2023 Acura MDX vs 2023 Volkswagen Taos

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering a balance of style, affordability, and practicality. Despite its higher base price compared to the Jetta, the Taos quickly became a popular choice in the U.S., even surpassing the Jetta in sales. The Taos SEL, with its Cornflower Blue paint and 19-inch alloy wheels, presented a sporty and upscale appearance that helped justify its price in the small SUV segment. Inside, the Taos SEL continued to impress with its premium materials and spacious interior, making it feel almost as roomy as the larger Tiguan model.

In contrast, the 2023 Acura MDX Type S aimed to deliver a luxury experience with its sophisticated design and high-quality materials. The Type S Advance trim featured exclusive styling elements, such as chicane-design LED lights and 21-inch wheels, which contributed to its refined appearance. Inside, the MDX Type S offered a luxurious cabin with perforated Milano leather and open-pore wood trim. However, some design choices, like the gloss black plastic on the dashboard, detracted from the overall experience. Despite these minor flaws, the MDX Type S remained an attractive luxury SUV.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission for front-wheel drive models, while all-wheel drive versions came with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Taos offered up to five driving modes, but its powertrain response was often unpredictable, leading to a challenging driving experience. Despite its sporty character, the Taos struggled with power, especially when compared to rivals like the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona N. The Taos SEL's Germanic driving character and excellent visibility made it enjoyable to drive, but its brake pedal feel and response were inconsistent.

The 2023 Acura MDX Type S featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine generating 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. The MDX Type S offered multiple driving modes, including a Lift mode for increased ground clearance. However, the performance upgrades didn't come together cohesively, resulting in an inconsistent driving experience. The MDX Type S struggled with transmission indecisiveness, lack of ride compliance, and poor brake pedal modulation. Its fuel economy was also disappointing, averaging 16.9 mpg during testing.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a spacious interior with comfortable seating and ample storage space. The SEL trim featured real leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. The Taos provided impressive rear-seat room and comfort, with plenty of legroom and air conditioning vents. Cargo space was generous, with 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. However, the Taos lacked a sliding and height-adjustable center armrest for maximum comfort.

The 2023 Acura MDX provided three rows of seating and a versatile interior layout. The Type S Advance trim included 16-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The second-row seat could be configured for two or three seating positions, and the third row was best suited for children. The MDX offered a decent amount of cargo space, with 18.1 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 71.4 cubic feet with both rear rows folded flat. However, the interior design prioritized style over storage space, resulting in limited storage options.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came with standard digital instrumentation, with the SEL trim featuring a 10.25-inch display. The infotainment system ranged from basic to fully featured, with the SEL offering an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an eight-speaker Beats Audio system. However, the user experience was hindered by hidden virtual controls, a complicated radio tuning process, and poor voice recognition technology. Pairing a smartphone and using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto was recommended for a better experience.

The 2023 Acura MDX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment display. However, the infotainment screen was not touch-sensitive, requiring the use of a True Touchpad Interface (TTI) on the center console. The TTI design was not intuitive and took up valuable storage space. Fortunately, the MDX offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa Built-In for a more familiar user experience. The top-shelf ELS Studio 3D audio system with 25 speakers provided excellent sound quality, while the Advance package added a 10.5-inch head-up display.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, including Front Assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE trim added VW's IQ.Drive collection of advanced driver assistance systems, which included lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and emergency assist. The Taos received decent crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, but they were not perfect.

The 2023 Acura MDX came with Acura Watch, a suite of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems. These included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The MDX also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view camera system. The MDX received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, although it earned four stars for frontal-impact protection.