Compare the2027 Volkswagen Taos VS 2026 Toyota Rav4

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 Rav4’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Volkswagen Taos achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Toyota Rav4 has not been tested.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Taos has standard Rear Traffic Alert with automatic braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Rav4 SE/Woodland/XLE/XSE/Limited/GR Sport offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the Taos and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Rav4’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 Rav4’s (7 vs. 5 years).

The Taos has more powerful engines than the Rav4:

	Torque
Taos 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder	184 lbs.-ft.
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid
Rav4 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Taos higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 (6). This means the Taos produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Taos’ standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4:

	Taos	Rav4
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	12 inches

The Taos stops shorter than the Rav4:

	Taos	Rav4
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

The Taos 4Motion®’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 Rav4 LE’s standard 65 series tires. The Taos 4Motion® SE Black/SEL’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Rav4 XSE’s 50 series tires.

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 Rav4 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® handles at .85 G’s, while the Rav4 Woodland pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Taos 4Motion®’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Rav4’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.9 feet). The Taos’ turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Rav4 GR Sport’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 GR Sport (7.6 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 1100 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4.

The Taos is 5.1 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Taos has 2.8 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear legroom than the Rav4.

The Taos’ standard KESSY Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Smart Key System standard on the Rav4 doesn’t offer a sensor on the cargo door.

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 Rav4 LE’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 standard on the Taos 4Motion to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Rav4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Taos SE/SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Rav4 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Taos SE/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 costs extra on the Rav4.