Compare the2024 Volkswagen TaosVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 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 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid:

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

As tested in Car and Driver the Volkswagen Taos is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid:

Both the Taos and Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Taos has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (14.5 vs. 12.4 gallons).

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Taos FWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The Taos offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Taos 4Motion’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 55 series tires.

The Taos has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Taos SEL 4Motion handles at .85 G’s, while the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Taos’ turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (35.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1200 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The Taos is 1 foot shorter than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, making the Taos easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (.33) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Taos get better fuel mileage.

The front step up height for the Taos is 1 inches lower than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (16.5” vs. 17.5”). The Taos’ rear step up height is 1.6 inches lower than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s (16.7” vs. 18.3”).

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s liftover is 29 inches.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Taos SE Black/SEL has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Taos SE Black/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 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid Limited.

The Taos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.