Compare the2025 Volkswagen TaosVS 2025 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Taos are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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

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

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Terrain’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Terrain.

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better mileage than the Terrain:

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

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 Terrain’s standard 65 series tires. The Taos 4Motion®’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Terrain’s optional 55 series tires.

The Taos 4Motion® has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Taos 4Motion® flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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 Terrain doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better maneuverability, the Taos 4Motion®’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Taos’ turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain (7.6 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 250 pounds less than the GMC Terrain.

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

The Taos has .7 inches more front headroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Terrain.

The Taos has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Terrain with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 63.5 cubic feet).

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

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 Terrain’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Terrain doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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