VW Taos vs Tiguan: Which is Better?

Since we’ve already done the VW Tiguan vs Atlas, we thought it was time to tackle the Tiguan vs its “little brother”, the Taos. Volkswagen has released 5 new SUVs in the last four years. They may have been a little late to the CUV/SUV consumer shift, but they make up for it with the CUVs and SUVs they have been able to produce in a short period of time. The Volkswagen Taos is classified as a subcompact CUV, while the Volkswagen Tiguan is classified as a compact CUV. In this article, we will be going over factors such as price, performance, size, reliability, and more to compare the VW Taos vs Tiguan.

VW Taos vs Tiguan – The Basics

The Volkswagen Taos, also known as the Volkswagen Tharu, was first introduced in 2018, but only for the China market. A couple of years later in 2020, it was introduced in the North American, Russian, and South American markets for the 2022 model year. It is built on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform. Since it is a subcompact CUV, it is positioned right under the Tiguan and above the T-cross in South American and China markets. The 2022 Taos offers three different trims: S, SE, and SEL.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is not only the best-selling SUV in Europe, it is actually the Volkswagen Group’s best-selling vehicle overall. It was first introduced in 2007 and was the second SUV/CUV ever to be released by Volkswagen at the time. It has had two different generations since its inception: 5N (2007-2015) & AD/BW (2016-Present). The first generation was built on the Volkswagen Group’s PQ46 platform, and the second generation was built on the MQB platform. Both generations offered the same trim levels: S, SE, SEL, and R-Line.

Volkswagen Taos Generation

• 1st Gen Taos (2018-Present)

Volkswagen Tiguan Generations

• 5N Tiguan (2007-2015)
• AD/BW Tiguan (2016-Present)

VW Taos vs Tiguan Price

In this portion, we will be going over new 2022, as of this writing, model prices and used prices for the Taos and Tiguan.

New Volkswagen Taos Price

A VW base Taos S with a 1.5T TSI engine starts at $24,490, while a Taos S with the same engine, but with VW 4motion and a 7-speed DSG transmission starts at $26,535. The VW Taos SE with a 1.5T TSI engine starts at $28,740, while a Taos SE with the same engine, but with VW 4motion and a 7-speed DSG transmission starts at $30,190. Lastly, a VW Taos SEL with a 1.5T TSI engine starts at $32,985, while a Taos SEL with the same engine, but with VW 4motion and a 7-speed DSG transmission starts at $34,540.

New Volkswagen Tiguan Price

A VW base Tiguan S with a 2.0T engine starts at $27,490, while a Tiguan S with the same engine, but with VW 4motion starts at $28,990. The VW Tiguan SE with a 2.0T engine starts at $30,990, while a Tiguan SE with the same engine, but with VW 4motion starts at $32,490. A VW Tiguan SE R-Line Black with a 2.0T engine starts at $33,800, while a Tiguan SE R-Line Black with the same engine, but with VW 4motion starts at $35,300. Lastly, the VW Tiguan SEL R-Line with a 2.0T engine starts at $38,165, and it comes standard with VW 4motion.

Used Volkswagen Taos & Tiguan Prices

Since the Taos has just been released in 2022 in all markets except China, there isn’t much of a sample size to go off of. Therefore we will include the mileage and trim of the most expensive and least expensive. A used 2022 Taos’ price ranges from $23,777 (22k miles and base trim) – $39,998 (4k miles and SEL trim) with an average price overall of $31,800. A used Tiguans price ranges from $5,995 – $43,322* with an average price overall of $28,000, depending on model year and mileage. Given the Tiguan has been around far longer than the Taos, there are many Tiguans that are cheaper than the Taos. However, going off of new and used 2022 prices the Tiguan is more expensive. So, is the VW Tiguan worth the extra money? We’ll jump into more considerations below, including size, performance, and more.

*At the time of writing this article, we believe we are in a market where used vehicles are inflated, so consider that when seeing the used prices above. 

General Taos & Tiguan Topics

VW Taos vs Tiguan Size

Below are some basic details about the size and weight differences seen between the 2022 Volkswagen Taos and the 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Based on the size, there’s no surprise that the Tiguan beats out the Taos in every category. The Taos is classified as a subcompact CUV, while the Tiguan is classified as a compact CUV. Also, the Taos is regarded as the Tiguan’s “little brother”. There isn’t much commentary needed for this section except for the difference in cargo space and seating capacity. The Tiguan is better suited for a family that needs a third-row seat, as it can seat 7. As far as cargo space goes, the Taos with the back row up gets 27.9ft³, while the Tiguan only gets 12ft³. However, with the third row down in the Tiguan, it gets 33ft³.

