Compare the2024 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Model Availability

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 Rav4 Hybrid’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Taos’ standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

The Taos has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Rav4 Hybrid’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Taos has standard Rear Traffic Alert and automatically engage the brakes. Toyota charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Rav4 Hybrid.

Both the Taos and the Rav4 Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Taos is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

	Taos	Rav4 Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Compression	28 lbs.	56 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	103/74 lbs.	400/388 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 Volkswagen Taos is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

	Taos	Rav4 Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	115 lbs.	138 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches

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

Warranty

The Taos comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Rav4 Hybrid’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 Rav4 Hybrid’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Taos and Rav4 Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Taos has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Taos’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4 Hybrid:

	Taos	Rav4 Hybrid
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	12 inches

The Taos stops much shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid:

	Taos	Rav4 Hybrid
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	143 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

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 Rav4 Hybrid LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Taos 4Motion’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Rav4 Hybrid’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Taos 4Motion offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Rav4 Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Taos has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rav4 Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Taos has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Taos SEL 4Motion handles at .85 G’s, while the Rav4 Hybrid Woodland Edition pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Taos’ turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (35.1 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

Chassis

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 550 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.

The Taos is 5.1 inches shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Taos has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear legroom than the Rav4 Hybrid.

The front step up height for the Taos is 2.5 inches lower than the Rav4 Hybrid (16.5” vs. 19”). The Taos’ rear step up height is 1.9 inches lower than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (16.7” vs. 18.6”).

Ergonomics

The Taos’ driver 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 Rav4 Hybrid’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Taos’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Rav4 Hybrid LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

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 Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Taos has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Rav4 Hybrid.

Model Availability

The Taos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.