Compare the2026 Volkswagen TaosVS 2026 Ford Escape

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 Escape’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 Escape doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

Both the Taos and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

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 Ford Escape:

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Taos is safer than the Escape:

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

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. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Taos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Taos has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Escape. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Taos higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Escape (5 to 6). This means the Taos produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escape every 15,000 miles.

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

The Taos stops shorter than the Escape:

For better traction, the Taos 4Motion®’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape (235/45R19 vs. 225/65R17).

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

The Taos SEL 4Motion® handles at .85 G’s, while the Escape ST-Line Elite AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Taos 4Motion®’s turning circle is 2.4 feet tighter than the Escape’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.2 feet). The Taos’ turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (7.6 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Taos is 4.2 inches shorter than the Escape, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Taos has .7 inches more front headroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Escape.

The Taos has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Taos easier. The Taos’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Escape’s liftover is 28.1 inches.

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 Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

On a hot day the Taos’ driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Escape’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Escape doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Taos’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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 Escape 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.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Escape.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Volkswagen Taos retains 51.91% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 48.65% resale value of the 2025 Ford Escape after five years, which can save the Volkswagen’s owner up to $3136.11047 in depreciation.