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• Volkswagen Taos Vs. Mazda CX-5 Vs. Honda HR-V

The smartly priced new VW Taos leads the charge toward compact SUV excellence in this 2025 Volkswagen Taos vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Honda HR-V comparison. We have the specs to back it up, and we want to give you all the information you need to make the best decision possible. Dive into the performance, interior design, and reliability of these three popular five-seat sport utility models before test-driving a reinvigorated VW Taos trim at our Tom Wood Volkswagen showroom.

2025 Volkswagen Taos Review

Let's begin our review with the new Volkswagen Taos for sale. This compact, two-row SUV is a prime example of reliability and style and boasts the most accessible starting price point of the group. Three elegantly designed trims pack the power of a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with an efficient Engine Start-Stop System to generate 177 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.

Choose your favorite trim to access a multitude of interior design and tech features:

• 2025 VW Taos S: This FWD entry model is equipped with black roof rails for expanded cargo storage, an 8-inch VW Digital Cockpit display and 8-inch floating touchscreen, Adaptive Cruise Control, USB charging ports, and App-Connect smartphone integration. The Volkswagen Taos interior features a leather-wrapped gear shift and leatherette-wrapped heated steering wheel, along cloth seating.
• 2025 VW Taos SE: The FWD Taos SE adds Remote Engine Start and heated windshield wiper nozzles to its exterior, while its interior includes heated front CloudTex and cloth seats and Climatronic Touch dual-zone climate control with an advanced air filter. Front seats can charge devices wirelessly or via USB-C, and rear seats get their own USB-C charging port.
• 2025 VW Taos SE Black: This version of the FWD SE trim adds aggressive blacked-out styling with its black roof, A-pillars, mirror caps, and spoiler, as well as black alloy wheels, an integrated light bar in the front grille, and a power tilt-and-slide sunroof.
• 2025 VW Taos SEL: Amp up the volume in this top-tier 4MOTION AWD trim with leather upholstery, the power tilt-and-slide sunroof, and a premium sound system. Adaptive Front Lighting, a larger 10.25-inch configurable Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro, and heated power side mirrors make any journey simpler, and the illuminated and carpeted trunk with a 12-volt power port is ideal for loading and unloading your gear.

The Volkswagen brand is synonymous with safety and security, and the Taos exemplifies this standard: Every new trim is ready to deliver top-notch Volkswagen Taos reliability in the form of advanced technology. The VW IQ.DRIVE system comes standard across the lineup, giving you features like Travel Assist, Active Blind Spot Monitor, and Emergency Assist. You'll also benefit from a Rearview Camera System, a LATCH child seat system, and six stability-enhancing systems.

The 2025 VW Taos frame features a safety cage with front and rear crumple zones to maximize passenger protection. The VW Carefree Coverage suite of services¹ protects the SUV itself by offering four years or 50,000 miles of New Vehicle Limited Warranty² coverage in addition to other warranty peace of mind. Contact Tom Wood Volkswagen to discuss every safety and warranty detail with our team!

2025 Mazda CX-5 Review

The new Mazda CX-5 is a two-row compact crossover that spreads its features across eight trim levels, meaning you may need to price up quite a bit to gain the features you want. The entire lineup houses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, but the top three trims add Dynamic Pressure Turbo to increase their horsepower and torque.

In comparing the Volkswagen Taos vs. Mazda CX-5 engines, however, it's important to remember that the larger Mazda CX-5 motors will eat up your fuel economy and elevate the price tag. Additionally, some of the highest Mazda CX-5 engine specs can only be achieved using premium gas, which is another cost to consider.

• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 S
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 S SELECT
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 S PREFERRED
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 S CARBON EDITION
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 S PREMIUM PLUS
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 CARBON TURBO
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 TURBO PREMIUM
• 2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 TURBO SIGNATURE

The entry-level 2.5 S trim has a leather-trimmed gear selector, cloth-trimmed seats, dual front and rear USB ports, a Mazda Connect Infotainment System, and a small 4.6-inch Multi-Information Display. As you move through the Mazda CX-5 interior for the seven other trims, the Infotainment System features stay the same, but you can add features like leather upholstery, wireless phone charging, SiriusXM® Satellite Radio, and an Adaptive Front Lighting System.

As for Mazda CX-5 driver assistance, we found that although the Mazda SUV does offer many of the same safety features of the VW Taos, including a LATCH child seat system, a Rearview Monitor, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Mazda Radar Cruise Control, only the top-tier 2.5 Turbo Signature trim offers a Mazda Navigation System and Traffic Sign Recognition. The new Mazda CX-5 also has a New Vehicle Limited Warranty of only three years or 36,000 miles,³ which is far less impressive than the VW Taos warranty discussed above.

2025 Honda HR-V Review

The new two-row Honda HR-V model has fewer bells and whistles, but it gets the job done. Every trim is fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque – both of which fall far short of the Taos – and comes with standard 2WD or available Real-Time AWD. An Eco Assist System supports the engine to maximize fuel economy, though the Honda HR-V MPG still can't reach the heights of the VW Taos.

