Volkswagen Taos

The Volkswagen Taos is one of the most well-rounded vehicles in its class, offering a generous amount of passenger and cargo space relative to its modest size. Large door openings provide lots of room for ingress and egress, while the spacious back seat makes the Taos feel as if it’s a size larger than it actually is. In fact, the 37.9 inches of rear legroom is less than an inch shy of that offered by the larger Tiguan. Moreover, the 28 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats and 66 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded flat provide plenty of room for small families planning a road trip or long weekend getaway. While not especially cushy or luxurious, the sporty-looking seats inside the Taos are still plenty comfortable, giving it an interior that challenges for best-in-class.

Fuel economy is another area where the Taos shines brightly. In mixed driving, all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive models earn EPA ratings of 28 mpg and 31 mpg, respectively; however, a front-drive Taos returned an impressive 40 mpg (combined) during Car and Driver testing. These figures rival the best that the subcompact SUV segment has to offer.