Volkswagen Taos vs Volvo XC60: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Volkswagen Taos burns about $2,000 of fuel annually against $2,300 for the Volvo XC60. That $300 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,500 over five years and $2,400 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Volvo XC60 is the stronger commuter at 28 mpg city, while the Volkswagen Taos pulls ahead on the interstate at 36 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Volkswagen Taos is recorded with 1 distinct engine configuration (SIDI), the Volvo XC60 with 4 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI; PHEV, 2.0). Across 12 recorded Volkswagen Taos configurations and 44 for the Volvo XC60, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Volkswagen Taos is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Volvo XC60 with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Volvo XC60 emits 122 g/mile of CO2 versus 286 g/mile for the Volkswagen Taos. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.