• 2025 Honda HR-V LX: This trim's Honda HR-V interior comforts are a bit sparse, but it does provide a 7-inch Driver Information Interface, two USB charging ports, and HondaLink app connectivity. The cargo area is illuminated for ease of packing, as are the steering-wheel-mounted controls.
• 2025 Honda HR-V Sport: Choose this mid-level trim to add Remote Engine Start, heated front seats, a six-speaker sound system, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The Sport trim also brings athletic exterior enhancements like a chrome exhaust finisher and a Sport grille.
• 2025 Honda HR-V EX-L: Gain wireless phone charging, a power tilting moonroof, heated and leather-trimmed front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirror, an eight-speaker sound system, ambient LED lighting, and a 9-inch audio touchscreen display in the top-level EX-L trim.

While its cabin amenities might leave you wanting more, the 2025 Honda HR-V does its best to provide a reliable and safe driving experience. The three-trim Honda HR-V lineup includes standard Honda Sensing, which includes the following systems: Blind Spot Information, Collision Mitigation Braking, Road Departure Mitigation, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Lane Keeping Assist.

The 2025 Honda HR-V also features Adaptive Cruise Control, a LATCH child seat system, a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, and a three-year or 36,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty,³ the latter of which again falls short of the VW Taos offering.

Volkswagen Taos vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Honda HR-V Fuel Efficiency

One of the most critical factors in any SUV purchase or lease is gas mileage. In this three-SUV comparison, the Volkswagen Taos MPG takes the crown. Its EPA-estimated FWD fuel economy of 28/36 (City/Highway)⁴ outshines both the Mazda CX-5 MPG and the Honda HR-V MPG. The new AWD Volkswagen Taos fuel efficiency boasts an EPA-estimated AWD gas mileage of 32 MPG (Highway),⁵ which is the top-performing all-wheel-drive MPG of the bunch.

Quickly compare all the most important details of the Honda HR-V, Volkswagen Taos, and Mazda CX-5 fuel efficiency and performance specs with our chart below, then read on to discover each vehicle's dimensions.

Volkswagen Taos vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Honda HR-V Dimensions

The Mazda CX-5 vs. Honda HR-V have near-identical lengths. Unfortunately, if you're concerned about parking in tight spaces, neither the Mazda SUV nor the Honda HR-V will fit the bill. Though these SUVs are all compact crossovers that offer two rows of seating, the Volkswagen Taos size is the shortest, making it ideally suited to city driving.

Moving to interior measurements, the 2025 Volkswagen Taos dimensions deliver a relaxing 40.7 inches of front-passenger headroom – the most spacious measurements in this comparison. A side-by-side exploration of the Volkswagen Taos vs. Honda HR-V reveals similar standard cargo areas, yet the VW Taos can simply hold more stuff than the Honda SUV and the Mazda CX-5 dimensions, thanks to its 60.2 to 65.9 cubic feet of maximum cargo storage.

A shorter length on the outside with more space inside – that's smart Volkswagen design. The VW Taos is also the only SUV of the three to feature standard roof rails to expand your cargo capabilities.

Use our Volkswagen Taos lease deals to get inside the spacious new VW Taos today, or see a more detailed Volkswagen Taos vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Honda HR-V dimensions comparison below.

Looking for a larger compact SUV? Consider our VW Tiguan deals instead!

Visit our specialspage for more options that fit your preferences and budget.

Explore Your New VW Taos SUV at Tom Wood Volkswagen

Are you ready to choose your 2025 Volkswagen Taos S, SE, or SEL trim? Get the features you want with the confident driving systems you need in this intuitive new SUV. You can even add a rugged Basecamp body styling kit to your build to add fender flares, skid plates, and more! See why drivers love the new and improved 2025 VW Taos when you schedule a test drive at Tom Wood Volkswagen, your trusted Volkswagen dealership in Indianapolis, IN.

¹Carefree Coverage available on all new MY25 vehicles. Carefree Maintenance provides 10,000- and 20,000-mile scheduled maintenance services or scheduled maintenance services for two years (whichever occurs first) as stated in the vehicle's maintenance booklet. Does not include tire rotations, or other services or parts not specified in the owner's literature. 3 years/36,000 miles (whichever occurs first) Roadside Assistance provided by a third party. May require additional payment for services rendered. 4 years/50,000 miles (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty. ID.4 electric vehicles include an 8 year/100,000 miles (whichever occurs first) high-voltage battery limited warranty. Battery capacity decreases with time and use. Warranty coverage may not return battery capacity to an "as new" condition with 100% net capacity. See owner's literature or dealer for warranty, maintenance program, and roadside assistance details, exclusions, and limitations. Car-Net Remote Access services require cellular connectivity, GPS signal, and acceptance of Terms of Service. Not all services and features are available on all vehicles. Other Car-Net services require a trial or paid subscription. See additional important information at vw.com/carnet.

²4 years/50,000 miles (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty on all new MY25 vehicles. See owner's literature or dealer for warranty exclusions and limitations.

³Warranties listed on this web page shall not be solely relied upon. Warranties may be subject to specific terms, restrictions, exclusions, and fees. Additional warranty information may be obtained by visiting the official website of the warranty provider. Contact our dealership for complete details.

⁴28 city/36 highway mpg (2025 VW Taos S 1.5 TSI 8-speed automatic). EPA estimates. Your mileage will vary and depends on several factors, including your driving habits and vehicle condition.

⁵24 city/33 highway mpg (2025 VW Taos S 4MOTION 1.5 TSI 8-speed automatic). EPA estimates. Your mileage will vary and depends on several factors, including your driving habits and vehicle condition.

⁶EPA-estimated mileage. Actual results will vary.

⁷Based on 2025 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, and other factors.