All-wheel drive is standard on all but (strangely) the second-lowest trim. Its 68.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded puts this large-ish subcompact at the top of this list in total cargo capacity, and passenger space is just as generous.Įquipment is too. While it doesn’t top every category by which small crossovers are judged the Taos overachieves in most.Ī relative newcomer to the subcompact segment, the Seltos wowed crossover buyers when it debuted in 2021 with its refined handling, superb infotainment, and sprightly optional turbocharged 1.6-liter engine, share with the Hyundai Kona. We’d opt for the AWD, as it also brings some suspension changes that improve the vehicle. For its sophomore year, Volkswagen has improved the Taos by adding standard safety gear and more features without hiking the price too much. While there’s no hybrid version and little pretense of off-road ability even with the optional 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD), the Taos also sips fuel but is decidedly nicer to drive than the Nissan Kicks or other non-hybrid mileage makers. In fact, it leads the class in cargo volume and has one of the largest back seats in the group, which is a real boon for young families. The styling is handsome, just like the larger Tiguan and Atlas, and the interior looks upscale and has more room than most other competitors.

As it happens, VW’s chassis engineers and designers put together a package that many might like just much as the Golf, and one that’s even more practical.Īlthough the Taos only offers one engine, no manual transmission and is weightier than the old Golf, it drives well enough to entertain drivers better than many of pint-sized SUVs it does battle with. To fill the Golf’s big shoes along came the Volkswagen Taos, a small crossover aimed at exactly the same buyers. lineup in 2021, but today’s shoppers want crossovers far more often than they want hatchbacks. Read Less Read Moreįans of cheap, fun-to-drive small cars were dismayed when Volkswagen dropped the standard Golf from its U.S. What we’ve ended up with is not a long list, but there are several gems here that prove that a dainty size does not need to mean compromise and austerity. But to avoid the penalty-box problem, subcompacts must also wow potential buyers with a comfortable and feature-rich interior, a pleasant drive, baseline standard safety tech, and an acceptable amount cargo space-a tall order for the tiniest of vehicles. Shoppers in this segment are looking for cheap, maneuverable, and fuel-efficient-and “small” is a component that you can’t separate out of that equation. This list is grounded in the principle that small is inherently good. Of course, small vehicles and affordable ones often skimp on space, comfort or features, which highlights the challenge of making what is small also good: what does the shrimpiest subcompact need in order to gain acceptance from buyers? Because of supply chain shortages and late model changeovers, our list also includes models from 20, and some 2022 model-year vehicles will remain on sale for several more months. Honda’s HR-V, formerly one of the best very small crossovers, is now a very small compact model for 2023.Īlthough it’s a broad definition, we define “subcompact” as any SUV less than 177 inches long. In calendar year 2023 Toyota will also unveil a hybrid Corolla Cross, a model that was new in 2022. Smaller machines also tend to have lower prices, and subcompact models are the most affordable SUVs on the market.Īs their sales have spiked, so too has the quality and variety of entries in this small class, and 2023 sees the debut of an all-new Kia Niro while aging entries like the Chevy Trax and Ford EcoSport have fallen away. Although the proliferation of hybrids means you don’t have to sacrifice space for mpg as in the same way you did 25 years ago, laws of physics still dictate that less weight and size means less energy expended. SUVs continue to dominate the sales charts, but 2022’s high gas and vehicle prices sent buyers looking for, smaller, cheaper and more fuel-efficient models.

Hybrid crossover 2022