Hyundai SANTA FE vs. Volkswagen Taos
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Hyundai SANTA FE and Volkswagen Taos contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Hyundai SANTA FE and the Volkswagen Taos.
When we compare the Hyundai SANTA FE's and the Volkswagen Taos's specifications and ratings, the Hyundai SANTA FE has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. The Volkswagen Taos has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing and resale value. Based on this comparison of the Hyundai SANTA FE's and the Volkswagen Taos's specifications and ratings, the two cars are fairly comparable.
Pricing: For a new model, the Hyundai SANTA FE's price is between $37,209 and $51,800, with the Volkswagen Taos priced between $26,052 and $36,651.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Hyundai SANTA FE loses 48.3 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Taos loses 48.1 percent of its value. This means the Volkswagen Taos retains 0.2 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Hyundai SANTA FE.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Hyundai SANTA FE’s base engine makes 277 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Taos base engine makes 174 horsepower.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Hyundai SANTA FE, a crossover/midsize SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Volkswagen Taos, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage in the area of cargo space.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Hyundai SANTA FE has higher safety ratings than the Volkswagen Taos, with an average rating of 4.69 out of 5 Stars compared to 4 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
37209 - 51800
Starting MSRP:
34800
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize SUVs)
39270
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
32190 - 44750
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
26052 - 36651
Starting MSRP:
25495
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)
28836
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)
24135 - 30995
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
Price Range:
-
Category Avg Price:
(Midsize SUVs)
51972
Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
50800 - 55009
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
28107
Price Range:
23739 - 33684
Category Avg Price:
(Compact SUVs)
32106
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact SUVs)
28107 - 36583
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
# Good or Great Deals:
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
17011
Depreciation %:
0.48881264
Resale Value $:
17789
Residual Value %:
0.51118736
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Midsize SUVs)
0.51651297
Category Depreciation Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
0.36117337 - 0.54113436
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
12408
Depreciation %:
0.48667302
Resale Value $:
13087
Residual Value %:
0.51332698
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact SUVs)
0.43208374
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact SUVs)
0.30791758 - 0.51647538
Hyundai SANTA FE Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.1 / 10
Reliability:
7.7 / 10
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
8.7 / 10
Volkswagen Taos Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
7.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Hyundai SANTA FE
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.8
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Midsize SUVs)
10.0
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize SUVs)
8.8 - 11.3
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.145
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Taos
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)
11.3
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)
9.6 - 15.7
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.9169527641409647
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
2.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)
1.6 - 16.1
Hyundai SANTA FE Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
2 out of / 7Ranking
2 out of / 7Ranking
3 out of / 67Ranking
3 out of / 28Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
4 out of / 67Ranking
4 out of / 32Ranking
4 out of / 30Ranking
4 out of / 30Ranking
5 out of / 32Ranking
5 out of / 28Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 34Ranking
7 out of / 32Ranking
8 out of / 32Ranking
9 out of / 34Ranking
9 out of / 32Ranking
10 out of / 34Ranking
11 out of / 67Ranking
11 out of / 34Ranking
11 out of / 34Ranking
12 out of / 32Ranking
13 out of / 67Ranking
13 out of / 32Ranking
13 out of / 32Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 67Ranking
14 out of / 34Ranking
14 out of / 32Ranking
17 out of / 32Ranking
18 out of / 34Ranking
20 out of / 67Ranking
21 out of / 67Ranking
22 out of / 56Ranking
24 out of / 32Ranking
24 out of / 32Ranking
25 out of / 67Ranking
26 out of / 34Ranking
27 out of / 34Ranking
29 out of / 34Ranking
33 out of / 56Ranking
38 out of / 67Ranking
41 out of / 67Volkswagen Taos Rankings
Ranking
2 out of / 18Ranking
3 out of / 19Ranking
4 out of / 19Ranking
8 out of / 67Ranking
8 out of / 19Ranking
10 out of / 56Ranking
11 out of / 19Ranking
13 out of / 19Ranking
15 out of / 19Ranking
15 out of / 19Ranking
17 out of / 19Ranking
19 out of / 67Ranking
33 out of / 67Ranking
39 out of / 67Ranking
44 out of / 67Ranking
49 out of / 67Ranking
52 out of / 67Ranking
53 out of / 67Ranking
63 out of / 67Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Hyundai SANTA FE Trim Levels
Calligraphy, Limited, SE, SEL, XRT
Volkswagen Taos Trim Levels
S, S 4Motion, SE, SE 4Motion, SE Black, SE Black 4Motion, SEL 4Motion
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
10 years / 100000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
5 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.69 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
Not yet available
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
277 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque:
311 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.064 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
174 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque:
184 foot-lbs @ 1750 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.054 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
Not yet available
Range (city/hwy):
Not yet available
Recommended Fuel Type:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
1.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
28 / 36 / 31
Range (city/hwy):
370 / 475 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
Available
Captain's seat:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Quad Seats:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wifi:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Voice Recognition:
Available
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wifi:
Standard
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
41.1 inches
Front Leg Room:
44.4 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
59.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
40.6 inches
Rear Leg Room:
42.3 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
58.1 inches
Cargo Space:
14.6 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
79.6 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
166.6 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.7 inches
Front Leg Room:
40.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
56.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
39.8 inches
Rear Leg Room:
37.9 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.2 inches
Cargo Space:
27.9 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
65.9 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
127.4 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
4343 lbs
Width:
74.8 inches
Height:
67.7 inches
Length:
190.2 inches
Wheelbase:
110.8 inches
Ground Clearance:
7 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3201 lbs
Width:
82.6 inches
Height:
64.5 inches
Length:
175.9 inches
Wheelbase:
105.9 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.5 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
235/60R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
215/55R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Phantom Black
Gray
Ecotronic Gray Pearl / Hampton Gray
Silver
Shimmering Silver Metallic
White
Serenity White Pearl
Blue
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Silver
Pyrite Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Blue
Monterey Blue Pearl
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Gray
Gray
Interior Colors
Black
Not available
Gray
Gray/Black
