The Volkswagen Taos Is Essentially A Scaled-Down Tiguan

• It sits below the Tiguan in Volkswagen’s North American SUV lineup.

• It features a Tiguan-inspired silhouette, an illuminated light strip, and design bits inspired from the Tiguan and T-Roc.

• Notable equipment includes a digital driver’s display, an 8-inch MiB3 infotainment and wireless charging. 

• Powered by a 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine with automatic transmission options as well as front-wheel and all-wheel-drive options.

• Most likely won’t come to India as we already have its equivalent, the T-Roc.

After teasing the new Volkswagen Taos mid-size SUV last month, the carmaker has finally taken the wraps off. Named after the town of Taos, New Mexico, it is designed specifically for the American market and slots under the Tiguan in the VW SUV lineup. It features several elements inspired by its larger sibling and other Volkswagen models.

Up front, it looks like a blend between the T-Roc and Tiguan. The LED headlights merging with the grille are inspired from the T-Roc, whereas the slats and air vents are similar to the Tiguan. The most eye-catching bit up front is the illuminated strip that connects the headlights with the badge on the grille.

Its overall silhouette is similar to the Tiguan with an aggressive rake to the D-pillar section. Highlights include the squared-off wheel arches and the choice of 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels. The rear is also largely similar to the Tiguan with a swanky set of LED taillights.

Heading inside, the Taos has a clean design with a horizontally focused dashboard layout. It's loaded with features such as an optional panoramic sunroof, Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, an 8-inch touchscreen with the latest MiB3 software, Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless charging, and an 8-speaker BeatsAudio sound system. It also gets keyless entry with push button start/stop, eight-way power driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, 10-colour ambient lighting, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated side mirrors. 

The safety kit features Volkswagen’s IQ Drive range of driver assists such as forward collision warning, autonomous braking, active blindspot monitor, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, high beam control, adaptive front lighting, and park distance control.  

The Taos is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder TSI petrol engine that also powers the US-spec Volkswagen Jetta sedan. It makes 158PS of outright grunt and 250Nm of twist. Transmission duties are taken care of by either an 8-speed automatic transmission or a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox. However, the former is only available in the front-wheel-drive configuration, whereas the latter is limited to the all-wheel-drive option.

The Taos will be produced at Volkswagen’s Puebla factory in Mexico, with a launch in summer 2021. It will be offered in the S, SE, and SEL trims. It is highly unlikely to make it to India since we already have its equivalent, the T-Roc. The Taos takes on the Jeep Compass, like the T-Roc in India.