2022 Volkswagen Taos vs 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos was positioned as a compact SUV, bridging the gap between subcompact and compact crossovers. It came in three trims: S, SE, and SEL, with prices ranging from $22,995 to $33,045. The Taos offered a choice between front-wheel drive and 4Motion all-wheel drive, with the latter featuring a dual-clutch automated manual transmission and an independent multilink rear suspension. The exterior styling included 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels and Cornflower Blue paint, while the interior featured hard plastics but also soft surfaces where it mattered, with the SEL trim offering two-tone perforated leather and contrast stitching.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport emphasized a "modernist" and "reductive" design, focusing on clean and simple aesthetics. The test vehicle arrived in Eiger Gray with silver 23-inch wheels and a Black Exterior Pack, exuding understated luxury. Inside, it featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim. The Range Rover Sport was available in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e specifications, with prices reaching $98,420. Highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and a luxurious, high-tech interior with Windsor leather upholstery.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. 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, with real-world testing averaging 27.1 mpg.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 355 horsepower in the SE P360 and 395 horsepower in the SE Dynamic P400. The Autobiography P440e featured a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with 434 horsepower and an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range. The Range Rover Sport P530 models had a 523-horsepower twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine, but it was temporarily unavailable. The Range Rover Sport's 395-horsepower engine provided ample power, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. The EPA rated the P400 drivetrain at 21 mpg in combined driving, with real-world testing averaging 22.3 mpg. The Range Rover Sport excelled off-road with 11.1 inches of ground clearance and advanced off-road technologies, but its on-road performance lagged behind sport-tuned SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos boasted a spacious interior, with deeply bolstered front seats offering plenty of adjustment options. The rear seat provided generous legroom and a comfortable cushion, with rear air conditioning vents for added comfort. Cargo space varied depending on the drive system, with front-wheel-drive models offering 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The 4Motion models had slightly less cargo space, with 24.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 60.2 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The Taos also featured a center pass-through for ski trips.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall, airy feel with a low dashboard and thin roof pillars. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, and the front seats were comfortable with 20-way power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The rear seat, while improved, remained tight for taller passengers, with hard front seatback panels and narrow door openings. The cargo area offered 31.9 cubic feet of space, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The Range Rover Sport also featured a power liftgate, controls to lower the air suspension for easier loading, and a full-size spare tire.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos came with Digital Cockpit instrumentation and a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with SE and SEL trims featuring an 8-inch touchscreen 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, voice control, 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, with complex menu navigation and unreliable voice recognition.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an Online Pack with connected services. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment system was often confusing and frustrating to use, with difficulties in finding and accessing features. The native digital assistant struggled with basic commands, and the system's overall performance was disappointing. On the positive side, the Range Rover Sport offered impressive Meridian audio systems and a next-generation Active Noise Cancellation system.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos offered IQ Drive safety technologies as standard or optional across 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, a Level 2 advanced driving assistance system, and Emergency Assist were also available. 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 system could be overly sensitive, requiring manual deactivation in certain situations.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Remote Park Assist allowed the SUV to park itself while the driver directed it using a smartphone app. However, the adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems were slow to respond and often required driver intervention, especially on freeway curves.