2022 Subaru Outback vs 2023 Volkswagen Taos

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was a rugged take on the traditional Outback, offering a higher stance and a more adventurous design. With 23 centimetres of ground clearance, it was equipped with all-terrain tires and restyled bumpers for improved approach and departure angles. The exterior featured a unique grille, black 17-inch wheels, and Anodized Copper accents, while the interior was dominated by dark grey and black tones with StarTex water-repellant upholstery. The Outback Wilderness was designed to stand out with its bold styling and practical features like a robust roof rack and exclusive Geyser Blue paint.

In contrast, the 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed for global appeal, offering a stylish and sporty look with its bold 19-inch alloy wheels and Cornflower Blue paint. The Taos Highline trim featured a premium interior with light grey accents, gloss black trim, and leather seats, giving it an upscale feel. Despite its compact size, the Taos provided ample interior space, making it one of the roomiest subcompact SUVs available. The Taos was intended to fill the gap left by the discontinued Volkswagen Golf, offering a blend of practicality and style.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was powered by a turbocharged 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine provided ample power for the midsize SUV, which weighed 3,896 pounds and had a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The Outback Wilderness featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight programmed ratios, though its performance was somewhat hindered by the CVT's droning and soft gear changes. The Wilderness trim offered 23 cm of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and a dual-function X-Mode traction system, making it the most capable Outback for off-road adventures.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos, on the other hand, was equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The Taos offered a choice between front-wheel drive with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. While the Taos Highline trim provided a sporty driving experience, its powertrain response was unpredictable, and the engine lacked power compared to competitors. The Taos offered up to five driving modes and a 4Motion AWD system, but its ground clearance was limited to 16.7 centimetres, making it less suitable for off-road excursions.

Inside the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, the seats were wrapped in dark grey StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but not ideal for hot weather. The front seats were heated, and the driver's seat offered 10-way power adjustment. The rear seat provided generous head and legroom, with heated seats and air conditioning vents. The cargo area offered 920 litres of space behind the rear seat and 2,144 litres with the seat folded flat. The Outback Wilderness also featured a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating for rooftop camping.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a spacious interior with real leather seats in the Highline trim. Standard cold-weather features included heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The Taos provided ample rear-seat space, with air conditioning vents and a panoramic sunroof in the Highline trim. The cargo area offered 790 litres of space behind the back seat and 1,866 litres with the seat folded down, though these figures were slightly reduced with the 4Motion AWD system.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated climate control. While physical knobs were provided for volume and tuning, most functions required the use of the touchscreen. The voice recognition technology was not intuitive, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered better functionality. The Outback Wilderness lacked a premium audio system, which was available in other Outback trims.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came with standard digital instrumentation, with a 10.25-inch display in the Highline trim. The infotainment system varied by trim, with the Highline offering an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an eight-speaker Beats Audio system. However, the user experience was hindered by hidden virtual controls and a complex interface. The voice-recognition technology was also lacking, making it advisable to use smartphone integration for a better experience.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was equipped with the EyeSight suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Wilderness trim also featured steering-responsive LED headlights and a blind-spot warning system. While crash-test results for the Wilderness were not available, the standard Outback received high safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA.

For 2023, the Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, including Front Assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Comfortline trim added Lane Assist and Travel Assist, while the Highline included parking sensors and a road-sign recognition system. Travel Assist performed well during testing, providing smooth and accurate assistance. The Taos received decent crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS.