If there's one thing Volkswagen Philippines needs to add to their local lineup, it's another crossover. Locally, other automakers have around 3 or 4 crossover offerings in their range. Meanwhile, Volkswagen only has the Tiguan amidst their sedan lineup.

With that, Volkswagen can do with another crossover, and that might just come in the form of the 2022 Taos. Recently launched in the North American market, the all-new Taos is part of Volkwagen's doubling-up strategy in further expanding its SUV lineup.

“Taos is our fifth new addition to the Volkswagen SUV family in just four years, and we’re thrilled to keep finding new ways to meet the needs of American families,” said Scott Keogh, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “Taos will bookend our compact SUV offering, giving buyers all the style, technology, and drivability that Volkswagen is known for at an even more affordable price.”

Borrowing design cues from the Tiguan, the Taos features a bold front fascia that is comprised of a sculpted hood, a massive front grille, and a distinct LED light signature. The new crossover also borrowed inspiration from the Atlas Cross Sport with its squared-off wheel arches and stylish alloy wheels which are available in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch sizes.

In terms of size, the Taos is, indeed, compact. It measures 4453mm long, 1841mm wide, and 1632mm tall. Side-by-side with the Tiguan, and the Taos is 33mm shorter in length, 18mm narrower, and 41mm shorter in height.

Inside, more styling elements from the Tiguan make their way to the Taos. It comes with a fully-digital instrument panel, along with a huge 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The system benefits from wireless phone charging, Wi-Fi connectivity, and satellite navigation. Meanwhile, the car also benefits from power-adjustable front seats, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control. Complementing the high-tech features are the two-tone seats which can be specified in leather or fabric finish.

To keep the driver and passengers safe while on the road, the Taos comes with Volkswagen's IQ.Drive suite of intelligent safety features. This gives the crossover forward collision warning, autonomous braking, active blind-spot monitor, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, high-beam control, adaptive front-lighting system, as well as park distance control.

Under the hood, the Taos is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 160 PS along with 250 Nm of torque. It can then be connected to either an eight-speed automatic transmission (front-wheel-drive) or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (4Motion all-wheel-drive).

Could the Taos be offered elsewhere besides North America? Perhaps, as the Volkswagen Taos is also known as the Tharu in China and is assembled by Volkswagen-SAIC. With Volkswagen Philippines sourcing their vehicles from Volkswagen-SAIC, maybe the company can think of bringing it here soon to slot below the much larger Tiguan.