Compare the2023 Volkswagen TaosVS 2022 Honda CR-V

The Taos has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CR-V doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Taos offers optional Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The CR-V doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Taos has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the CR-V EX/EX-L/Touring has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Taos has standard Car-Net, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The CR-V doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Taos and the CR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and rear parking sensors.

The Taos comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The CR-V’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CR-V’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CR-V.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Taos has a standard 640-amp battery. The CR-V’s 410-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Honda.

The Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 179) than the CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volkswagen Taos is faster than the Honda CR-V:

On the EPA test cycle the Taos FWD gets better fuel mileage than the CR-V FWD (28 city/36 hwy vs. 28 city/34 hwy).

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Taos higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda CR-V (6). This means the Taos produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CR-V every 15,000 miles.

The Taos S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V LX/SE’s standard 65 series tires. The Taos SEL 4Motion’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the CR-V Touring’s 55 series tires.

The Taos has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CR-V’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Taos has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The CR-V doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taos 4Motion’s wheelbase is .8 inches longer than on the CR-V AWD (105.5 inches vs. 104.7 inches). The Taos’ wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the CR-V (105.9 inches vs. 104.8 inches).

The Taos SEL handles at .83 G’s, while the CR-V Touring pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Taos is 6.3 inches shorter than the CR-V, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Taos has .6 inches more front headroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the CR-V.

The front step up height for the Taos is 2.5 inches lower than the CR-V (16.5” vs. 19”). The Taos’ rear step up height is 1.3 inches lower than the CR-V’s (16.7” vs. 18”).

The power windows standard on both the Taos and the CR-V have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Taos is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CR-V prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Taos’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The CR-V’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the CR-V SE/EX/EX-L/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The Taos’ standard variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The CR-V LX’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Taos to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The CR-V doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Taos SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The CR-V doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Taos SEL also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CR-V doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.