2022 Volkswagen Taos vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out by not mimicking its competitors' styles. Instead, it adopted the successful design language of the larger Navigator, resulting in a sharp-looking vehicle with crisp lines and tasteful chrome accents. Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a luxurious cabin featuring soft-touch materials, chrome accents, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the Aviator's air of class and luxury.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos aimed to fit seamlessly into the existing VW lineup. The SEL 4Motion test vehicle featured handsome 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels and Cornflower Blue paint, adding significant presence. Inside, the Taos had a mix of hard plastics and soft surfaces where it mattered most. The SEL trim level offered two-tone perforated leather with contrast stitching, an upscale dashboard, and matching door panel inserts, though some interior materials felt cheap.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, boosting output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration, though the Aviator's heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The drive mode selector offered options like "Excite" and "Conserve," making the Aviator well-suited for highways but less composed in city driving.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission paired with the 4Motion AWD system offered rousing performance but suffered from erratic and sometimes harsh shifting. The standard eight-speed automatic provided smoother driving but was only available with front-wheel drive. The Taos SEL 4Motion in Sport mode delivered a confident driving experience, though turbo lag and harsh shifting could be frustrating in urban areas. The Taos averaged 27.1 mpg during testing, close to the EPA's 28 mpg estimate.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring model with captain's chairs and a digital control panel, provided a comfortable and spacious experience. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos boasted an impressively roomy cabin, with the SEL's deeply bolstered seats offering plenty of adjustment options. The rear seat was equally spacious, with generous legroom and rear air conditioning vents. Cargo space varied depending on the drive system, with front-wheel-drive models offering 27.9 cubic feet behind the back seat and 65.9 cubic feet with the back seat folded. The 4Motion models had slightly less cargo space, at 24.9 cubic feet and 60.2 cubic feet, respectively. The center pass-through made the Taos ideal for ski trips.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, with a landscape format that made for a natural layout. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, presented with large icons. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos came with Digital Cockpit instrumentation and a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the S trim, while the SE and SEL had 8-inch touchscreens with MIB3 software. All trims included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Car-Net connected services. The SE trim added wireless smartphone charging and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the SEL included navigation and an eight-speaker BeatsAudio system. However, the voice-recognition technology and user experience could be frustrating.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features as part of the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2022 Volkswagen Taos offered IQ Drive safety technologies, standard or available for all trims. The IQ Drive package included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The Taos SEL included all these features as standard, along with rain-sensing wipers and road sign recognition. The reverse automatic braking could be turned off, which was useful for certain driveways. As a new model, the Taos had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS.