2024 Volkswagen Taos VIN Verification

INTRODUCTION

The 2024 Volkswagen Taos is VW’s compact SUV offering, combining practicality, comfort, and modern features in a well-packaged, subcompact footprint. Positioned below the Tiguan in Volkswagen’s lineup, the Taos appeals to small families and urban drivers who want space, efficiency, and safety in a maneuverable vehicle. It comes standard with VW’s IQ.DRIVE safety suite and delivers competitive interior cargo volume and fuel economy.

HISTORY & ORIGINS

Introduced to the North American market in late 2020 for the 2022 model year, the Taos was added as a compact counterpart to the Tiguan and a successor in spirit to the discontinued Golf. Built on the CMF-CD platform shared with Nissan, VW refreshed the Taos for 2024 with standard driver-assist (IQ.DRIVE) across all trims and added a new SE Black appearance package. A full redesign is slated for the 2025 model year. 

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE OPTIONS

All 2024 Taos models are powered by a turbocharged 1.5‑liter inline‑4 engine, producing 158 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. For FWD variants, this pairs with an 8-speed automatic transmission, while AWD (4Motion) trims use a 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission 

Acceleration to 60 mph takes around 7.4–7.6 seconds, identical between FWD and AWD versions despite the drivetrain differences. 

DESIGN & FEATURES

• Exterior: The Taos presents a bold but compact SUV body with 17-inch wheels as standard, and optional 18″ or 19″ wheels. LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, roof rails, and a rear illuminated grille (on SEL) provide both styling and utility. The SE Black trim adds blacked-out accents and distinctive blue interior stitching.
  Interior: A spacious cabin offers about 38 inches of rear legroom and up to 66 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats folded—well above many rivals. Materials include CloudTex/cloth or leatherette depending on trim. SEL trim introduces ventilated leather seats, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof. Higher trims include a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro gauge cluster and an 8-inch or larger touchscreen with BeatsAudio, navigation, and wireless charging. 

TRIM LEVELS & VARIANTS

Trims offered for 2024 include:

• S (FWD from ~$25,345) – essential features like LED lights, 6.5-inch touchscreen (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), and CloudTex cloth seats

• SE (~$29,515) – adds 18-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, wireless charging, and keyless access

• SE Black (~$31,570) – cosmetic upgrades including black trim and roof

• SEL (~$34,865) – top luxury trim with leather, ventilated seats, Digital Cockpit Pro, ambient lighting, panoramic sunroof, and BeatsAudio system 

AWD (4Motion) is optional on S and SE trims, and standard on SEL.

SAFETY & TECHNOLOGY

For 2024, IQ.DRIVE driver-assist features are standard across all trims. These include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking (including cyclist and pedestrian detection), blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, and Travel Assist emergency stop. Entry S trim upgrades also include rain-sensing wipers, Light Assist LED high beams, and a heated leatherette steering wheel. 

However, NHTSA rates the Taos at four stars overall, and it misses a few top marks in IIHS testing (notably the passenger-side small overlap crash), making safety performance a possible concern at the higher trims. 

FUEL ECONOMY & EFFICIENCY

• FWD models (8‑speed auto): EPA-rated 28 mpg city / 36 mpg highway / 31 mpg combined, with a 13.2‑gallon tank for up to ~475 miles highway range;

• AWD 4Motion with DSG: EPA-rated 24 city / 32 highway / 27 mpg combined, with a 14.5‑gallon tank (~464‑mile range). 

Real‑world owner reports show highway fuel economies as high as mid-to-upper 30s mpg in FWD models and mid‑20s in city and AWD usage. RedditRedditReddit

MARKET COMPARISON

The Taos competes in the crowded subcompact SUV segment with rivals such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Subaru Crosstrek, Ford Bronco Sport, and Honda HR‑V. Edmunds ranks the Taos as one of the top models for city driving due to its visibility, interior room, and standard tech suite, with base price under $26K. 

Unlike AWD offerings from Subaru or Toyota, the Taos delivers notably better EPA highway fuel economy when front-wheel-driven.

PRICING

• Taos S: Starting around $25,345 (FWD), ~$26,335 with AWD

• SE & SE Black: ~$29,515 (FWD) / ~$31,020 (AWD)

• SEL: ~$34,865 (AWD only)

• Destination fee: Typically near $1,350 depending on region 

SEL (AWD) with options such as premium paint, panoramic roof, or navigation can push closer to $36,000–$37,000.

NOTABLE AWARDS & ACCOLADES

• Featured by Edmunds as one of the best compact SUVs for city driving, praised for visibility, interior space, and standard driver-assist features. 

User-driven reliability and mpg reports are generally positive, though some note infotainment glitches or DSG transmission behavior in AWD models.