Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2026 Taos.
The 2026 Volkswagen Taos, equipped with an automatic S8 transmission and EPA-rated at 28/36/31 mpg, enters the model’s reliability history as its strongest year yet: it has logged just one owner complaint—filed under Structure—and one recall, a stark contrast to the 2022 model’s 304 complaints. This places the 2026 Taos at the lowest point in a complaint trend covering 2022 through 2026, marking a significant improvement for the nameplate.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic (S8) |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 28 / 36 / 31 mpg |
| Drivetrain | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Passenger volume | 100 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 28 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Regular Gasoline |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Taos of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | SE Black 1.5L Turbo I-4 | 8.00 sec | 16.10 sec | 174 hp | FWD |
| 2025 | SE Black 1.5L Turbo I-4 | 8.20 sec | 16.30 sec | 174 hp | FWD |
| 2025 | SEL 4MOTION 1.5L Turbo I-4 | 8.90 sec | 16.70 sec | 174 hp | AWD |
| 2023 | SEL 4MOTION 1.5L Turbo I-4 | 7.40 sec | 15.70 sec | 158 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | SEL 1.5 Turbo I-4 | 7.40 sec | 15.80 sec | 158 hp | FWD |
| 2022 | SEL 4MOTION 1.5 Turbo I-4 | 7.50 sec | 15.80 sec | 158 hp | AWD |
| 2022 | SEL 1.5 Turbo I-4 | 7.60 sec | 15.90 sec | 158 hp | FWD |
| 2022 | SEL 1.5 Turbo I-4 | 8.50 sec | 16.50 sec | 158 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record traces a steep improvement curve across the Taos generation, with complaints dropping from 304 in 2022 to just 1 in 2026 and technical service bulletins declining from 471 to 64. After recalls disappeared entirely in 2023 and 2024, they returned in 2025 and 2026 with two and one, respectively, though the data does not specify the root cause for either year. The 2026 model lands at the lowest point in this arc, logging only a single Structure complaint alongside zero crash and fire complaints and no investigations. This makes it the most federally quiet year in the dataset, implying the highest maturity level of the generation shown. Given its minimal complaint footprint and comparatively low service bulletin volume, the 2026 Taos emerges as the most favorable model year to buy within this federal record.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Taos vehicles. In the event of a rear-end crash, the fuel pressure sensor may dislodge or separate from the fuel tank. As such, these… Remedy: Dealers will install a fuel pressure sensor wiring harness extension, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer…
Showing 5 of 64 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| TT 10-18-02_2 | 2026-06-18 | Engine | Lubricating engine components before reassembly. |
| TT 13-20-01_3 | 2026-06-18 | Engine | Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start. |
| V6919012010479_17 | 2026-06-11 | Air Bags | Inquiries |
| V1719012012855_81 | 2026-06-04 | Engine | Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| VIN4APIN20260527 | 2026-05-27 | Unknown Or Other | Oil leak from Cylinder Head Cover; MIL on, engine runs rough with misfire faults… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 28 city / 36 highway / 31 combined mpg.