Compare the2023 Volkswagen AtlasVS 2023 Nissan Armada

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Atlas has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Armada doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Atlas 4Motion’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Armada doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Atlas uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Armada uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Atlas and the Armada have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems 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 Volkswagen Atlas is safer than the Nissan Armada:

	Atlas	Armada
OVERALL STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	2 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	43%
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	95 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	67/229 lbs.	877/369 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.9 inches
Neck Stress	129 lbs.	251 lbs.
Neck Compression	117 lbs.	153 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	297/97 lbs.	509/594 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 Volkswagen Atlas is safer than the Nissan Armada:

	Atlas	Armada
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	48 lbs.	81 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	16 inches
HIC	279	437

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Atlas, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6.8% to 10.1% less likely to roll over than the Armada, which received a three-star rating.

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, with its optional front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Atlas its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 134 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Armada has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Atlas comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Armada’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Atlas’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Armada’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Armada.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Atlas’ engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Armada’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

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 Atlas’ reliability 16 points higher than the Armada.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
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
Armada
	RWD	5.6 DOHC V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	5.6 DOHC V8	13 city/18 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Atlas’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Armada doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Atlas, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Armada.

Brakes and Stopping

The Atlas stops shorter than the Armada:

	Atlas	Armada
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Atlas’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Armada S/SV’s standard 70 series tires. The Atlas SEL Premium R-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Armada Platinum’s 50 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Atlas’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Armada doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Atlas SEL R-Line Black 4Motion handles at .84 G’s, while the Armada Platinum 4x4 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Atlas SEL 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Armada Platinum 4x4 (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Atlas’ turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Armada’s (40.5 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Volkswagen Atlas may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1400 pounds less than the Nissan Armada.

The Atlas is 8.2 inches shorter than the Armada, making the Atlas easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the Atlas’ center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Armada doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The design of the Volkswagen Atlas amounts to more than styling. The Atlas has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is lower than the Armada (.37). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Atlas get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The Atlas has .4 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more third row headroom and 5.3 inches more third row legroom than the Armada.

The front step up height for the Atlas is 4.3 inches lower than the Armada (18” vs. 22.3”). The Atlas’ rear step up height is 4.7 inches lower than the Armada’s (18” vs. 22.7”).

Cargo Capacity

The Atlas’ cargo area provides more volume than the Armada.

	Atlas	Armada
Behind Third Seat	20.6 cubic feet	16.5 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	55.5 cubic feet	49.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	96.8 cubic feet	95.4 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Atlas easier. The Atlas’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Armada’s liftover is 33.7 inches.

The Atlas’ cargo area is larger than the Armada’s in almost every dimension:

	Atlas	Armada
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	23.8”/53”/85”	19”/48”/87”
Max Width	61.6”	49.2”
Min Width	45”	49.2”
Height	37.5”	35.2”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Atlas’ liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Armada doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The Atlas has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Armada doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

Ergonomics

The Atlas’ power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Armada’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Atlas’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Armada’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Atlas has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Armada doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Atlas’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Armada S/SV/SL’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Armada doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Atlas offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Armada doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Atlas SEL also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Atlas to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Armada doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Atlas’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Armada SV/SL/Platinum.

The Atlas SEL Premium’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Armada doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Atlas owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Atlas with a number “5” insurance rate while the Armada is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Atlas is less expensive to operate than the Armada because typical repairs cost less on the Atlas than the Armada, including $46 less for a fuel pump.

Recommendations

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

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Nissan Armada by almost seven to one during 2022.