Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Volkswagen Atlas

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Highlander are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Atlas doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Atlas doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Atlas doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Atlas.

The Highlander’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 Atlas doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Highlander	Atlas
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	292	307
Neck Stress	347 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	55 lbs.	59 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	39%
Neck Compression	90 lbs.	117 lbs.

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

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 Toyota Highlander is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Highlander	Atlas
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	57
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.5 inches
Hip Force	300 lbs.	345 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	144
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	527 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	664 lbs.	800 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Atlas last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

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

The Highlander’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Atlas’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 50 points higher than the Atlas.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Atlas isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 24th.

Engine

The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 60 more horsepower (295 vs. 235) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 258) than the Atlas’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 19 more horsepower (295 vs. 276) than the Atlas’ optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Highlander is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas V6:

	Highlander	Atlas
Zero to 30 MPH	2.5 sec	2.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	7.9 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	12.1 sec	13 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.7 sec	4.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.6 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.5 MPH	81.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Atlas:

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
Atlas
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/25 hwy
		3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/23 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Atlas with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Highlander higher (5 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas (3 to 5). This means the Highlander produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Highlander stops much shorter than the Atlas:

	Highlander	Atlas
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Highlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Highlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Atlas SEL 4Motion pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Highlander XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Atlas SEL 4Motion (27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (37.4 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

Chassis

The Highlander is 5.8 inches shorter than the Atlas, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Atlas can only carry 7.

The Highlander has .3 inches more front legroom, 3.4 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more third row hip room and .1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Atlas.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Atlas’ third row seats don’t recline.

Payload and Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Atlas’ (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Highlander uses the Enhanced Vehicle 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 Atlas doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Highlander has a higher standard payload capacity than the Atlas (1330 vs. 1213 lbs.).

Ergonomics

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

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Atlas can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Atlas’ headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Highlander is less expensive to operate than the Atlas because it costs $364 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Highlander than the Atlas, including $505 less for a water pump, $690 less for a muffler, $90 less for front brake pads, $232 less for a starter, $72 less for fuel injection, $377 less for front struts and $798 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Highlander, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Toyota Highlander XLE AWD four places higher than the Volkswagen Atlas SEL 4Motion.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Volkswagen Atlas by over two to one during the 2021 model year.