2022 Volkswagen Taos SUV Enters Production in Mexico for the U.S. Market
10 Feb 2021, 16:44 UTC ·
by
Mircea Panait
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The final example of the Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico, in 2003. The modern-day Beetle ended production at the same factory in 2019, and both lovely bugs will be replaced by the new Taos, which has just entered production in Puebla.
“The what?” Named after a town in New Mexico, the compact crossover is specifically designed for the North American region according to Volkswagen. What’s more, the Taos will replace lesser variants of the Golf in the United States, as in every single Golf except the go-faster GTI and R.
Scheduled to arrive in showrooms for the 2022 model year, the Taos is offered with front-wheel drive as standard and 4Motion all-wheel drive if you need the extra grip and traction. Slotting directly under the long-wheelbase Tiguan, the CUV challenges the likes of the Chevrolet Trailblazer because it’s 9.3 inches (23.6 centimeters) shorter than a Tiguan.
Just a little roomier than the Golf, the Taos isn’t too shabby in terms of looks either because of the light-up strip that connects the headlights with the badge in the grille. Arteon-like headlights, a clean profile, and the aggressive rake to the D-pillar make this fellow a tantalizing proposition for many demographics. The interior is pretty clean, too, thanks to a digital instrument cluster joined by an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
What comes as disappointing for prospective customers and level-headed people like you and me is the aggressive cost-cutting approach to standard equipment. More to the point, active safety features won’t be available as standard, not even basic stuff such as automatic emergency braking.
Shortcomings aside, the Taos one-ups the Nissan Rogue Sport with a 1.5-liter TSI four-cylinder turbo that belts out 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet (250 Nm) of torque. This engine is paired to either an eight-speed automatic if you settle for FWD or a seven-speed DCT for 4Motion AWD.
No fewer than three grades will be available to purchase for the 2022 model year: S, SE, and SEL. As for the starting pricing, you can look forward to an MSRP of $3,000 less than the Tiguan, give or take a few bucks. The Taos will arrive in U.S. dealerships by the end of this year's second quarter.
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