Small SUVs have proliferated on American roads and in shoppers’ driveways over the past decade, and now make up the most popular and most crowded vehicle segments. With each model introduction, these SUVs get added features, better technology, and smarter use of space. The 2025 Kia Sportage, for example, is among the roomiest of the compact SUV set, while the 2025 Volkswagen Taos — technically a subcompact — has more cargo room than some rivals a size up. This is all good news for shoppers, as more and better choices keep rivals on their toes and give buyers ever-improving options.
Here we compare two enticing ones — the 2025 Kia Sportage and the 2025 Volkswagen Taos.
2025 Kia Sportage
The 2025 Kia Sportage lineup itself is surprisingly vast. The brand’s compact SUV and best-selling model is available in seven trims, from the base LX to the top-line X-Pro Prestige. Powering them is a 187-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, while all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional or standard on the upmarket X-Pro trims. The Sportage is also available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, which we review separately.
Kia Sportage Highlights
Dual-screen displays: All Kia Sportage trims except the base LX come standard with a prominent 12.3-inch center touchscreen with navigation (the LX has an 8-inch screen), and all come with either a 12.2-inch or 12.3-inch instrument display. In addition to providing lots of helpful information, these screens look great.
X-Pro trims: In the X-Pro configuration, you get off-road features such as extra ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and off-road settings for the all-wheel-drive system. The Taos offers no such off-road-oriented trim.
Excellent warranty coverage: Kia offers unbeatable warranties. They include a 5-year/60,000-mile standard warranty, plus powertrain coverage for 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. VW can’t touch that.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Sportage models for sale near you.
2025 Volkswagen Taos
The Taos may be VW’s smallest and least-expensive SUV, but it punches above its weight. Like its bigger siblings, the Tiguan and Atlas, the Taos has more interior space than its exterior dimensions might suggest. Case in point is the cargo area. The 2025 Taos provides up to 65.9 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded. That’s less than 10 shy of the Sportage, which is a class size up. For the 2025 model year, the Taos further improves with more horsepower — 174 — a standard 8-inch touchscreen display, and updated styling.
Volkswagen Taos Highlights
Digital Cockpit: This digital instrument cluster gives the Taos a tech-forward and sophisticated feel, which is not surprising since this technology first debuted on Audi luxury vehicles. Now it’s standard on every Taos.
Wireless phone charger: Standard in the upper trims, we love the ease of setting your phone down and letting it charge while you drive.
Wireless App-Connect: Also standard in all but the base model, this allows wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making connection all that easier amid our busy lives.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Taos models for sale near you.
Similarities
Though they are in different class sizes, the Kia Sportage and VW Taos aren’t far off on cargo space and horsepower. We like that both also use a traditional geared transmission versus the continuously variable type that tends to drone under hard acceleration.
Pricing
New 2025 Kia Sportage Prices
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Retail Price
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Fair Purchase Price (92620)
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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$28,785
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$27,374
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$30,885
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$29,365
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$33,685
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$32,280
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|||
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$34,385
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$32,992
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|||
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$36,385
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$34,591
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$37,885
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$36,229
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$39,685
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$37,645
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The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors.
The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Kia Sportage vehicles and vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership.
These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
Specifications
Specification table reflects the typical configuration of vehicles shown.
Conclusion
Your space needs, budget, and warranty expectations will factor into your decision between these two. The VW Taos is smaller and thus unsurprisingly less expensive, yet still brings ample power and space, making it a good value. The Kia Sportage, however, isn’t all that more expensive and has more space, more power, a far longer warranty, and a wider breadth of trims.