2022 Volkswagen Taos vs 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle (EV), showcasing a distinctive look that set it apart from Volkswagen’s gasoline models. It featured a streamlined profile with wheels pushed out to the corners, eschewing the straight lines and sharp angles of the Tiguan and Atlas crossovers. The interior design blended Volkswagen’s trademark minimalism with a tech-forward aesthetic, featuring piano black and matte plastic surfaces. The base ID.4 Pro came with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and cloth seats, while the Pro S and 1St Edition models offered leatherette upholstery.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos fit right into the existing lineup with its handsome 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels and vibrant Cornflower Blue paint. The Taos came in S, SE, or SEL trims, with the SEL 4Motion offering heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The interior featured hard, somewhat shiny plastics, but the SEL trim level provided two-tone perforated leather with contrast stitching, an upscale strip of stitched material on the dashboard, and matching door panel inserts. The Taos also included roof rails, dark gray plastic cladding, and simulated skid plates, giving it a rugged SUV look.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 launched with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, powered by an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack. This rear-wheel-drive (RWD) setup made it the first RWD Volkswagen passenger car sold in the U.S. since the Beetle. An all-wheel-drive (AWD) version arrived later in 2021, boosting power to 295 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. While the ID.4 wasn’t sporty, it offered a smooth ride and balanced handling, with the AWD version performing well on twisty roads. However, it lacked aggressive regenerative braking, relying more on friction brakes.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The 4Motion AWD system paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) offered rousing performance but came with erratic and sometimes harsh shifting. The standard eight-speed automatic transmission provided smoother driving but was only available with front-wheel drive. The Taos SEL 4Motion in Sport mode offered impressive road feel, responsive steering, and taut handling, but its 6.6 inches of ground clearance limited its off-road capabilities. The Taos SEL 4Motion achieved an average of 27.1 mpg in combined driving.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 offered more front and rear headroom than competitor EVs, though legroom was average for the segment. It provided 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. Despite lacking a “frunk,” the interior felt spacious, with good forward visibility but substandard rearward visibility due to thick rear pillars. The ID.4 featured a unique twist-grip gear selector on the dashboard, freeing up space on the center console, though storage was limited to narrow nooks and crannies.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos boasted an impressively roomy cabin, with the SEL’s deeply bolstered seats offering plenty of seat-track travel and height adjustment. The rear seat provided generous leg- and foot room, with rear air conditioning vents for added comfort. Cargo space varied depending on the drive system, with the front-wheel-drive model offering 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The 4Motion model had slightly less cargo space, at 24.9 cubic feet and 60.2 cubic feet, respectively. The Taos also featured a center pass-through for ski trips.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 came with a standard 10-inch touchscreen (with a 12-inch option) and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 5.3-inch display screen served as the instrument cluster, and haptic touchpads replaced nearly all switchgear. While the setup looked cool, it was difficult to use due to the lack of tactile feedback. The ID.4 also featured a natural-language voice-control system and ID.Light, a light strip at the base of the windshield that communicated information to the driver. Despite some gimmicky features, the touchscreen was well-positioned with smart-looking graphics and easy-to-navigate menus.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos featured Digital Cockpit instrumentation and a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with S trim, while the SE and SEL had 8-inch touchscreens running MIB3 software. All trims included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Car-Net connected services. The SE trim added wireless smartphone charging and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the SEL included a navigation system and an eight-speaker BeatsAudio premium sound system. However, the voice-recognition technology and user experience were lacking, with complex menu navigation and slow software response.

The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 received the highest-level Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the RWD model. Standard driver aids included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, park distance control, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. Travel Assist and Emergency Assist were also standard, providing automated lane centering and emergency stopping capabilities.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos democratized its IQ Drive safety technologies, making them standard or available for all trims. The IQ Drive package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Travel Assist and Emergency Assist were also included, with the latter bringing the SUV to a safe stop if the driver was incapacitated. The Taos SEL added rain-sensing wipers, road sign recognition, and rear parking sensors with automatic braking. However, the reverse automatic braking feature could be overly sensitive, though it could be turned off.