Compare the2026 Volkswagen TaosVS 2026 Hyundai Kona

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 Kona’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 Hyundai Kona 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 Kona 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 Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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.

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. Hyundai doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Kona.

The Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 more horsepower (174 vs. 147) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 132) than the Kona SE/SEL Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

The Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kona 1.6T’s standard fuel tank (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons).

The Taos has a tether attaching its gas cap to prevent its loss. The Kona’s gas cap isn’t tethered, so it can be left at a gas station if the driver forgets to screw the cap back in.

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

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

The Taos stops shorter than the Kona:

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 Kona SE’s standard 60 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taos 4Motion®’s wheelbase is .8 inches longer than on the Kona (105.5 inches vs. 104.7 inches). The Taos’ wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Kona (105.9 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

The Taos’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Kona’s (59% to 41%). This gives the Taos more stable handling and braking.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® handles at .85 G’s, while the Kona SEL Premium HTRAC AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Kona SEL Premium HTRAC AWD (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Taos has .8 inches more front headroom and 1.5 inches more rear headroom than the Kona.

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 25.5 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 63.7 cubic feet).

The Taos’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Kona SEL/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

On a hot day the Taos’ driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Kona’s 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 Kona doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Taos’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kona’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 Kona 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.

The Taos has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Kona Limited.