2027 Volkswagen Taos Expert Review
Reviewed by Bob Hernandez
The Volkswagen Taos has always been about giving small-SUV shoppers a little more space and polish without asking them to stretch into Tiguan territory. For 2027, VW’s smallest crossover continues that mission with a broader lineup, more standard tech, and the same easygoing personality that makes the Taos feel more practical than playful.
Subcompact SUV rivals include the Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30, and Subaru Crosstrek.
For 2027, Volkswagen adds a Sport trim to the Taos lineup. As with the Jetta, the new trim slots between the entry-level S and midrange SE models, bringing a sportier look to VW’s smallest SUV.
Black 18-inch wheels, roof rails, spoiler, and rear 4Motion badge
Gloss black exterior mirror caps
Gunmetal front bumper trim, rear skidplate, and exhaust tips
Rear privacy glass
Yellow stitching
Embossed black cloth seats
The S trim gains several upgrades this year, including the Composition Media infotainment system, which adds satellite radio, voice control, and two additional speakers for a total of six. Premium Speech with AI and Premium Radio are also available with the setup, and the base trim now comes with KESSY keyless entry and an enhanced rear seatbelt reminder.
The Volkswagen Taos has matured into a more complete small SUV , and that makes it easier to like than earlier versions. It’s comfortable, practical, and pleasantly refined, with enough polish to feel a little more upscale than some rivals—but it still lands closer to “smart choice” than “standout pick.”
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Taos works best when viewed as a simple, approachable daily driver with a nicely finished cabin, agreeable road manners, and useful technology. It doesn’t try to be sporty , rugged, or especially daring, and most shoppers probably won’t expect it to be.
The challenge is that this segment keeps getting better. Competitors offer stronger personalities, sharper value, more capability, or more cargo space, which leaves the Taos feeling like a well-rounded but not quite remarkable option.
Still, for buyers who want a small SUV with a European-leaning feel, a comfortable interior, and an easygoing character, the Taos is worth a look. It may not be the class benchmark, but it no longer feels like it’s fighting itself.
Top-Ranked Competitors:
Every 2027 Taos uses Volkswagen’s 1.5-liter turbo-four, good for 174 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. That sounds competitive on paper, but the all-wheel-drive Taos has lost some straight-line urgency despite the lineup’s power bump for 2025. In MotorTrend testing, a Taos SEL AWD needed a relaxed 8.9 seconds to reach 60 mph—1.5 seconds slower than the pre-refresh version.
That puts the VW behind the Subaru Crosstrek, which uses a larger 2.5-liter flat-four making a similar 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. With all-wheel drive standard, the Crosstrek hit 60 mph in 7.9 seconds in our testing. Neither time is all that quick.
MPGs and Range
Front-drive versions of the 2027 Taos should remain the efficiency play, at roughly 28/ 36 mpg city/highway with an estimated 409 miles of range. Adding all-wheel drive drops that estimate to 25/33 mpg, though range barely changes at 406 miles thanks to the AWD model’s 14.5-gallon fuel tank, larger than the FWD version’s 13.2-gallon tank.
Against the gas-powered Subaru Crosstrek, the Taos is more efficient in either form, especially in front-drive guise. The Crosstrek’s 26/33 mpg rating trails the FWD Taos and roughly matches the AWD Taos on the highway, but Subaru’s larger 16.6-gallon tank gives it a major range advantage at 481 miles between fill-ups.
Safety Ratings and Features
The Taos has room to improve in safety testing. Last year’s model earned mostly Acceptable ratings from the IIHS and missed out on both of the institute’s top awards. It also received a four-star overall rating from NHTSA, with the same score in frontal-impact and rollover evaluations.
Every Taos trim comes with Volkswagen’s IQ.Drive suite of driver assist and active safety features, which includes:
Adaptive cruise control
Automatic emergency braking
Lane keeping
Blind-spot monitoring
Rear cross-traffic monitoring
Travel Assist hands-free driving assistant
Cargo Space and Interior Room
Cargo volume varies depending on whether the Taos is configured with front- or all-wheel drive, as each layout uses different drivetrain packaging and fuel tank hardware. Even so, the Taos offers competitive standard cargo capacity and rear-seat legroom next to rivals such as the Crosstrek and CX-30.
Legroom (front/rear)
Cargo Space (seats up/down)
2027 Volkswagen Taos
40.1/37.9 inches
24.9–27.9/60.2–65.9 cubic feet
2026 Subaru Crosstrek
42.9/36.5 inches
19.9/54.7 cubic feet
2026 Mazda CX-30
41.7/36.3 inches
20.2/na cubic feet
Every Taos gets an 8.0-inch driver display and same sized infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and—new for 2027—voice control. Navigation is available on higher trims, as is a 10.3-inch digital driver display. Two front USB ports are standard, and a rear USB port is available.
A six-speaker audio system is now standard across the Taos lineup, giving every trim an upgrade over the previous four-speaker setup.
Available tech and convenience features include a wireless charging pad, remote start, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. Higher trims can also add more premium touches such as leather seating, heated and ventilated front seats, and ambient interior lighting.
Every Taos delivers decent fuel economy, generous cargo space, and a useful standard driver assist package without requiring buyers to climb into a higher trim. The standard-feature list also includes thoughtful everyday conveniences such as automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers.
For 2027, keyless entry becomes standard across the lineup, giving the entry-level Taos another feature shoppers might not expect at the bottom of the range.
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With the new Sport trim joining the returning S, SE, SE Black, and SEL grades, the 2027 Taos lineup gives shoppers a little more choice. We’d still point most buyers toward the SE, which strikes a smart balance between price and equipment with features such as remote engine start and faux leather seating.
Unless all-weather traction is a must, we’d also stick with front-wheel drive. It keeps the price lower, preserves the Taos’ larger cargo area, and returns better fuel economy than the AWD model.