The Taos, which has been selling about 60,000 units a year in the US since its 2022 debut, now sports a sleeker front end. VW has added a thin light strip across the top and moved the grille lower down. The headlights are smaller and use LEDs on all models. These changes bring the Taos in line with other VW cars like the GTI and Jetta.
At the back, VW has connected the taillights with a light bar and changed their housings. The lights themselves stay the same size. Buyers will also have more wheel options and new colors to choose from, including Bright Moss Green, Monterey Blue Pearl, and Monument Gray.
Inside, the biggest change is a new floating 8.0-inch touchscreen. It's standard on all models and replaces the old 6.5-inch screen that was built into the dash. VW has also tweaked the upper part of the dashboard and changed the climate controls.
The SE trim gets some new tech features. It now comes with Park Distance Control to help with parking and an Adaptive Front Light System for better visibility at night.
Under the hood, VW has boosted the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. New piston rings, injectors, a bigger intercooler, and a new turbo housing bump the power up by 16 horses to 174 horsepower. The company has also swapped out the old seven-speed transmission in all-wheel-drive models for an eight-speed automatic. VW says customers asked for this change.
VW hasn't said how much the new Taos will cost yet. We'll find out closer to when it goes on sale later this year. It'll likely be more than the current model, which starts at $25,420 for a front-wheel-drive Taos S.
Source: Volkswagen