2025 Volkswagen Taos – Refined Evolution

SUVs
April 16, 2025
Dan Gunay

The 2025 Volkswagen Taos rolls into the new model year with a refreshed look, and meaningful updates that enhance its appeal in the competitive subcompact SUV segment. While retaining its practical dimensions and spacious interior, the updated Taos receives subtle design tweaks, new tech features, and improved safety offerings. Volkswagen’s smalles SUV in North America continues to strike a balance between comfort, efficiency, and everyday usability, but now with a more refined edge that should keep it on the radar of urban drivers, and small families.

The 2025 Volkswagen Taos has noticeably sharper and more upscale front fascia. VW’s designers have shifted the grille lower, and integrated it with a new LED light bar that spans the width between the slimmer, more refined projector LED headlights. This horizontal lighting signature adds wisual width and gives the Taos a connection to larger VW SUVs like the Atlas and the ID.4. The front bumper has been resculpted with broader openings and a more confident stance, especially with the metallic accents and gloss-black detailing. Overall, the new front-end treatment gives the Taos a more planted, premium look that stands out in the segment, where conservative styling is the norm.

From the side, the 2025 Taos maintains its compact, city-friendly proportions but adds polish through subtle revisions. The updated Taos offers cleaner and more cohesive body lines thanks to its updated front fenders without the fender vents. Our tester had the optional 19″ wheels, which gives it a sportier look, but it also affects the ride quality negatively. The slightly tweaked side skirts and more sculpted door surfaces hint at maturity without overcomplicating the overall design language. It’s a tidy, well-proportioned boxy silhouette that feels more expensive than it is.

Around back, the Taos benefits from a modernized tail design that brings it in the line with Volkswagen’s newer models. The most noticeable update is the full-width LED taillight treatment, which now includes a light-up VW emblem for added presence. This not only modernizes the look, but adds a touch of flair that’s uncommon in this price range. The rear bumper is slightly more squared-off, contributing to a more solid and grounded appearance. Overall, it’s a thoughtful redesign that doesn’t scream for attention, but rewards closer inspection with its attention-to-detail.

The interior fo the 2025 Volkswagen Taos has been subtly updated to reflect the same sense of refinement introduced on the exterior. The dashboard design is cleaner, with sharper lines and more cohersive trim elements that align with VW’s current design language. Unlike the earlier model year, it feels less monochromatic thanks to better diversity and colour choices in the interior.

Controls for the climate has been changed with touch sensitive buttons, and the center console has been redesigned slightly to free up additional small-item storage. It’s not a radical transformation, but it brings a more mature, finished feel to the cabin. Soft touch materials are used more thoughtfully across the upper dash and door panels with new color schemes and contrast stitching add a hint of visual interest without feeling overdone.

Where the Taos continues to shine is in everyday comfort. Front seats remain supportive with good bolstering, and available features like heated and ventilated seats give the cabin a more premium edge. The rear seats are particularly spacious for its class, offering ample legroom and headroom even for taller adults. It is one of the few subcompact SUVs that doesn’t feel like a compromise for those riding in the second row. Adding to the experience are standard rear air vents and USB-C port for rear seat passengers, which is very uncommon in this segment.

Another important feature is the updated tech. The cockpit of the 2025 Taos features an integrated 10-inch digital gauge cluster paired with a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. It uses the older Volkswagen infotainment system with dedicated touch sensitive buttons and volume knob. Both displays are integrated cleanly into the dash, creating a cohesive, tech-forward look that complements the updated interior design. The interface is responsive and easy to navigate.

From the practicality perspective, Taos punches above its weight. The rear seats fold nearly flat, expanding what is already one of the largest cargo capacities in the subcompact SUV segment. The load floor is low and wide, making it easy to stow bulky gear or groceries without excessive lifting. There are also plenty of cubbies, cupholders, and large door pockets that can hold full-sized bottles. Compared to many rivals that either feel cramped, the Taos offers a thoughtful blend of space, comfort, and functionality that makes it feel less like a budget crossover.

Under the hood, the 2025 Volkswagen Taos continues with the same tried-and-true 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but with a few refinements to improve responsiveness and efficiency. It has received a notable horsepower bump at 174 horsepower while maintaining 184 lb-ft of torque. The horsepower bump results from internal refinements, including engine tuning, bigger fuel injectors, revised turbocharger housing, leading to smoother acceleration and more responsive engine character.

A significant change for 2025 is the transmission pairing. Both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models now utilize an 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous 7-speed dual clutch automatic in AWD variants. This provide updates significantly smoother gear shifts and enhances overall driveability especially at lower speeds. The Taos is a unicorn in a segment where almost all entries have a continuously variable transmission, it feels much more premium and more engaging to drive than the competition.

Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system returns for 2025 with its usual confidence-inspiring traction, now paired with a smoother 8-speed automatic transmission. The system can proactively send torque to the rear wheels when needed and offers multiple drive modes—Snow, Off-Road, and Custom—that fine-tune throttle response and stability control settings for varying conditions. A rare feature in the subcompact SUV segment, all-wheel-drive models also come with a multi-link rear suspension, which noticeably improves ride quality and helps the Taos feel more composed over rough pavement and through curves.

What helps the 2025 Taos stand out in the crowded subcompact SUV class is its thoughtful mechanical balance. Volkswagen made smart decisions with this update, especially in dropping the dual-clutch gearbox—which never quite suited a family-oriented crossover—in favor of a more relaxed and intuitive 8-speed automatic. A meaningful bump in horsepower also gives the Taos a performance advantage over most underpowered rivals like the Honda HR-V. That said, despite the improved output on paper, the engine still feels a bit unresponsive and laggy at low RPMs; you’ll need a moment of patience before the extra power truly kicks in.

On the road, the 2025 Taos delivers a surprisingly mature driving experience for a subcompact SUV. Built on Volkswagen’s global MQB platform, the Taos benefits from a solid chassis that translates into a composed, comfortable ride. It soaks up rough pavement and city imperfections with ease, never feeling floaty or unsettled. That said, the available 19-inch wheels can introduce some extra firmness over potholes—opting for smaller rims might be a smart choice if you prioritize ride softness. Steering is light yet accurate, making the Taos easy to maneuver through tight city streets and parking lots. Visibility is excellent all around, and the cabin remains impressively quiet at highway speeds. In daily life, the Taos shines where it counts—effortless to drive, easy to live with, and comfortable enough to take on whatever your routine throws at it.

The 2025 Volkswagen Taos finds itself in a stronger position than ever, thanks to meaningful updates that address past shortcoming while enhancing its everyday usability. With more power, smoother transmission and improved ride quality for AWD models, the Taos now feels like a more well-rounded contender in the subcompact SUV segment. It still offers one of the most spacious cabins in its class, and family friendly features like rear air vents, USB-C ports, and practical cargo area that make it appealing for small families. While it may not be the most exciting or budget-priced option, it stands out as one of the most livable and refined choices.

Engine	1.5-litre turbocharged inline-4
Transmission & Drivetrain	8-speed automatic & 4Motion all-wheel-drive
Max power (combined)	174 hp @ 5500 rpm
Max torque (combined)	184 lb-ft @ 1750 rpm
0-100 km/h	7.3 sec
Curb Weight	3448 lbs – 1564 kg
Fuel Economy (observed)	26 MPG – 9.0 L/100 km
Price (as tested)	$39,995 CAD
Website:	www.vw.ca