Volkswagen Taos vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering affordability and practicality while maximizing passenger comfort. Despite its higher base price compared to the Jetta, the Taos quickly became a popular choice in the U.S., surpassing the Jetta in sales. The Taos SEL trim, with its bold 19-inch alloy wheels and Cornflower Blue paint, presented a stylish and sporty appearance that helped justify its higher price point. Inside, the Taos SEL offered a premium feel with light gray seat and dashboard accents, gloss black trim, and leather seats, making it resemble a more affordable Audi. The spacious interior was nearly as roomy as the larger Tiguan, making it one of the largest small crossover SUVs available.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt maintained a familiar look with slight styling changes, resembling a conventional gas-powered car more than an EV. The Bolt EV, now offered in a single body style, prioritized utility and interior space over a sporty stance. The interior received a more dramatic makeover, featuring a larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. The cabin was dominated by hard plastic surfaces, reinforcing its budget feel, but the RS trim added Evotex synthetic leather with red stitching for a touch of flair. Despite its econobox-like footprint, the Bolt EV offered a surprisingly agile driving experience, thanks to its low center of gravity from the heavy battery in the floor.

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 FWD models and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic for AWD models. The Taos offered up to five driving modes and additional settings for the 4Motion AWD system. However, the powertrain response was unpredictable, with occasional surges of torque and delays in response. Despite its sporty character, the Taos SEL's engine lacked power compared to competitors like the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona N. The Taos averaged 26.8 mpg during testing, slightly below the EPA rating of 28 mpg.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery pack and a motor from the Chevy Equinox EV, delivering 210 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. The Bolt's acceleration was quick compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs, with a 0-60 mph time in the low seven-second range. One-pedal driving was available, with medium or high levels of brake regeneration. The Bolt's ride was firm but not overly stiff, and its low center of gravity contributed to its agility on curvy roads. The 2027 Bolt offered an EPA-estimated range of 262 miles on a full charge, with a charging speed of up to 150 kW.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a range of interior features, with S trim featuring cloth seats, SE trim with CloudTex artificial leather, and SEL trim with real leather. The SE and SEL trims included cold-weather equipment, rain-sensing wipers, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The Taos provided ample interior space, with a comfortable eight-way power driver's seat and impressive rear-seat room. The cargo area offered 27.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 65.9 cubic feet with the seats folded down, slightly reduced with 4Motion.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt provided an upright driving position with plenty of space for larger occupants. The rear seats offered ample headroom and thigh support, with a flat floor reducing the penalty for center-seat passengers. The Bolt's cargo capacity was 16.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, with a large bin underneath the floor for additional storage. The rear seatbacks folded flat with the cargo floor, providing more luggage space. The Bolt lacked a frunk but offered ample storage for personal items up front, including a large bin with movable dividers and a deep center armrest bin.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came with standard digital instrumentation, with the SEL trim featuring a 10.25-inch display. Infotainment systems 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 ineffective voice-recognition technology. Pairing a phone and using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto was recommended for a better experience.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch center touchscreen, running on a Google-based operating system. Apple CarPlay and standalone Android Auto were not supported, but the system offered logical menus, sharp graphics, and quick responses. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, and a wireless charging pad. The Bolt's navigation system helped drivers find charging stations and preconditioned the battery for optimal charging rates. The Bolt also offered vehicle-to-load charging as a backup power source for a home.

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 ADAS, with features like Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The Taos also included a post-collision automatic braking system, automatic high-beam headlights, and parking sensors with automatic braking. Travel Assist performed smoothly and accurately during testing, while Lane Assist operated without irritation. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were decent but imperfect.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt's crash test results were not yet available, but it was expected to achieve high scores based on the 2023 Bolt EUV. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitors. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, and traffic-sign recognition. GM's Super Cruise hands-free automated highway driving system was available for an additional cost, making the Bolt one of the few budget EVs with such an advanced system.