Compare the2022 Volkswagen TaosVS 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Rogue Sport’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Taos has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Taos and the Rogue Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Taos comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Rogue Sport’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Rogue Sport’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Rogue Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen 9th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 13th.

The Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 more horsepower (158 vs. 141) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 147) than the Rogue Sport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better fuel mileage than the Rogue Sport:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Taos’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

For better stopping power the Taos’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Rogue Sport:

The Taos S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rogue Sport S/SV’s standard 60 series tires.

The Taos has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rogue Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taos’ wheelbase is 1.7 inches longer than on the Rogue Sport (105.9 inches vs. 104.2 inches).

The design of the Volkswagen Taos amounts to more than styling. The Taos has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .31 Cd. That is lower than the Rogue Sport (.33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

The Taos has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rogue Sport (99.5 vs. 96).

The Taos has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 4.5 inches more rear legroom than the Rogue Sport.

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 22.9 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 61.1 cubic feet).

The Taos’ power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Rogue Sport’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Taos and the Rogue Sport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Taos is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Rogue Sport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Taos’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Rogue Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Taos’ optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Rogue Sport’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Taos to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Taos SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Taos SEL also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL AWD keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.