Compare the2026 Volkswagen TaosVS 2026 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Taos are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Taos deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Taos’ side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Terrain’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Volkswagen Taos achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The GMC Terrain has not been tested.

The Taos has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Terrain doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Taos and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

The Taos comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Terrain’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Terrain’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Taos for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Terrain.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volkswagen 2 places higher in reliability than GMC.

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better mileage than the Terrain:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Taos higher (7 out of 10) than the GMC Terrain (6). This means the Taos produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Terrain every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Taos’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Terrain:

The Taos stops shorter than the Terrain:

The Taos 4Motion®’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain’s standard 65 series tires. The Taos 4Motion®’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Terrain Denali’s optional 50 series tires.

The Taos 4Motion® has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Taos 4Motion® flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Taos has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Terrain doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® handles at .85 G’s, while the Terrain Elevation AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Taos 4Motion®’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet). The Taos’ turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Terrain’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain (7.6 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Taos’ minimum ground clearance is 1.2 inches higher than on the Terrain AT4 (7.6 vs. 6.4 inches).

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the GMC Terrain.

The Taos is 5.1 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Taos has .1 inches more front headroom and .6 inches more rear headroom than the Terrain.

The front step up height for the Taos is 1.9 inches lower than the Terrain (16.5” vs. 18.4”). The Taos’ rear step up height is 1.3 inches lower than the Terrain’s (16.7” vs. 18”).

The Taos has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Terrain with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 63.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Taos easier. The Taos’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Terrain’s liftover is 29.9 inches.

The Taos’ front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Terrain’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The Taos’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Terrain’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Taos to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Terrain doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Taos SE/SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Taos SE/SEL also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Volkswagen Taos retains 51.91% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 50.74% resale value of the 2025 GMC Terrain after five years, which can save the Volkswagen’s owner up to $2707.97663 in depreciation.