2022 Volkswagen Taos vs 2022 Kia EV6

The 2022 Kia EV6 presented a sportier and more svelte design compared to the Tesla Model Y, reminiscent of a Ford Mustang Mach-E. It appeared lower and wider, with a highback tail featuring a lip spoiler that doubled as a lightbar. The wheels were pushed to the furthest corners of the chassis, giving the body a hip-like appearance similar to the wide fenders of a Porsche 911. The headlights squinted in anger, tracing a V-shaped pattern that mirrored the black trim below on the bumper. The wedgy profile looked sharp with an angled roofline and twin ducts in the rear spoiler, while the matte silver paint added a smooth and silken finish.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos, on the other hand, fit right into the existing VW lineup with its handsome 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels and vibrant Cornflower Blue paint. It wore the typical SUV attire of roof rails, dark gray plastic cladding, and simulated skid plates. However, the blacked-out front bumper between the grille and lower air intake was a questionable styling choice. Inside, the Taos featured hard, somewhat shiny and slippery plastics, though soft surfaces were provided where they mattered most. The SEL trim level offered two-tone perforated leather with contrast stitching, an upscale strip of stitched material on the dashboard, and matching door panel inserts.

The 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line e-AWD, with its two electric motors, produced 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. It had a 77-kilowatt-hour battery mounted low in the chassis, allowing the 4600-pound car to accelerate to 60 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds. The top-power GT trim, arriving in fall 2022, promised 576 hp and a 0-60 time of less than 3.5 seconds. The base EV6 Light had a smaller battery and a single motor with 167 hp, which was not recommended. The single-motor Wind and GT-Line models offered a more acceptable 225 hp. The dual-motor GT-Line provided a thrilling driving experience with quick torque delivery and effective power routing, even in challenging conditions. However, the EV6's driving range was disappointing in cold weather, achieving only 65 percent of Kia's 274-mile EPA estimate. Charging performance was better, with the EV6 accepting up to 240 kW, though real-world charging speeds were often lower than claimed.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) paired with the 4Motion AWD system offered rousing performance but suffered from 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 improved driveability but did not completely eliminate the powertrain's herky-jerky nature. Despite these issues, the Taos was enjoyable to drive, with responsive steering, effective brakes, and taut handling. However, its maximum ground clearance of 6.6 inches limited its off-road capabilities. The Taos SEL 4Motion achieved an average fuel economy of 27.1 mpg during testing, close to the EPA's estimate of 28 mpg.

The 2022 Kia EV6 reinvented several core functions, such as door handles that popped out when the key was near, paddle shifters, and a twisting rotary shifter. The climate controls and stereo shortcuts were combined in a thin touchscreen, which could be frustrating to use while driving. The EV6 offered generous legroom and headroom in all seating positions, with reclining rear seats and optional heated cushions. However, the cargo space was limited, with 24 cubic feet behind the seats and 50 cubic feet when folded. The towing capacity was rated at 2,300 pounds, and the onboard power generator could run 120-volt equipment or charge another EV.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos boasted an impressively roomy cabin, with deeply bolstered front seats offering plenty of seat-track travel and height adjustment. The SEL 4Motion trim included heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The rear seat was equally spacious, with generous leg- and foot room and a comfortable cushion and backrest. 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 back seat folded down. The 4Motion model had slightly less cargo space, with 24.9 cubic feet and 60.2 cubic feet, respectively. The Taos also featured a center pass-through between the rear seats, making it ideal for ski trips.

The 2022 Kia EV6's infotainment system was simple, quick, and easy to adjust, though it required a wired connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The instrument panel displayed vehicles in surrounding lanes and a 3D bar graph of power and speed but lacked customization. The EV6 featured live feeds of blind spots when changing lanes, a 360-degree surround-view camera, customizable "engine" sounds, and an augmented reality head-up display. Higher trims included a 14-speaker Meridian stereo and a remote parking system. However, Kia Connect features were disabled for Massachusetts residents due to compliance issues with state law.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos came with Digital Cockpit instrumentation and a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The SE and SEL trims had 8-inch touchscreen displays with MIB3 software, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, voice control, and wireless smartphone charging. The Taos SEL added a navigation system and an eight-speaker BeatsAudio premium sound system. However, the voice-recognition technology in the pre-production test vehicle was unreliable, and the user experience was unnecessarily complex. The transition from Fender premium sound systems to BeatsAudio components was not seen as a positive development.

The 2022 Kia EV6 had no published test results from any government or independent agency in the U.S. However, it came equipped with impressive safety tech, including lane-keeping, cyclist and pedestrian detection, front and rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor, rear parking sensors, safe exit warning, and rear occupant alert. Higher trims added features like automatic rear braking, 360 cameras, evasive steering assist, and adaptive cruise control with machine learning.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos democratized its IQ Drive safety technologies, making them standard or available for all trim levels. The IQ Drive package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Taos SEL included all these features as standard, along with rain-sensing wipers, road sign recognition, and rear parking sensors with automatic braking. However, the reverse automatic braking feature could be problematic in certain driveway conditions, though it could be turned off and would remain off.