Compare the2026 Volkswagen TaosVS 2025 Nissan Kicks Play

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Taos have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Nissan Kicks Play doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear 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 Kicks Play’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 Nissan Kicks Play 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 Kicks Play 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.

The Taos offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Taos’ standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

The Volkswagen Taos has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Taos SE/SEL has standard Park Distance Control to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Taos has standard Car-Net, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Taos and the Kicks Play have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The Volkswagen Taos weighs 450 to 752 pounds more than the Nissan Kicks Play. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Taos is safer than the Nissan Kicks Play:

	Taos	Kicks Play
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	32%	32%
Leg Forces (l/r)	103/74 lbs.	343/312 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	224	326
Neck Injury Risk	45%	79%
Neck Stress	135 lbs.	392 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Taos is safer than the Nissan Kicks Play:

	Taos	Kicks Play
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	111	139
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	115 lbs.	172 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

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

The Taos’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Kicks Play’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Taos has a standard 640-amp battery. The Kicks Play’s 510-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 52 more horsepower (174 vs. 122) and 70 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 114) than the Kicks Play’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen Taos is faster than the Nissan Kicks Play:

	Taos	Kicks Play
Zero to 60 MPH	8.9 sec	10.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.7 sec	18 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.1 MPH	77.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Taos’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Taos FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks Play (13.2 vs. 10.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks Play (14.5 vs. 10.8 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Taos’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Kicks Play:

	Taos	Kicks Play
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.7 inches	8” drums

The Volkswagen Taos has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Kicks Play. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Taos stops much shorter than the Kicks Play:

	Taos	Kicks Play
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	190 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	130 feet	137 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Taos has larger standard tires than the Kicks Play (215/55R18 vs. 205/60R16). The Taos 4Motion®’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kicks Play (235/45R19 vs. 205/60R16).

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 Kicks Play’s standard 60 series tires. The Taos 4Motion®’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Kicks Play’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Taos S has standard 17-inch wheels. Only 16-inch wheels are available on the Kicks Play. The Taos 4Motion® offers optional 19-inch wheels.

The Volkswagen Taos’ wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Nissan Kicks Play only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Taos 4Motion® has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Kicks Play has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Taos has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Kicks Play’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taos’ wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Kicks Play (105.5 inches vs. 103.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Taos is 2 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Kicks Play.

The Taos’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Kicks Play’s (60.7% to 39.3%). This gives the Taos more stable handling and braking.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® handles at .85 G’s, while the Kicks Play pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Taos SEL 4Motion® executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Kicks Play (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Taos has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Kicks Play (7.6 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Taos to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The design of the Volkswagen Taos amounts to more than styling. The Taos has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .31 Cd. That is lower than the Kicks Play (.334 to .344) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Taos has 6.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kicks Play (99.5 vs. 92.6).

The Taos has .3 inches more front headroom, 3 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 4.4 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kicks Play.

Cargo Capacity

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kicks Play with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kicks Play with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 32.3 cubic feet).

The Taos’ cargo area is larger than the Kicks Play’s in almost every dimension:

	Taos	Kicks Play
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	34.3”/65.2”	35.4”/64”
Max Width	48.5”	49.7”
Min Width	40”	38.3”
Height	37”	31.6”

Ergonomics

The Taos SE/SEL has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Taos’ power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kicks Play has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Taos and the Kicks Play have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Taos is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Kicks Play prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Kicks Play’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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

The Taos’ driver power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kicks Play’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Kicks Play’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 Kicks Play doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Taos’ LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kicks Play’s halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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 Kicks Play 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.

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the Taos has a standard extendable sun visor. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Taos’ optional outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The Taos offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Kicks Play.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Taos SEL keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Taos’ standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Taos has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Taos SE/SEL’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Taos SE/SEL’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Taos has available rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer rear vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Taos has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the Taos SEL. The Taos’ navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a navigation system.

With standard voice command, the Taos SE/SEL offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Compared to the Nissan Kicks Play’s traditional radio, the Volkswagen Taos SE/SEL equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Taos SE/SEL has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Kicks Play doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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