The 2022 Kia Sportage is just about to be revealed. If you’re considering whether to buy one, you might be looking at some of its competitors. The 2022 Volkswagen Taos is a strong SUV in the Sportage’s class. The 2022 Kia Sportage and 2022 Volkswagen Taos are similarly sized, each seating up to five passengers, and come with lots of options. Yet the 2022 Kia Sportage dominates the 2022 Volkswagen Taos in one key area. What is it?

The 2022 Kia Sportage has a more powerful engine than the 2022 Volkswagen Taos

There’s no question about which compact SUV has the better engine. The 2022 Sportage’s engine destroys the 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The Sportage comes standard with a 2.4-liter I4 that makes 181-hp. Higher trim levels have more powerful engines. The 2022 Volkswagen Taos, on the other hand, has a 1.5-liter I4 that makes 158-hp.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the 2022 Kia Sportage also handles very well. The handling in the 2022 Volkswagen Taos is also very good, so there’s no clear winner in the ride and handling department.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos has better fuel economy

One area where the 2022 Sportage falls short of the 2022 Volkswagen Taos is in fuel economy. The 2022 Sportage has a 16.4 gallon gas tank that holds enough fuel to get you 23 miles in the city and 30 miles on the highway. In comparison, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos has a 13.2 gallon tank. The 2022 Taos can go up to 28 miles in the city and 36 miles on the highway. Clearly if saving money on gas is your priority, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos is the way to go.

Part of the reason that the 2022 Taos is better on fuel economy may be its smaller size. The 2022 Sportage is 176.4 inches long. The 2022 Volkswagen Taos, on the other hand, is just 105.9 inches long. That’s a big difference, especially in a small SUV. The 2022 Sportage is also a half inch wider, though this difference is likely negligible. The height between the two SUVs is the same, at 64.4 inches.

The 2022 Sportage has great safety features

The 2022 Kia Sportage comes with a host of important safety features. The base model comes with forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. If you opt for the 2022 Kia Sportage S, you’ll also get blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic warning.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos also has a slew of safety systems. These include brake assist, daytime running lights, and traction control. You can also opt for lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, and cross-traffic alert, but these don’t come standard.

The 2022 Kia Sportage and the 2022 Volkswagen Taos are both great SUVs. They offer a lot in terms of versatility, safety features, and handling. The 2022 Volkswagen Taos is certainly better on fuel economy. However, the 2022 Kia Sportage may be just what you need if you value a powerful engine and more space.