2026 Volkswagen SUV Cargo Comparison: Tiguan, Taos, Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas Ranked
Cargo space is one of the most practical specs to compare when choosing between SUVs. Four of the vehicles in Volkswagen's 2026 Canadian lineup...
Read more2022 Volkswagen Jetta or VW Taos: a tough choice
When buying a new vehicle, the first step is to determine what type of model you want. A car, an SUV, a pickup truck, a coupe, etc. Then you go with the company you trust the most.
Sometimes the first choice is the hardest to make, especially when it comes to Volkswagen. It's easy to choose a product from the brand because you know it's well made and will deliver a lot of pleasure.
However, when we are interested in two products within the same family, the choice becomes heartbreaking.
This is the case if you have to decide between a Jetta and a Taos, for example.
The car or the SUV
Obviously, if your choice is made in advance and it's a car you want (or clearly an SUV), there's no question. However, if you're not sure, you may quickly find yourself in a dilemma. Is the Jetta's superior driving experience worth the sacrifice in cargo space that you get with the Taos?
Only you know. What we can assure you, however, is that the Jetta is roomier than you might imagine and the Taos is a more fun-to-drive SUV than many other cars in the industry. As a result, with either choice, you're not making huge sacrifices.
The Jetta's trunk is about 400 liters, but you can fold the rear seats down to increase space. The Taos, on the other hand, offers 790 liters behind the second row, 1866 behind the first.
Same powertrain
Under the hood, you won't have to make a choice, because this year, the Jetta changes its engine to borrow the Taos'. Both vehicles are served by a 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Because the Jetta is a little lighter, the powertrain seems to respond better here, but in both cases, there's nothing to complain about in terms of performance.
The difference is in the fuel consumption. The Jetta does better, with an average of 6.8 liters per 100 kilometers (6.9 liters with the manual transmission). With the Taos, it's 7.6 liters with the front-wheel drive model and 8.5 liters with the all-wheel drive model.
Four-wheel drive
This brings us to the main difference in configuration between the two models, besides the body. The Taos can be delivered with all-wheel drive, which changes the game when the weather gets in the way. This is something to consider if you live in a place where the roads are regularly snowed in or icy.
All in all, these are two interesting vehicles to compare. It depends on your tastes and needs, really.
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