VW Taos vs Toyota RAV4

2023 VW Taos vs. Toyota RAV4

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Posted in Comparison, Volkswagen Taos

If you’re looking for an adventure-ready vehicle, the Volkswagen Taos and RAV4 may be on your radar. Both are five-seaters that claim to blend performance, experience, and utility. Learning more about the Taos and the RAV4 can help you determine which is the best vehicle for you. Here’s everything you need to know about the differences between the VW Taos vs. the Toyota RAV4.

Exterior and Style

Both the Taos and RAV4 are compact SUVs, but the 2023 VW Taos offers a slightly more refined appearance than the RAV4. The Taos features rugged boxed wheel arches, an illuminated grille, and a stylish and sculpted profile that’s sure to turn heads. The Taos is also a vehicle that allows you to express your style.

Its colors include Dusk Blue Metallic, Kings Red Metallic, Premium Gray Metallic, Pyrite Silver Metallic, Deep Black Pearl, Solid Cornflower Blue, Solid Pure Gray, and Solid Pure White. When buying a new Taos, you can choose the color that best represents your personal flare. You can also add the Basecamp body styling kit to your Taos to elevate the exterior look. The Basecamp kit adds a front grille badge, fender flares, and side door skid plates. To further elevate the exterior, you can add the Black Wheel Package and 18-inch black alloy wheels.

Interior Comfort and Features

Both the RAV4 and the Taos offer interior features, but the new 2023 VW Taos slightly outdoes the RAV4. For example, the Taos offers an available leatherette-wrapped steering wheel with a heated multi-function that you can use to elevate your ride, manage your comfort, and optimize your experience. It also has more than 65 cubic feet of cargo space for road-trippers and adventurers alike, along with an available 12V outlet so you can keep all your tools and toys ready to go.

The interior of the Taos is designed to allow the most sunlight and space. The available panoramic sunroof allows you to illuminate the interior of the car when you want to, and the backseat can comfortably seat up to three people, so you can bring the whole family or friend group on every trip. The ventilated leather seats make driving and riding comfortable so you can focus on what matters.

Performance

How a car performs at the pump can be just as important as how it performs on the road, and if fuel economy is important to you, the Taos may be the right choice. The Taos averages 28 miles per gallon in the city, 36 miles per gallon on the highway, and 31 miles per gallon combined. The RAV4 isn’t as efficient as the Taos, coming in at 27 miles per gallon in the city, 35 miles per gallon on the highway, and 30 miles per gallon combined. It may not seem like that much of a disparity, but in a year’s time, your savings add up with the Taos.

Taos also outperforms the RAV4 when it comes to the driving experience. With the 4MOTION all-wheel system and available drive modes, handling the Taos is a treat. 4MOTION allows you to evenly distribute power when tackling tough terrain, and the drive modes allow you to switch between snow, on-road, off-road, and off-road custom modes for a customized drive.

Technology

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 comes with some standard features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but the Taos takes it to the next level when it comes to technology. VW has optimized the available technology in the Taos so you always have what you need at your fingertips. This includes a touchscreen display and integrated systems that can connect to other devices in your home.

The digital display in the VW rethinks the instrument cluster, offering a high-resolution screen that displays information about the car. The information you can view on this display includes route guidance, speed and travel time, elevation, surroundings, and the Taos’s assistance systems. 

Forget about cluttering up your driving space with cords, and instead, rely on the connectivity and wireless power within the Taos’s cabin. You can seamlessly connect your phone and set it on the wireless charging pad, then forget about it while driving. When you arrive at your destination, you’ll have a fully-charged device ready to go.

The infotainment system in the Taos also makes it easy to customize your listening experience. You can use the available BeatsAudio to turn your car into a professional recording studio. The interior technology in the Taos blends comfort, ease, and entertainment for an optimized experience.

Price and Warranty

Toyota offers a basic warranty of 36 months/36,000 miles for everything outside of wear and tear, while VW offers a more comprehensive warranty. Volkswagen offers an extensive warranty for the Taos to help cover whatever life may throw your way. Here’s how the warranty works:

  • Two Years Service: Receive scheduled carefree maintenance for two years or 20,000 miles, whichever happens first. Scheduled Carefree Maintenance.
  • Three Years Help: Get complimentary roadside assistance for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first.
  • Four Years Coverage: Basic coverage on everything outside of wear and tear for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first.

On top of having the better warranty, the Taos is actually more affordable than the RAV4. The starting MSRP for the RAV4 is $27,575, while the starting MSRP for the Taos is $24,155. When you consider all the ways in which the Taos outperforms the RAV4, it’s unbelievable that the Taos also offers the lower starting MSRP of the two.

If you’re looking for a new utility vehicle that combines capability and comfort, the Taos might be the right compact SUV for you. Though the Taos and the RAV4 are similar, the price, warranty, and features of the Taos help it outperform the Toyota and make it our top choice for a compact SUV that packs a big punch. If you’re interested in learning more about the Taos or want to test drive one to see it for yourself, contact our team or swing by the dealership today.