Compare the2025 Mazda CX-70VS 2025 Volkswagen Taos

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. 6WLNV-H5N7I 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/07/15

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-70 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Taos doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CX-70 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Taos doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda CX-70 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Taos doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Smart Brake Support, the Mazda CX-70 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volkswagen Taos, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	CX-70	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-23 MPH	-9 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-14 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-14 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-33 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	No Warning
37 MPH Low beams	-26 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.5 sec	No Warning

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-70. But it costs extra on the Taos.

The CX-70 Premium Plus/Turbo S has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Taos only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The CX-70’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Taos doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-70 and the Taos have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The Mazda CX-70 weighs 1422 to 1997 pounds more than the Volkswagen Taos. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-70 is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	116	285
Neck Stress	318 lbs.	413 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	42.3%	45%
Neck Stress	96 lbs.	135 lbs.
Neck Compression	83 lbs.	207 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	253/344 lbs.	643/432 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the CX-70 is much safer than the Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	64	236
Neck Injury Chance	16%	24%
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg Forces L/R	270/270 pounds	270/517 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE

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 Mazda CX-70 is safer than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	53	111
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	174 lbs.	394 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	21	393
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	69 G’s
Hip Force	416 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	439 lbs.	939 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-70 is safer than the Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	104	189
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.28 in	1.57 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	357 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	POOR
Pelvis Force	513 lbs.	1406 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	18	259
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.39 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	156 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.75 in	1.54 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	16 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-70 is 1.9% to 2% less likely to roll over than the Taos.

The Mazda CX-70 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Taos is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-70 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Taos. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Taos ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The CX-70’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Taos’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-70’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Taos’ camshafts. If the Taos’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 12 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The CX-70’s standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 106 more horsepower (280 vs. 174) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-70 PHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 149 more horsepower (323 vs. 174) and 185 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 166 more horsepower (340 vs. 174) and 185 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 184) than the Taos’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the CX-70 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Volkswagen Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
Zero to 60 MPH	6 sec	8.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.4 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.1 MPH	85.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-70 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Taos:

			MPGe
CX-70
	AWD	PHEV Electric Motor	53 city/61 hwy
Taos
			MPG
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/36 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy

The CX-70 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Taos can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-70’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Taos doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-70’s standard fuel tank has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Taos FWD’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard fuel tank has 5.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Taos AWD’s standard fuel tank (19.6 vs. 14.5 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-70’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Taos:

	CX-70	CX-70 Turbo S/PHEV	Taos
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	13.7 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13.8 inches	10.7 inches

The CX-70’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Taos are solid, not vented.

The CX-70 stops much shorter than the Taos:

	CX-70	Taos
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-70 has larger standard tires than the Taos (265/55R19 vs. 215/50R18). The CX-70 Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Taos (275/45R21 vs. 235/45R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-70 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Taos S. The CX-70 Premium’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Taos 4Motion®.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Mazda CX-70 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Taos 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-70’s wheelbase is 17.3 inches longer than on the Taos (122.8 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-70 is 5.3 inches wider in the front and 6.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Taos.

The CX-70 Turbo S Premium handles at .86 G’s, while the Taos SEL pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Taos SEL 4Motion® (26.9 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CX-70 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Taos (8 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the CX-70 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-70 Turbo S/PHEV’s minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the Taos (8.1 vs. 7.6 inches).

Passenger Space

The CX-70 has 42.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Taos (141.6 vs. 99.5).

The CX-70 has 1.6 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 10.1 inches more rear hip room and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Taos.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-70’s rear seats recline. The Taos’ rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-70 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Taos with its rear seat up (39.6 vs. 27.9 cubic feet). The CX-70 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Taos with its rear seat folded (75.3 vs. 65.9 cubic feet).

The CX-70’s cargo area is larger than the Taos’ in almost every dimension:

	CX-70	Taos
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	50.1”/97.5”	34.3”/65.2”
Max Width	49.8”	48.5”
Min Width	43.7”	40”
Height	31.6”	37”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the CX-70’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Taos doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-70 has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the CX-70 Premium, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Taos doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CX-70 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The Taos has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the CX-70 uses the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Taos doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The CX-70 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Taos uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the CX-70 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Taos. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-70 Premium, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle. The Taos doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-70 Premium’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Taos doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CX-70 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Taos doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-70’s standard Advanced Keyless Entry and Start allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. KESSY Push-Button Start standard on the Taos only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle. KESSY Push-Button Start is not available on the Taos SE/SEL.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-70 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Taos only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the CX-70 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Taos doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The CX-70’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Volkswagen charges extra for heated mirrors on the Taos.

When the CX-70 Turbo S is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Taos’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-70 Premium’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Taos offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Mazda CX-70 and Volkswagen Taos offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The CX-70 offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Taos’ foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The CX-70 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Taos. The CX-70 Premium Plus/Turbo S also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Taos.

The CX-70 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Taos SE/SEL.

Both the CX-70 and the Taos offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-70 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Taos doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to the Volkswagen Taos, the Mazda CX-70 Premium eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Compared to traditional radio, the Mazda CX-70’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Taos SE/SEL.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda CX-70 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Taos SE/SEL offers wireless charging.

The CX-70 Premium Plus has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Taos doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

See Available Inventory