Compare the2023 Toyota SiennaVS 2023 Volkswagen Atlas

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Sienna are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Volkswagen Atlas doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle 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 Sienna 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 Sienna 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 Sienna’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 Sienna and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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

	Sienna	Atlas
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	175	277
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	42 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 Sienna is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Sienna	Atlas
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	42	57
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	144
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	39 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	499 lbs.	800 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sienna its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Atlas was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Sienna 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 Sienna’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 Sienna’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Sienna is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Sienna’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Atlas’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 Sienna’s reliability 17 points higher than the Atlas.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 above average in initial quality. With 58 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 above average in long-term dependability. With 34 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’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 23rd.

Engine

The Sienna’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 10 more horsepower (245 vs. 235) than the Atlas’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

	Sienna	Atlas
Zero to 30 MPH	2.4 sec	2.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.9 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	4.1 sec	4.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.8 MPH	81.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Sienna
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/36 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	18 city/23 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Sienna 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 Sienna higher (7 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas (3 to 5). This means the Sienna produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Sienna has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Atlas doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Sienna stops much shorter than the Atlas:

	Sienna	Atlas
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sienna’s wheelbase is 3.2 inches longer than on the Atlas (120.5 inches vs. 117.3 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Sienna’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (38.3 feet vs. 40.5 feet). The Sienna XSE/Limited/Platinum FWD’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (39.2 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

Passenger Space

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

The Sienna has 8.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Atlas (162.5 vs. 153.7).

The Sienna has 1.4 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 8.2 inches more rear hip room, 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 5 inches more third row legroom, 3.7 inches more third row hip room and 3.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Atlas.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Sienna’s cargo area provides more volume than the Atlas.

	Sienna	Atlas
Behind Third Seat	33.5 cubic feet	20.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	75.2 cubic feet	55.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	101 cubic feet	96.8 cubic feet

The Sienna has a standard Split & Stow third row seat, which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Atlas doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Payload and Towing

The Sienna’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Atlas’ (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Sienna 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 Sienna has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Atlas (1375 vs. 1113 lbs.).

The Sienna has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Atlas (1420 vs. 1113 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Sienna Limited/Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition’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 Atlas doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Sienna Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer 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.

The Sienna’s standard sliding doors can be opened with less than three inches side clearance. The Atlas’ standard rear swing-out doors are bulky and make loading in tight spots difficult.

The Sienna’s power side sliding doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the van. The Atlas doesn’t offer a power rear door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sienna 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 Sienna’s optional 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 Atlas has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Sienna and the Volkswagen Atlas, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sienna second among minivans in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Atlas isn’t in the top three.

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