In today’s head-to-head battle, we’re looking at the 2025 VW Taos and the 2025 HR-V. Both solid subcompact SUV entries on the market and considered some of the most affordable SUVs, but which one comes out on top? Read on to learn who will win in the VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V compact SUV comparison and decide for yourself which one you should buy.
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Performance
While the HR-V has a larger engine (2.0L, 4-cylinder), it only delivers 158 horsepower. The VW Taos, on the other hand, has a turbocharged 1.5L, 4-cylinder engine. You may think this would offer less oomph, and yet, the Taos pumps out 174 horsepower. For the drivetrain, the HR-V comes standard across all trims with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is an available option. Comparatively, the Taos’s first three trims come with front-wheel drive standard, but the highest trim, the Taos SEL, has all-wheel drive standard.
When it comes to power and precision under the hood, the Taos takes the cake.
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Fuel Economy
As a disclaimer, all-wheel drive variants will always get 1-2 fewer MPG than their front-wheel drive counterparts. As such, we’ll only look at FWD trims for this comparison.
Honda HR-V: 26 MPG city / 32 MPG highway
Volkswagen Taos: 28 MPG city / 36 MPG highway.
Once again, the VW Taos’s fuel economy is better than that of the Honda HR-V. If saving money at the pump is a priority for your next vehicle, the Taos is the clear winner (and saver).
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Space and Seating
When it comes to compact SUV comparisons, space in the cabin is everything. Both the Taos and the HR-V can seat up to five (5) passengers comfortably. In the case of the Taos, it has roughly one less inch of rear legroom than its larger sibling, the VW Tiguan. Listed below are the specs for storage and passenger space.
Honda HR-V
- Max cargo: 55.1 cubic feet
- Max passenger volume: 98.7 cubic feet
VW Taos
- Max cargo: 65.9 cubic feet
- Max passenger volume: 99.5 cubic feet
If you wanted a little extra seating space, the Taos ekes out a victory over the HR-V. However, when it comes to cargo storage, the Taos is the clear victor over the HR-V. To answer the popular question, “Is the Taos bigger than the HR-V,” the answer is yes.
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Tech
The standard touchscreen infotainment system comes with USB connection for the base-level Taos S and next-level Taos SE trims and a wireless connection for the upper-level trims. The Honda HR-V comes standard with a 7” touchscreen infotainment system for the first two trims, the LX and Sport, with only the EX-L coming with a larger, 9” infotainment system. Like the Taos, the HR-V only gets wireless connectivity on the EX-L trim. Both vehicles are Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ compatible. Starting with the SE, the Taos trims get wireless charging; only the EX-L trim on the HR-V comes with wireless charging as a feature.
For the entry-level trims, the Taos takes the lead. At the highest level trims, the HR-V narrowly wins out with a 1” larger infotainment screen.
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Safety
Both the Taos and the HR-V come with a host of driver safety and assistance features to ensure your protection when you get behind the wheel. Whether you choose the Taos or the HR-V, you’ll have access to:
- A rear-view camera
- Forward collision warnings
- Auto emergency braking
- Lane keeping assist
- Pedestrian detection
- And more.
Both Honda Sensing and VW IQ.DRIVE safety suites are highly rated and regarded. However, the Taos has a couple extra safety features available on the base-trim level compared to the HR-V. With the Taos, you’ll also get blind-spot monitoring and a location and pressure system for tire monitoring.
VW Taos vs. Honda HR-V: Who Wins?
By now, you’ve likely noticed that the Taos is larger, more powerful, and better equipped, even at lower trim levels, when compared to the Honda HR-V. However, as one last comparison note, let’s look at pricing.
- The 2025 VW Taos starts at $24,995 MSRP.
- The 2025 Honda HR-V starts at $25,400 MSRP.
Who wins? Whichever vehicle you like better and feel comfortable driving. However, when it comes down to specs and features, the VW Taos rates higher and starts at a lower price. In other words, the VW Taos is an incredible value for what you get, even at the base trim.
Want to see if the Taos lives up to its stats? At Family Volkswagen of Burleson, proudly serving residents of Arlington, Fort Worth, Joshua, and beyond, we’ll be happy to answer any questions about the Taos or any other new VW vehicles to help you find the perfect fit and how Volkswagen bests the competition. Contact us today to schedule a test drive, or schedule a test drive online with our easy-to-use and helpful tool.
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