2022 Volkswagen Taos vs 2022 Subaru Forester

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos was positioned as a compact SUV that offered a spacious interior and a variety of trims, including S, SE, and SEL. It featured a single engine option and the choice between front-wheel drive and 4Motion all-wheel drive. Prices ranged from $22,995 to $33,045, with a $1,195 destination charge. The Taos had a stylish exterior with 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels and Cornflower Blue paint, but the interior was criticized for its hard, shiny plastics. However, the SEL trim provided two-tone perforated leather and other upscale touches.

In contrast, the 2022 Subaru Forester came in six trims: base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring. Prices started at $25,195 and went up to $35,295, with a $1,125 destination charge. The Forester Wilderness, tested in Bend, Oregon, featured a rugged design with a suspension lift, higher ground clearance, and extensive protective cladding. Inside, the Forester emphasized functionality with water-repellant StarTex simulated leather and all-weather floor mats. The interior was practical, with hard and soft surfaces that exuded quality, though it felt somewhat dated.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. The engine's robust torque made the Taos feel powerful, but the turbocharger's delayed response and the dual-clutch transmission's erratic shifting could be frustrating. The standard eight-speed automatic transmission offered smoother performance but was only available with front-wheel drive. The Taos SEL 4Motion in Sport mode provided a more engaging driving experience, but its 6.6-inch ground clearance limited its off-road capabilities. The EPA rated the Taos SEL 4Motion at 28 mpg in combined driving, and it averaged 27.1 mpg during testing.

The 2022 Subaru Forester continued with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. All Foresters had a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive, with the Wilderness model offering a 25% increase in initial torque supply and a towing capacity of 3,000 pounds. The EPA rated the Forester Wilderness at 26 mpg in combined driving, and it averaged 25.9 mpg during testing. The Forester's engine was adequate at sea level but felt sluggish at higher altitudes. The CVT's eight programmed ratios and SI-Drive's Sport mode improved responsiveness, but a turbocharger would have been beneficial. The Forester Wilderness excelled off-road, thanks to its 9.2-inch ground clearance, dual-function X-Mode system, and Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos offered a spacious cabin, with deeply bolstered front seats and generous rear legroom. The SEL 4Motion trim included heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Cargo space varied depending on the drive system, with front-wheel-drive models offering 27.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 65.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The 4Motion models had slightly less cargo space, with 24.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 60.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Taos also featured a center pass-through for ski trips.

The 2022 Subaru Forester emphasized functionality, with easy entry and exit, tall seating hip points, and a practical interior. The StarTex upholstery was water-resistant, and the Wilderness trim included all-weather floor mats and a rubber cargo mat. The upgraded roof rails could accommodate a three-person roof tent. The Forester's rear seats were comfortable, with rear air conditioning vents and quick-charge ports. Cargo space measured 28.9 cubic feet without the panoramic sunroof and 26.9 cubic feet with it. Folding the rear seats provided 74.2 cubic feet (69.1 with the sunroof), making the Forester one of the roomiest compact SUVs.

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 touchscreens with MIB3 software. All trims included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Car-Net connected services. The SE trim added wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. The SEL trim included a navigation system and an eight-speaker BeatsAudio premium sound system. However, the MIB3 infotainment system had usability issues, and the voice-recognition technology was unreliable.

The 2022 Subaru Forester featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and Starlink connected services. The Premium trim added a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trims had an 8-inch screen, navigation system, and Harman Kardon premium sound system. The Wilderness trim also included a 180-degree forward-view camera. The Harman Kardon audio system provided clear, rich sound, but the voice recognition system was inconsistent. The PIN Code Access feature allowed owners to leave the key fob in the SUV and use a PIN code to re-enter the vehicle.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos offered IQ Drive safety technologies as standard or optional on 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 combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance, while Emergency Assist responded to an inactive driver by slowing the Taos and activating the hazard flashers. The Taos SEL included all these features, plus rain-sensing wipers, road sign recognition, and rear parking sensors with automatic braking. The Taos had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

The 2022 Subaru Forester introduced the EyeSight 4.0 safety system, which had a wider field of vision and smoother operation. It included automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Forester also had a rear-seat reminder system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear automatic braking. The Touring trim featured DriverFocus, a facial recognition technology that monitored for drowsiness and distraction. The NHTSA awarded the Forester a 5-star overall crash-test rating, while the IIHS had not yet rated the 2022 model.