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Beginning with the Beetle of the brand's early years, Volkswagen has found decades of success in the compact segment of the market. With nameplates like Beetle, Rabbit, Jetta, Golf, and GTI, VW knows how to make compelling small vehicles.
However, America's appetite for compact hatchbacks and sedans has been waning in recent years, shifting toward a seemingly insatiable desire for SUVs. The New York Times reports that as of 2019 SUV sales were outselling sedans and hatchbacks 2 to 1, with no signs of slowing.
Seeing this shift in the market, VW has responded in kind. VW's model lineup has an SUV for every need. The 7-seaterAtlas, 5-seater Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan, and recently VW ID.4 EV have all been solid players—and sellers—for VW since their debuts.
Arriving in showrooms this month, Volkswagen's newest SUV, the Taos, is sure to be another hit among consumers.
"The Volkswagen Taos is another incredible SUV, showing VW is not just a car manufacturer, but an incredible SUV manufacturer," said Josh Osborne, general manager of Volkswagen SouthTowne. "Now with the addition of the Taos, we have five SUVs to offer our customers! We are thrilled to have this subcompact SUV."
Here are just a few of the reasons why Volkswagen's newest vehicle, the Taos, is an exciting entry into the subcompact SUV market.
Just the right size
Ever since VW stopped producing the Golf Sportwagenin the United States this past January, they had a subcompact-sized hole open up in their model lineup—and the new Volkswagen SUV, the Taos, is here to fill it.
Smaller than the Tiguan, the Taos is appealing for those wanting a compact SUV with ample space for passengers and cargo.
"It has a huge back seat for a subcompact SUV, and its capacious and easily accessible cargo hold can swallow 25 cubic feet of stuff behind the rear seats," wrote Mike Sutton for Car and Driver.
The Taos is a compelling competitor to popular subcompacts like the Honda CR-V, and Toyota Rav4. Despite its small size, the VW Taos packs a bigger punch in safety features, technology, and power than its competitors. Plus it offers excellent use of interior space and pleasant road manners.
Economically sensible
With the addition of the Taos to VW's SUV lineup, there is an SUV for every customer's need and budget.
Osborne said, "The Taos is perfect for our customers who want a high-quality SUV, but don't need the large size of an Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, or even Tiguan. And at this price point, the Taos is a great option for even first-time buyers!"
Starting at $22,995, the Taos is a compelling choice for those looking for an affordable, feature-rich new car. Coupled with one of the best warranties on the market, the Taos is a stand-out among the competition.
The fuel economy of the Taos is stellar as well. The VW Taos is rated at 25 mpg in the city, up to 36 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined. Pretty impressive for an SUV with available all-wheel drive powered by an engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.
The latest features and technology
While its starting price is affordable, the Taos boasts several standard features that would make several more expensive SUVs jealous.
Depending on trim level, the Tao is available with such features as:
- Front collision alert and pedestrian detection with autonomous braking
- Automatic high beams
- Rear parking alert
- Blindspot and rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keeping assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- Travel assist steering in traffic jams
- Automatic post-collision braking
- Engine brake assist
- Electronic brake pressure distribution
- Hill hold and hill descent control.
Projected low ownership costs
Recently, Vincentric, an independent automotive data firm, conducted a study to establish the best rankings for the lowest cost of automotive maintenance across many manufacturers and various models. Many Volkswagen models were at the top of the list.
The VW Jetta, Tiguan, Passat, Arteon, Atlas, and Atlas Cross Sport all received top marks for their low cost of maintenance.
Aside from attractive 0% financing offers like those available at Volkswagen Southtowne, the low cost of ownership for Volkswagen owners is a selling point for the new Taos. "We are really excited about how cost-efficient the VW Taos is," said Osborne. "We're offering a lease as low as $249/mo with only $2,999 down or 1.9% APR for up to 6 years! Needless to say, we are already selling these new SUV's like hotcakes and we just barely got them."
With its thoughtful size, competitive pricing, low cost of ownership, available all-wheel-drive, and pleasing on-road manners, the Taos is another compelling entry in Volkswagen's expanding SUV lineup. Check out the new Taos inventory at Volkswagen Southtowne here.
Due to new car inventory challengers nationwide, used cars are worth more than ever. Sell your car for thousands more than you expect during Volkswagen SouthTowne's sell high sale, and upgrade to the new 2022 Taos, or any other VW while supplies last, or upgrade to a new used car. Check out new and used specials here.
