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The Volkswagen Taos is still a relatively new nameplate in the market. As a result, many customers don’t have the Taos on their shortlist. Although VW’s cheapest SUV just got a small price bump (along with everything else in this silly world we find ourselves in), it remains one of the cheapest SUVs on the market today. Even after getting some solid safety updates, the 2023 Volkswagen Taos starts at a 2023 steal of $25,450. 

Red VW Taos parked on gravel
Red VW Taos | Volkswagen

Is the Volkswagen Taos a good SUV? 

Again, the Volkswagen Taos is still pretty new. With that in mind, the updates for 2023 are still pretty light. However, the 2023 VW Taos just got significant safety upgrades. According to Cars.com, now standard across the lineup are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. 

Another update for the base model are standard 18-inch wheels for the S models. SE models now get standard access to IQ. Drive advanced driver-assistance system. This tech package includes adaptive cruise control, emergency assist, and lane-centering steering technologies. Lastly, range-topping SEL models get a now-standard panoramic moonroof. 

What engine is in the 2023 Volkswagen Taos? 

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos continues using last year’s turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, good for 158 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque. If you step up to the AWD models, you have the dual-clutch 7-speed automatic transmission, while the 8-speed automatic comes in the FWD models. 

While that 1.5-liter might seem a touch puny, it yields competitive fuel economy. Cars.com says the 2023 Taos gets an EPA-rated 28/36/31 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD, and AWD costs you a bit at the pump, getting 25/32/28 mpg.

2023 Volkswagen Taos pricing

The base model S starts at $25,450 and comes in FWD. AWD will run the price up an extra $2,340 and $1,450 to the SE model. If you step up to the top-of-the-line SEL model, AWD comes standard. SEL models start at $35,830. 

Is the 2023 Volkswagen Taos worth it? 

There have never been this many strong competitors in the crossover SUV segment. This makes picking the right one difficult. One thing that makes the new-ish VW Taos so competitive is the low price point. 

Most comparable SUVs start around $1,000 and up above the Taos. However, Consumer Reports scored the 2023 VW Taos very low. While the base model is cheap, it did poorly on CR’s predicted reliability test. This is a tough score to overcome, even with a slightly lower starting price. Especially when you consider the rock-solid 2023 Subaru Forester starts at only $26,395. 

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Peter Corn

Peter Corn joined MotorBiscuit as an Autos Writer in 2020 and brings his quippiest Southern drawl to our table. Having, in his words, “helped” rebuild his dad’s 1959 MGA as a small child, Peter grew up loving vintage cars and trucks, adding motorcycles and all things 4×4 as he went.

Peter earned a Bachelor of Archeology and Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and has since melded his love of driving with storytelling. His voice, full of pleasantries and witticisms, can be enjoyed in The Gentleman Racer, The Vintagent, Gear Patrol, Iron & Air Magazine, and Classic Car Club Magazine.

Peter is a co-founder of both The Colloquial Magazine and The Fire Escape, the official podcast of The Colloquial. In an effort to increase his abilities in “ramping anything with wheels,” Peter has taken track training from Classic Car Club Manhattan and attended Rally School at Monticello Motor Club, where he was coached by eight-time Performance Rally motorsport champion Chris Duplessis.

On a lucky day, we get to hear Peter tell the story of his first car, a jewel of a 1958 Ford Fairlane, into which he dumped more time and money than made sense, but he has no regrets.