Volkswagen’s entry-level compact SUV receives some subtle design tweaks for the American market as the carmaker hopes to sell in more segments
As car companies scramble to electrify their portfolios and the EU battles over the end of combustion engines, Volkswagen has rolled out a new petrol-powered crossover specifically for the Americas. Built on the scalable MQB platform, which also underpins the large Atlas and midsize Tiguan models, the Taos comes in at 9.3 inches shorter than the latter and fills a gap in the VW portfolio at a time when customer demand for SUVs are as high as ever.
Although currently supply is vastly hampered by the current microchip shortage, VW is counting on Americans to keep clamoring for crossovers. In first quarter of 2021, SUVs accounted for 64% of VW sales in the US – and that’s before the Taos went on sale.
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