2023 Volkswagen Taos vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2022 Lexus RX was available in several trims, including the base 350, F Sport, and L for its gas powertrain, with a hybrid model known as the RX 450h. The RX 350 and F Sport seated five, while the L trim offered a three-row, 7-passenger configuration. The RX's design, refreshed in 2020, remained modern and sporty, featuring an aggressive styling that stood out among competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The exterior boasted sharp character lines and angular features, creating a satisfying yet eye-catching design. The F Sport trim added a performance-oriented look with 20-inch wheels, black-housing mirrors, and unique front fascia.

Inside, the RX maintained a luxury appeal across all trims, with the F Sport adding sporty elements like model-specific badging and Scored Aluminum trim. The cabin offered nearly a dozen color combinations, with F Sport models featuring NuLuxe synthetic leather in black or dark red. Non-F Sport models could be optioned with a mix of NuLuxe or semi-aniline leather seats and various metal and wood trims. Despite the high-quality materials, the center stack felt dated due to an abundance of buttons. Comfort was a mixed bag, with the NuLuxe seats in the F Sport trim lacking cushioning and lumbar support, making it challenging to find an ideal driving position.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos, designed for North America, was engineered for affordability and passenger comfort. In its inaugural year, the Taos became Volkswagen’s third-best selling model in the U.S., surpassing the Jetta. For 2023, prices ranged from $24,155 to $34,535, with the SEL trim featuring 4Motion AWD and a stylish Cornflower Blue paint. The Taos SEL's bold 19-inch alloy wheels and upscale look helped justify its higher price.

Inside, the Taos SEL offered a premium feel with light gray seat and dashboard accents, gloss black trim, metallic detailing, and leather seats. Volkswagen claimed the Taos was nearly as roomy as the larger Tiguan, making it one of the most spacious small crossover SUVs. The interior featured cold-weather equipment, dual-zone automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The rear seats provided ample legroom and comfort, with air conditioning vents and a panoramic sunroof in the SEL trim. Cargo space was generous, with 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid RX 450h added two high-torque electric motors for a combined output of 308 hp. All RX models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard on the RX 350 and AWD available. The hybrid RX offered AWD only. Despite its sporty appearance, the RX's performance was underwhelming, with a lackluster engine note and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport trim included performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension, but the driving experience remained hesitant and uninspiring.

The RX excelled in driving comfort and cabin quietness, absorbing rough patches and providing a serene ride. Fuel efficiency for the RX 350 was 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 combined, with AWD models slightly lower. The RX hybrid achieved 30 mpg combined, with 31 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. The three-row L models had reduced fuel efficiency due to their added weight.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. FWD models had an eight-speed automatic transmission, while AWD models, standard on the SEL, used a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Taos offered up to five driving modes and four additional settings for the 4Motion AWD system. However, the powertrain response was unpredictable, with inconsistent torque delivery and transmission behavior.

During testing, the Taos SEL averaged 26.8 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating of 28 mpg combined. The engine's lack of power was noticeable, especially compared to competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona N. The Taos SEL's driving character was firm and stable, with sharp and accurate steering. However, brake pedal feel was inconsistent, and the SUV suffered from wind and road noise at highway speeds.

The standard two-row Lexus RX offered 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably seating four adults. Headroom was 39.4 inches in the front and 39.1 inches in the rear, with 44.1 inches of front legroom and 38.0 inches in the back. The three-row L models had limited cargo space, with only 7.45 cubic feet behind the third row. With the third row down, cargo capacity increased to 23.03 cubic feet, and up to 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows folded. The RX featured thoughtful interior elements like a smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered different upholstery options across trims, with cloth seats in the S trim, CloudTex artificial leather in the SE, and real leather in the SEL. The SE and SEL trims included cold-weather equipment, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel. The SEL trim also featured ventilated front seats and an eight-way power driver’s seat. The Taos provided ample rear-seat room and comfort, with air conditioning vents and a panoramic sunroof in the SEL trim. Cargo space was generous, with 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The 4Motion models had slightly reduced cargo space.

The 2022 Lexus RX came with an 8-inch touchscreen display, with a 12.3-inch version available as an option. Despite being moved closer to the driver, the touchscreens were ergonomically unfriendly, with a lip in front of the screen creating access issues. The alternatives were voice commands and a touchpad, both of which were frustrating to use. The RX offered a range of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, and premium audio systems. The Lexus App allowed for remote engine start, vehicle settings, and service scheduling.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos featured standard digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch screen in the S and SE trims and a 10.25-inch display in the SEL. Infotainment systems ranged from a basic 6.5-inch touchscreen in the S trim to an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the SE and SEL trims. The SEL trim included a native navigation system, an eight-speaker Beats Audio premium sound system, and additional connected services. However, the user experience was hindered by hidden virtual controls, a complicated radio tuning process, and ineffective voice-recognition technology.

The 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS when equipped with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the top-tier "plus" designation. The NHTSA awarded the RX four stars overall, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.

For 2023, the Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, including forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim added VW’s IQ.Drive collection of ADAS, which included lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic stopping when a driver becomes unresponsive. The Taos also featured a post-collision automatic braking system, automatic high-beam headlights, parking sensors with automatic braking, and a road-sign recognition system. Travel Assist proved smooth and accurate during testing, while Lane Assist operated without irritation. Crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS were decent but not perfect.