Compare the2024 Honda OdysseyVS 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Honda Odyssey has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Odyssey deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Odyssey’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Atlas’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Odyssey has a standard Whiplash Mitigation Front Seat Design, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Mitigation Front Seat Design system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Atlas doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Odyssey’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 Odyssey 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available rear parking sensors.

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

	Odyssey	Atlas
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	176	307
Neck Injury Risk	27%	30%
Neck Stress	184 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	59 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	95/82 lbs.	67/229 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	247	277
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	32%	39%
Neck Stress	101 lbs.	129 lbs.
Neck Compression	63 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 Honda Odyssey is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Odyssey	Atlas
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
Hip Force	321 lbs.	345 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	125	144
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	472 lbs.	800 lbs.

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

Warranty

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Odyssey 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 Odyssey’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Atlas’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 65 percent more Honda dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Odyssey’s warranty.

Reliability

The engine in the Odyssey has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Atlas has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

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 Odyssey’s reliability 19 points higher than the Atlas.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Odyssey second among minivans in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Atlas isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 22 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Odyssey’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 11 more horsepower (280 vs. 269) than the Atlas’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Odyssey is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Odyssey	Atlas
Zero to 60 MPH	6.6 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.6 MPH	91.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Odyssey’s fuel efficiency. The Atlas doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Odyssey has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Atlas (19.5 vs. 18.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Odyssey has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Atlas doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Odyssey, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Atlas.

Brakes and Stopping

The Odyssey stops much shorter than the Atlas:

	Odyssey	Atlas
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Odyssey has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Atlas doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Odyssey has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better maneuverability, the Odyssey’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (39.6 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Odyssey has an electronically controlled liquid-filled main engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The Atlas uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The front grille of the Odyssey uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Atlas doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Odyssey uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Atlas doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

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

The Odyssey has 9.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Atlas (163.6 vs. 154).

The Odyssey has .2 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 3.3 inches more rear legroom, 6.2 inches more rear hip room, 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.4 inches more third row legroom, 3.3 inches more third row hip room and 5.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Atlas.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	Odyssey	Atlas
Behind Third Seat	38.6 cubic feet	20.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	92.3 cubic feet	55.5 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	158 cubic feet	96.6 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Odyssey easier. The Odyssey’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 22.5 inches, while the Atlas’ liftover is 29.7 inches.

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

	Odyssey	Atlas
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	25”/56”/91”	23.8”/53”/85”
Max Width	50”	61.6”
Min Width	48”	45”
Height	54”	37.5”

Towing

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

Ergonomics

The Odyssey EX-L/Sport/Touring/Elite’s standard easy entry system 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 Odyssey’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 Odyssey’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 Odyssey 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 Odyssey EX-L/Sport/Touring/Elite’s standard 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.

The Odyssey Touring/Elite has a standard center folding armrest for the third row rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and can provide a barrier between children. The Atlas doesn’t offer a third row rear seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Odyssey owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Odyssey will cost $115 less than the Atlas over a five-year period.

The Odyssey will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Odyssey will retain 54.9% to 58.5% of its original price after five years, while the Atlas only retains 50.34% to 51.84%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Odyssey is less expensive to operate than the Atlas because it costs $546 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Odyssey than the Atlas, including $296 less for a water pump, $279 less for a muffler, $74 less for front brake pads, $184 less for a starter, $330 less for fuel injection, $338 less for front struts, $1061 less for a timing belt/chain and $624 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Honda Odyssey has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Odyssey	Atlas
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	FALSE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Odyssey 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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