Compare the2024 Subaru OutbackVS 2023 Volkswagen Taos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Outback have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Taos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Outback are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Taos doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Outback has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Taos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Outback has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Taos doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outback. But it costs extra on the Taos.

The Outback’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Taos.

The Outback’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Taos doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Outback	Taos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	285
Neck Injury Risk	26%	32%
Neck Stress	281 lbs.	413 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	43%	45%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	207 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	161/137 lbs.	643/432 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Outback is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Outback	Taos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	111
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	115 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	394 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	116	393
Spine Acceleration	51 G’s	69 G’s
Hip Force	635 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	338
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	674 lbs.	939 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the Outback is safer than the Taos:

	Outback	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	9.6 g’s	13.3 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Shearing Force	0	0

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 30 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Taos is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Outback 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Taos. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Taos ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Outback’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Taos’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Outback’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Taos’ camshafts. If the Taos’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Outback’s reliability 50 points higher than the Taos.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 64 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 16 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 24 more horsepower (182 vs. 158) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 102 more horsepower (260 vs. 158) and 93 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Outback	Taos
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	83.9 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Taos doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Outback 2.5i gets better fuel mileage than the Taos 4Motion (26 city/32 hwy vs. 25 city/32 hwy).

The Outback has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Taos FWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Outback has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 14.5 gallons).

Transmission

The Outback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Taos doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Outback’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Taos are solid, not vented.

The Outback stops shorter than the Taos:

	Outback	Taos
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Outback has larger tires than the Taos (225/65R17 vs. 215/50R18).

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Taos; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Outback has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Taos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Outback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Outback flat and controlled during cornering. The Taos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Outback’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Taos (108.1 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Outback is .1 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Taos.

The Outback Wilderness executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Taos SEL (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Taos’ (36.1 feet vs. 37.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Taos (8.7 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.9 inches higher than on the Taos (9.5 vs. 7.6 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Outback 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Taos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Outback has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Taos (109 vs. 99.5).

The Outback has 2.7 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Taos.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Outback’s rear seats recline. The Taos’ rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Taos with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 27.9 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Taos with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 65.9 cubic feet).

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the Taos’ in almost every dimension:

	Outback	Taos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/75”	34.3”/65.2”
Max Width	51”	48.5”
Min Width	43.3”	40”
Height	32.1”	37”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Outback. The Taos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Outback’s power liftgate can be opened just by holding your hand near the emblem on the trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The Outback’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Taos doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Outback has a 2700 lbs. towing capacity. The Taos has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Outback is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Taos. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Outback Limited/Touring, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Taos doesn’t offer a memory system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The Taos doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Outback’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Taos’ passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Taos only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Outback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Taos doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Outback Limited/Touring is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Taos’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Outback’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Taos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Outback and the Taos offer available heated front seats. The Outback Limited/Touring/Onyx XT/Wilderness also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Taos.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Taos isn't recommended.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Volkswagen Taos by over two to one during 2022.