VW Taos vs Tiguan Performance

For consistencies sake, we will be using the 2022 Taos and 2022 Tiguan factory performance specs.

Engines, Drivetrain, & Fuel Economy

Taos Performance

A 2022 Volkswagen Taos features a 1.5T TFSI engine that puts out 158hp and 184 lb-ft of torque in three different trims: S, SE, and SEL. This engine comes with two transmission options: an 8-speed automatic transmission or a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. The DSG transmission is regarded to be smoother, but it comes with more problems. There is also an upgrade option for VW’s 4motion AWD system. The FWD 1.5T engine gets 28mpg in the city and 36mpg on the highway for a combined mpg of 32 with a 13.2gal fuel tank. While the AWD, 4motion, gets 25mpg in the city and 32mpg on the highway for a combined mpg of 28.5 with a 13.2gal fuel tank.

Tiguan Performance

A 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan features a larger 2.0T engine that puts out 184hp and 221 lb-ft of torque in all 4 trims: S, SE, SE R-Line Black, and SEL R-Line. Unlike the Taos, this engine only comes with one transmission option: an 8-speed automatic transmission. There is also an upgrade option for the VW’s 4motion AWD system in the S, SE, and SE R-Line Black. 4motion comes standard on the SEL R-Line. The FWD 2.0T engine gets 23mpg in the city and 30mpg on the highway for a combined mpg of 26.5 with a 15.3gal fuel tank. While the AWD, 4motion, gets 22mpg in the city and 29mpg on the highway for a combined mpg of 25.5 with a 15.3gal fuel tank. The SEL R-Line’s engine gets 21mpg in the city and 28mpg on the highway for a combined 24.5 with a 15.9gal fuel tank.

VW Taos & Tiguan Reliability and Common Problems

Volkswagen Taos

Since the Taos just came out this year, there isn’t much to go off of. However, Consumer Reports places a predicted reliability rating of 2 out of 5, which is below the average for other subcompact CUVs on the market. They’re basing this on Volkswagen’s reputation when it comes to new model years and other SUVs in the brand. Some view this rating to be a little unfair because they have yet to perform a road test for the vehicle. Common problems that are seen in Taos’ so far are as followed: electrical system issues, fuel system issues, and ECU stalling issues.

Volkswagen Tiguan

The Tiguans reliability is not great. RepairPal rates it 3 out of 5 on its reliability rating and usually, this would be average. However, it is below the average 4 out of 5 for CUVs and happens to be dead last (26 out of 26) in all CUV reliability ratings. According to RepairPal, the average annual cost to maintain a Tiguan is $730, which happens to be far above the $521 average seen on other CUVs. Even though the Tiguan has a bad reliability reputation, consumer satisfaction is certainly high given there have been 6,000,000 units sold worldwide since its introduction.

Common problems that are seen in VW Tiguans are as followed: VW subframe clunk, water pump failure, clock spring failure, premature timing chain tensioner failure, plastic intake manifold issues, ignition coil and spark plug failure. If the Tiguan is maintained properly, we’ve seen them last up to 190,000 miles. If you are in the market for a used Tiguan, we strongly recommend avoiding the 2009-2012 model years. Our advice is to make sure to get the best warranty package they offer if you plan on going with a 2022 model.

The 7 Most Common Volkswagen Tiguan Problems

Taos vs Tiguan – Which is Better?

The hard question of which model is better, the VW Taos vs Tiguan. We feel this is rather subjective because we can’t answer which model is better for everyone. Some consumers need 7 seats, while others don’t need all of that. So we will give our opinion and then provide some other important considerations. We personally like the Tiguan because it seats more, has a more powerful engine, for a few thousand dollars more. We understand everybody’s budget is different, we just feel the Tiguan provides the most value at the cost. The Taos gets better gas mileage. Both models have very similar interiors and technology. Both of the 2022 models have not been fully crash tested yet, as of this writing.

Before making any decision, we STRONGLY advise going to a local Audi dealer or used car lot to get first-hand experience with both models. First-hand experience will assist the most in deciding between the two.

VW Taos vs Tiguan Conclusion

To wrap up this article, we hope the information that was provided above assists you in your purchasing decision. We know making a vehicle purchase is no small feat, so go based on your vehicle needs and budget. Both models have their pros and cons depending on the consumer’s lifestyle and needs. In short, the Taos is a smaller version of the Tiguan and can seat 5. The Tiguan can seat 7 and has a more powerful engine. If you have had any experience with either vehicle, let us know your thoughts in the comments. This will further assist future readers to help them with their decisions.