on the highway at 33 mpg.  

• A taller roof means better headroom for front- and rear-seat occupants. The Taos is measured at 40.7 inches up front and 39.8 inches in the second row, compared to the Trax’s 39.6 inches and 38.1 inches, respectively.   

• Did you know that the Volkswagen Taos has more standard equipment on the S model than on the lowest priced Trax model? Standard features include heated steering wheel, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, and Lane Assist.

Kia’s compact SUV offers plenty of practicality. It also offers Kia’s unique design language that makes it a standout in its class. The Seltos is available in front- and all-wheel drive.  

• When it comes to performance, the Taos has it. With more horsepower (174 vs. 146) and torque (184 lb-ft vs. 132 lb-ft) than the Seltos, it has more than enough power for passing and confident highway cruising. You also have an eight-speed automatic transmission compared to a continuously variable transmission, delivering smoother shifts for a more efficient drive.  

• The Taos also delivers improved fuel economy overall. The Taos front-wheel drive model is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at 36 mpg on the highway versus the Seltos front-drive model’s 34 mpg. With 4Motion all-wheel drive, the Taos is rated higher on the highway at 33 mpg compared to the Seltos all-wheel-drive model at 31 mpg.  

• There is more cargo space in the Taos than in the Seltos. With the rear seats up, the Taos offers 27.9 cubic feet of space compared to 26.6 cubic feet in the Kia. This is expandable to 65.9 cubic feet, more than the Seltos’ 62.8 cubic feet.   

• Did you know that the Volkswagen Taos has more standard equipment in the S model than on a comparable Seltos model? Standard features include heated steering wheel, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, Lane Assist, and on-board Wi-Fi Hotspot. 

• Our front-wheel-drive Taos S actually costs less than the lowest-priced front-drive Seltos by almost $200.

The newly redesigned Kicks has grown. With a design that is different than anything in its class, it offers plenty of space and personality to go along with a larger 2.0-liter engine. Nissan’s new SUV is available in front- and all-wheel drive.   

• When it comes to performance, the Taos has it. With more horsepower (174 vs. 141) and torque (184 lb-ft vs. 141 lb-ft) than the Kicks, it has more than enough power for passing and confident highway cruising.  

• On the Taos, you have an eight-speed automatic transmission compared to a continuously variable transmission, delivering smoother shifts for a more efficient drive.  

• The Taos also delivers improved fuel economy overall. The Taos front-wheel-drive model is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at 36 mpg on the highway versus the Kicks’ front-drive models at 35 mpg.  

• Did you know that the Volkswagen Taos S has more standard equipment than a comparable Kicks model? Standard features include heated steering wheel, rear armrest with pass-through, roof rails, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, remote engine start, Wi-Fi Hotspot, and Lane Assist. 

• A taller roof means better headroom for rear-seat occupants. The Taos is measured at 39.8 inches in the second row compared to the Kicks’ 38.1 inches. The Volkswagen also tops the Nissan in rear legroom, with 37.9 inches compared to the Kicks’ 34.5 inches.

Subaru offers a crossover with plenty of unique features. With standard all-wheel drive and a horizontally opposed engine layout, the Crosstrek was developed for a more specific purpose. Its loyal customers love their Subarus because of these unique features.  

• When it comes to performance, the Taos has it. The Volkswagen has more horsepower (174 vs. 152) and torque (184 lb-ft vs. 145 lb-ft) than the Crosstrek’s standard engine. Regarding the larger Subaru engine, the Taos offer more torque, as well. Overall, it has more than enough power for passing and confident highway cruising.  

• On the Taos, you have an eight-speed automatic transmission compared to a continuously variable transmission, delivering smoother shifts for a more efficient drive.  

• The Taos also delivers improved fuel economy overall. The Taos front-wheel drive model is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency at 36 mpg on the highway versus the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0-liter engine at 34 mpg.  

• Did you know that the Volkswagen Taos S has more standard equipment than a comparable Kicks model? Standard features include heated steering wheel, rear armrest with pass-through, push button start, LED taillights, roof rails, Wi-Fi Hotspot, and Lane Assist. 

• A taller roof means better headroom for rear-seat occupants. The Taos is measured at 39.8 inches in the second row, compared to the Crosstrek’s 38.0 inches. The Volkswagen also tops the Subaru in rear legroom, with 37.9 inches compared to the Crosstrek’s 36.5 inches.