Compare the2025 Honda CR-VVS 2025 Volkswagen Taos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Volkswagen Taos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CR-V are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Taos doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda CR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Taos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda CR-V is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volkswagen Taos, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	CR-V	Taos
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Crossing Child - DAY
25 MPH	-18 MPH	-9 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-14 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	-17 MPH	-14 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	No Slowing	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-33 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	No Slowing	No Slowing

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Honda CR-V achieved an “Acceptable” rating for its forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Volkswagen Taos which scored “Poor” - the lowest rating - in these critical safety features.

The CR-V’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Taos doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CR-V and the Taos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CR-V	Taos
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	211	285
Neck Injury Risk	17.1%	32%
Neck Stress	181 lbs.	413 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	37 lbs.	207 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	408/341 lbs.	643/432 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CR-V	Taos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	72	111
Abdominal Force	115 lbs.	115 lbs.
Hip Force	347 lbs.	394 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	393
Spine Acceleration	51 G’s	69 G’s
Hip Force	613 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	302	338
Hip Force	753 lbs.	939 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda CR-V is safer than the Taos:

	CR-V	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	138	189
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	379 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	.91 in	1.57 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	357 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Pelvis Force	1093 lbs.	1406 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	119	259
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.54 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	16 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	781 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the CR-V 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Taos. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Taos ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The CR-V’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Taos’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 69 percent more Honda dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CR-V’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Taos’ camshafts. If the Taos’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid’s reliability 31 points higher than the Taos and the Honda CR-V is rated 37 points higher than the Taos.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 60 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 61 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 18th.

Engine

The CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (190 vs. 174) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 30 more horsepower (204 vs. 174) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V is faster than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CR-V turbo 4 cyl.	CR-V Hybrid	Taos
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	7.6 sec	8.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.4 MPH	81.5 MPH	85.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Taos:

			MPG
CR-V
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	43 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/34 hwy
Taos
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/36 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Taos doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Taos doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The CR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Taos doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The CR-V stops much shorter than the Taos:

	CR-V	Taos
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Taos (235/60R18 vs. 215/50R18).

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Taos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V flat and controlled during cornering. The Taos 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 3.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Taos.

The CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid handles at .85 G’s, while the Taos SEL pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the CR-V has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Taos (8.2 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the CR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the CR-V uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Taos doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Taos doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V has 6.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Taos (106 vs. 99.5).

The CR-V has 1.2 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 3.1 inches more rear legroom, 7.2 inches more rear hip room and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Taos.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V’s rear seats recline. The Taos’ rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Taos with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 27.9 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Taos with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 65.9 cubic feet).

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the Taos’ in almost every dimension:

	CR-V	Taos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36.6”/74.7”	34.3”/65.2”
Max Width	58”	48.5”
Min Width	41.5”	40”
Height	36.5”	37”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The Taos doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CR-V Sport Touring, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Taos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CR-V has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Taos has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Taos uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 52% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 31st.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Taos doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Taos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Taos’ passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CR-V has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Taos only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Both the CR-V and the Taos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Taos doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to traditional radio, the Honda CR-V’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Taos SE/SEL.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Taos isn't recommended.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2025 and 5 more times in the last 24 years. The Taos has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Taos has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Volkswagen Taos by over six to one during 2024.

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