Compare the2022 Volkswagen TaosVS 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 Santa Fe’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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe 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.

Reliability

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen 9th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 10th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better fuel mileage than the Santa Fe:

			MPG
Taos
	2WD	1.5 Turbo 4-cyl./8-spd	28 city/36 hwy
	4WD	1.5 Turbo 4-cyl./7-spd	25 city/32 hwy
Santa Fe
	2WD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/28 hwy
		2.5 Turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
	4WD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	22 city/25 hwy
		2.5 Turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

Tires and Wheels

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 Santa Fe’s standard 60 series tires.

Chassis

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 650 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe.

The Taos is 1 foot shorter than the Santa Fe, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Santa Fe (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

Ergonomics

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 Santa Fe’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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 Santa Fe 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 Santa Fe 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.