2023 Ford Escape vs 2023 Volkswagen Taos

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering a balance of affordability and practicality. Despite its North American exclusivity, the Taos was a global player, known for its passenger comfort and utility. In the U.S., it quickly became Volkswagen's third-best selling model in 2022, surpassing the Jetta by a significant margin. The Taos was available in S, SE, and SEL trims, with prices ranging from $24,155 to $34,535, excluding destination charges. The SEL trim, in particular, stood out with its stylish design, featuring bold 19-inch alloy wheels and a premium interior that echoed the feel of a more luxurious vehicle.

Inside, the Taos SEL offered a premium experience with light gray accents, gloss black trim, and leather seats, making it feel like a budget-friendly Audi. Volkswagen claimed the Taos was nearly as spacious as the larger Tiguan, making it one of the roomiest small crossover SUVs available. This spaciousness, combined with its upscale appearance, helped justify its higher price point within the small SUV segment.

The 2023 Ford Escape, meanwhile, embraced a more European design language, moving away from the rugged, boxy aesthetic of its predecessors. The 2023 refresh introduced a more traditional front end, complete with a stylish LED light bar. The Escape offered a range of trim levels, from the base Active to the top-tier ST-Line Elite, which we tested. The ST-Line Elite featured 19-inch wheels and a sleek design, giving it an upscale appearance akin to a Mazda CX-5.

Inside, the Escape ST-Line Elite boasted diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt somewhat hard and plasticky. Despite this, the seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver's seat made long drives enjoyable. The interior was dominated by plastic, but the center console's textured appearance added a touch of style. The Escape's steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness common in some competitors, and its brakes offered predictable stopping power.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive versions, standard on the SEL, came with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Taos offered up to five driving modes, but its powertrain response was unpredictable, with occasional surges of torque and transmission hesitations. 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 averaged 26.8 mpg during testing, slightly below its EPA rating.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered more powertrain options, including a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided better acceleration and passing power, though the Escape's suspension remained soft and compliant. The Escape's brakes were predictable, and its steering was well-weighted, making it easy to maneuver without feeling twitchy.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a range of interior options, 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 features like heated side mirrors and front seats. The SEL also featured rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. The Taos provided ample rear-seat space, with 27.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The 4Motion version offered slightly less cargo space.

The 2023 Ford Escape provided comfortable seating and excellent ergonomics, with well-positioned armrests and a head-up display. However, it fell short in cargo space compared to segment leaders, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Escape's rear-seat legroom was slightly less than some competitors, but it offered good headroom and soft front-seat backs to maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came with standard digital instrumentation, with an 8-inch screen on the S and SE trims and a 10.25-inch display on the SEL. The infotainment system varied by trim, with the S featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen and the SE and SEL offering an 8-inch screen with additional features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SEL also included a native navigation system and an eight-speaker Beats Audio system. However, the user experience was marred by hidden controls and a cumbersome interface, making smartphone integration a more appealing option.

The 2023 Ford Escape featured the Sync 4 infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims like the ST-Line Elite. Sync 4 was well-organized, with easy navigation between applications and a static "Home" button for quick access. While the system was occasionally slow to respond, its overall feature set and layout were impressive, making it a strong point for the Escape.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, with the S trim including Front Assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The SE added VW's IQ.Drive suite, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and emergency assist. The Taos received decent crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, though not perfect.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with top scores in frontal and side-crash tests. The IIHS did not award it a Top Safety Pick due to a Marginal score in the side-impact test. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. The optional Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and lane-centering technology.