Compare the2024 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Sportage PHEV’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

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 Sportage PHEV 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.

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

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Sportage PHEV’s (7/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sportage PHEV.

Both the Taos and Sportage PHEV have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Taos has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Taos FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (13.2 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sportage PHEV (14.5 vs. 11.1 gallons).

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Taos FWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sportage PHEV.

The Taos offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Taos 4Motion’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sportage PHEV’s 55 series tires.

The Taos has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Sportage PHEV; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Taos SEL 4Motion handles at .85 G’s, while the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Taos’ turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the Sportage PHEV’s (35.1 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 1050 pounds less than the Kia Sportage PHEV.

The Taos is 7.7 inches shorter than the Sportage PHEV, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Taos has 2.9 inches more front headroom and 1.8 inches more rear headroom than the Sportage PHEV.

The Taos has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Sportage PHEV with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

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 Sportage PHEV’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Taos’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Sportage PHEV’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Taos’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sportage PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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

The Taos has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Sportage PHEV X-Line Prestige.

The Taos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Sportage PHEV doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.