Volkswagen Taos vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was designed to appeal to a broad audience, offering affordability and comfort. It was particularly popular in North America, where it aimed to capture the market left by the discontinued Volkswagen Golf. The Taos was available in three trims: Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline, with prices ranging from $26,995 to $37,695, excluding a $2,050 destination charge. The Highline trim, which we tested, featured 4Motion all-wheel drive, bold 19-inch alloy wheels, and a stylish Cornflower Blue paint job. Inside, the Taos Highline boasted a premium feel with light grey leather seats, gloss black trim, and metallic detailing, making it resemble a more affordable Audi. Despite its compact size, the Taos offered a spacious interior, nearly matching the larger Tiguan model.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt retained a familiar look with slight styling changes, such as a thin slot behind the Chevy Bowtie logo and an integrated bumper grille. The Bolt EUV body style was the only option for 2027, offering a tall and narrow stance that prioritized utility and interior space. The interior received a more dramatic makeover, featuring a larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen. The push-button gear selector was moved to the steering column, freeing up storage space. While the cabin was dominated by hard plastic surfaces, the RS trim added Evotex synthetic leather with red stitching. The Bolt's rear seating area offered ample headroom and thigh support, with a flat floor for centre-seat passengers. Cargo capacity was 459 litres, with a large bin under the floor for additional storage.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos was powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive models, like the Highline, came with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The Taos offered up to five driving modes, but its powertrain response was unpredictable, with occasional surges of torque and delays in response. Despite its sporty appearance, the Taos lacked power compared to rivals like the Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona N. The Taos Highline averaged 8.8 litres per 100 kilometres during testing, slightly above the official rating. The 4Motion system provided a stable and nimble driving experience, but the Taos struggled with brake pedal feel and road noise at highway speeds.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery pack, reducing costs and rare earth mineral usage. Its motor, borrowed from the Chevy Equinox EV, delivered 210 horsepower and 169 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels, achieving a 0-100 km/h time in the low seven-second range. The Bolt's acceleration was quick compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs, with immediate pedal response. One-pedal driving was available, with medium or high brake regeneration settings. The Bolt's ride was firm but not overly stiff, and its low centre of gravity made it agile on curvy roads. The 2027 Bolt offered an estimated range of 422 kilometres on a full charge, with a Tesla-derived NACS charge port and increased charging speed of 150 kW.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos offered a range of interior options, with Trendline trim featuring cloth seats, Comfortline trim with CloudTex artificial leatherette, and Highline trim with real leather. Cold-weather equipment was standard in Canada, including heated side mirrors, washer nozzles, front seats, and a steering wheel. The Highline trim added rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, and ventilated front seats. The Taos provided ample interior space, with a comfortable eight-way power driver's seat and impressive rear-seat room. Cargo space was generous, with 790 litres behind the back seat and 1,866 litres with the rear seat folded down, slightly reduced with 4Motion.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt offered an upright driving position with plenty of space for larger occupants. Taller drivers might have wished for more telescopic extension from the steering wheel. The rear seats provided ample headroom and thigh support, with a flat floor for centre-seat passengers. The Bolt's cargo capacity was 459 litres, with a large bin under the floor for additional storage. The rear seatbacks folded flat with the cargo floor, providing more luggage space. While there was no frunk, the Bolt offered ample storage for personal items, including a large bin with movable dividers, a big floor tray, and a deep centre armrest bin.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos came with standard digital instrumentation, with an eight-inch screen for Trendline and Comfortline trims and a 10.25-inch display for the Highline. Infotainment systems ranged from a basic 6.5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth to an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L, and Car-Net connected services. The Highline trim featured a native navigation system and an eight-speaker Beats Audio premium sound system. However, the user experience was marred by hidden virtual controls, a complicated radio tuning process, and ineffective voice-recognition technology.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt featured an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch centre touchscreen, running on a Google-based operating system. Apple CarPlay and standalone Android Auto were not supported, requiring Bluetooth pairing for personal music libraries. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, and a wireless charging pad. The infotainment system was easy to use, with logical menus, sharp graphics, and quick responses. The Bolt's navigation system helped drivers find charging stations and preconditioned the battery for optimal charging rates. The Bolt also offered vehicle-to-load charging as a backup power source.

The 2023 Volkswagen Taos improved its standard safety features, including Front Assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Comfortline trim added Lane Assist, Travel Assist, Emergency Assist, and an active blind-spot monitoring system. The Taos also featured a post-collision automatic braking system, automatic high-beam headlights, parking sensors with automatic braking, and a road-sign recognition system. Travel Assist performed smoothly and accurately, while Lane Assist operated without irritation. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were decent but imperfect.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt's crash test results were not available at the time of writing, but it was expected to achieve high scores based on the 2023 Bolt EUV platform. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitors, and a safety alert seat. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, and traffic-sign recognition. GM's Super Cruise hands-free automated highway driving system was available for an additional cost, making the Bolt one of the few budget EVs with such an advanced system.