Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2024 Volkswagen Taos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL 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.

The Corolla Hatchback’s 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 Corolla Hatchback and the Taos 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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 blind spot warning systems 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Taos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	187	285
Neck Injury Risk	27%	32%
Neck Stress	243 lbs.	413 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	45%
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	207 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/156 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Taos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	111
Hip Force	330 lbs.	394 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	393
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	69 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	338
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	623 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 Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Taos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	24 mm	38 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	12.7 g’s	13.3 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Shearing Force	0	0
Max Neck Tension	193	334

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hatchback is 4.2% to 6.9% less likely to roll over than the Taos.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hatchback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 98 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Taos is not a “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Taos’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Hatchback’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Corolla Hatchback’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 Corolla Hatchback’s reliability 61 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 Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 55 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 27th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (169 vs. 158) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Volkswagen Taos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Taos
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	9.4 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	5.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.8 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Taos:

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	FWD	SE/Nightshade 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Taos
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/36 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy

Transmission

The Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback stops much shorter than the Taos:

	Corolla Hatchback	Taos
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	130 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback Nightshade/XSE’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Taos 4Motion’s optional 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Taos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Taos SEL pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Chassis

The Corolla Hatchback is 3.8 inches shorter than the Taos, making the Corolla Hatchback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Corolla Hatchback is 7.3 inches shorter in height than the Taos, making the Corolla Hatchback much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Ergonomics

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Taos can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Corolla Hatchback 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.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Volkswagen charges extra for heated mirrors on the Taos.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Taos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Taos doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Volkswagen Taos isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Volkswagen Taos by almost four to one during 2023.