Compare the2025 Volkswagen TaosVS 2025 BMW X1

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 BMW X1 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 X1’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Taos and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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.

There are over 85 percent more Volkswagen dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taos’ warranty.

On the EPA test cycle the Taos gets better mileage than the X1:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Taos uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X1 M35i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Taos, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the X1.

The Taos stops shorter than the X1:

For better maneuverability, the Taos 4Motion®’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the X1’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The Taos’ turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the X1’s (35.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Volkswagen Taos may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 550 pounds less than the BMW X1.

The Taos has .4 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X1 with its rear seat up (27.9 vs. 25.7 cubic feet). The Taos has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (65.9 vs. 57.2 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 X1’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The X1’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Taos SE/SEL’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Taos’ standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

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 X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 costs extra on the X1.

The Taos is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X1 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen Taos outsold the BMW X1 by almost three to one during 2023.