The Volkswagen Taos is a compact SUV offered in the US and Canada, among other markets. While many experts were skeptical about the sales, the Taos shows wonderful stats on the market – it sold well over 50,000 vehicles a year in the US in 2022 compared to 30,000 sales in 2021. So, I believe, Volkswagen AG will obviously develop this model and try to make it one of the key offers in the US now.
Today, I want to tell you about the 1.5L TSI engine that powers the Volkswagen Taos in the US. This is a European engine with a lot of new tech to know about. While some of the technologies are pretty predictable and good, some other solutions may cause problems after some years of driving.
In this article, I will focus on the following:
- Facts about the 1.5 TSI engine in the American version of the Taos.
- What’s the durability of this engine?
- What are the problems with the 1.5 TSI engine to consider when buying?
- Can you prolong the life of the 1.5L Turbo in the Taos?
What should you know about the Taos engine in the US?
First of all, this engine has little in common with that nasty 1.4 TSI that was made and sold in the early 2010s. The 1.5 TSI engine is completely reengineered and it’s new in terms of technologies. VW still managed to risk its durability with some very questionable technologies but they have to look at ecology rules very carefully.
In the US, the Taos is the first model that offered this engine. The powerplant is quite popular in Europe – Volkswagen sells a bunch of models under different brands equipped with this engine and so I went directly to European forums to find more information about its durability and problems.
Let’s start with some important features of the 1.5 TSI in the Taos:
- this is the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine offering 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque;
- the engine is mated to the good 8-speed automatic transmission with the FWD and for the AWD versions, VW offers the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DSG);
- the engine is all-aluminum, it has a timing belt that drives the camshafts, and the phasers are added to both camshafts (intake and exhaust);
- the engine also has the ACT (Active Cylinder Technology) and can turn off cylinders when the load is very low;
- this is the direct injection engine and this is a surprising fact that it doesn’t have the port injection to help fight the buildups;
- the turbocharger is a variable geometry unit (VGT) that offers great flexibility but no one can say something about its durability now;
- this is a very economical engine and it offers about 28 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on highways for the Taos FWD.
I believe fuel economy and flexibility are the two main advantages of the engine. It’s quite technological but it only means that it will cost you quite a lot to maintain the engine when it’s a high-mileage machine. Also, it offers several super-fresh technologies that have unknown longevity and put the overall durability of the engine under the big question.
I like the way this small engine drives the relatively big and heavy Taos. You can take the FWD version from zero to 60 MPH for about 8.8 seconds. Not bad for such a small engine with pretty limited horsepower. Also, it doesn’t act really badly on highways. You can go 90-100 MPH and still have some power supply under your right foot.
How long will the 1.5L Turbo engine live in your Taos?
The question of longevity is one of the most important questions VW buyers may be asking in dealerships. The problem is that we all remember those shabby 1.4 TSI engines with even shabbier 7-DSG transmissions. But you shouldn’t compare those technologies to the new transmissions and engines. Volkswagen learns from its mistakes.
The new 1.5 TSI engine is said to be able to live about 160,000 miles. This is not huge for a new SUV, but if you compare it with any other available engine in this class, you will see that this is the firm average result.
The weakest points are the turbocharger, the minor problems that can easily grow into fatal issues, and also the dual-clutch gearbox in the AWD models. If I were buying the Taos, I would obviously choose the FWD version with the new 8-speed automatic transmission. This one certainly seems more reliable.
But the overall durability of the vehicle doesn’t seem to be that bad. The engine was introduced in 2017 and I’ve read about many high-mileage 1.5 TSI engines in European forums. No serious reports as of now!
What are the common problems with the 1.5 TSI in the VW Taos?
Unfortunately, this engine is not problem-free and this is the bad tradition of the recent Volkswagen products. We all hoped that when they all turn electric, the new cars won’t have old problems. But no, Volkswagen found a way to pack their cars with problems. But let’s come back to the Taos and its 1.5 TSI engine.
Here are some of the common issues you will most likely encounter with this powerplant:
1. Oil consumption
This is the problem number one reported by European drivers. After about 50,000 miles, the engine starts burning some oil. It’s bad because it can get additional carbon buildups and also issues with the expensive catalytic converter.
The worst thing you can do is to buy the more viscose oil as some people recommend on the internet. This will most likely kill the turbocharger and the entire engine in just 10-20 thousand miles.
If the oil consumption is about 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles, you should take the engine in and have it inspected.
2. Carbon buildup
This is the direct injection engine so it’s not wise to hope that it won’t develop any buildups. The intake valves are attacked by carbon buildup and you will have to clean those valves at least once every 50,000 miles. If the valves are clogged and contaminated, your engine will lose efficiency and will obviously stop working properly.
3. Timing belt issues
The belt should be replaced once every 80,000 miles if you believe Volkswagen. And this can be a problem. First of all, I recommend replacing the belt earlier than that – every 50,000 miles or 4 years, whatever comes first. Secondly, if the belt breaks or stretches and jumps, you will have to repair the head of the engine.
In most cases, after the belt jumps, it’s cheaper to throw away your old broken engine and buy the new one. But your budget will not like this idea anyway. Keep your eye on the timing belt and better invest in its replacement along with the tensioner more often than needed.
4. EGR issues
I have heard about several issues with the EGR cooling system in these engines. This is not as common as oil consumption but still should be considered. Also, the EGR itself is not the most reliable thing. The EGR valve can easily break or get clogged and eventually, it will not allow you to drive the Taos.
Have the EGR system inspected every time your VW is on regular maintenance. This will help you avoid issues and save your money.
5. Minor issues
The engine has a lot of potentially hazardous minor issues. For example, it sputters a little when you start driving. This can lead to issues with the quality of fuel combustion and can destroy the ecology equipment step by step. Also, the engine is said to judder and vibrate when idling. This can also lead to several serious problems with the vehicle in the future.
Minor problems are quite common and they start bothering you from the very beginning. So, I believe, VW needs to work more with this engine and finally develop a good product after it solves the majority of these issues.
How can you prolong the life of the 1.5 TSI in your Taos?
Prolonging the lifespan of your engine is not a simple task. You can potentially drive the Taos for about 200,000 miles if you follow all the recommendations I list in this section of the article. But still, there is no guarantee that it will work well with your Taos.
Here’s what you should try:
- reduce the maintenance intervals after the vehicle is not under warranty coverage anymore;
- change the timing belt and the tensioner at least once every 50,000 miles or 4-5 years;
- choose the best OEM products to maintain the engine, don’t experiment with oil viscosity;
- avoid aggressive driving – this is not a sporty engine, this is a good powerplant for everyday use but without sharp acceleration at all times;
- pay attention to the transmission and change the oil in it more often than VW recommends.
These are quite simple recommendations that can help you prolong the life of the 1.5 TSI engine in the Volkswagen Taos. Unfortunately, the 1.5 TSI won’t live as long as some 3.6L V6, but it gives you wonderful gas mileage, great pleasure when driving, and also optimal ecology features.
I would choose the FWD Taos with the 8-speed automatic transmission. It costs less, it’s more durable, and you won’t need AWD in this car just because it’s not an off-road vehicle at all.