The Taos is the latest model in Volkswagen’s expanding SUV portfolio, slotting below the Tiguan in size and price. While it has a surprisingly roomy cabin for such a small vehicle, along with fairly nimble handling, its powertrain has serious hiccups that literally give us pause.
It’s the SUV’s obstreperous powertrain that would keep us from buying it more than anything, though—especially the all-wheel-drive model (which VW refers to as “4Motion”) with its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Taos suffers from a big initial delay when trying to accelerate from a stop, followed by an abrupt burst of power as it gets going. This can make you feel vulnerable, for instance, if you need to accelerate out onto a busy road. These traits make the Taos difficult to drive smoothly, and caused one CR driver to call the powertrain “manic,” and another said she couldn’t wait to bring the Taos back to the office.