Compare the2024 Chevrolet Traverse LimitedVS 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

For enhanced safety, the Chevrolet Traverse Limited’s middle seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Volkswagen Atlas doesn’t offer comfort guides on its middle seat belts.

The Traverse Limited has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Atlas doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Traverse Limited and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, 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 Chevrolet Traverse Limited is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

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 Chevrolet Traverse Limited is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

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

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Traverse Limited 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.

There are almost 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse Limited’s warranty.

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 Traverse Limited’s reliability 15 points higher than the Atlas.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 83 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 Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 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 2024 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 7 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The Traverse Limited’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 41 more horsepower (310 vs. 269) than the Atlas’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Traverse Limited is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas:

The Traverse Limited AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Atlas (21.7 vs. 18.6 gallons).

The Traverse Limited 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.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Traverse Limited higher (6 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas (3). This means the Traverse Limited produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Chevrolet Traverse Limited, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Atlas.

The Traverse Limited stops much shorter than the Atlas:

For better traction, the Traverse Limited has larger tires than the Atlas (255/65R18 vs. 245/60R18).

The Chevrolet Traverse Limited’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Volkswagen Atlas only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Traverse Limited 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse Limited’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the Atlas (120.9 inches vs. 117.3 inches).

The Traverse Limited RS AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Atlas SEL 4Motion pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Traverse Limited RS AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Atlas SEL 4Motion (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Traverse Limited’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Atlas’ (39 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Traverse Limited has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas (7.5 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Traverse Limited to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Traverse Limited 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 Traverse Limited 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.

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

The Traverse Limited has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear legroom, 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.4 inches more third row hip room and 2.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Atlas.

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

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Traverse Limited High Country’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Atlas doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Traverse Limited can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Traverse Limited can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Atlas can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Traverse Limited Premier/High Country’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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Traverse Limited’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Atlas doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Car-Net can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Traverse Limited 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 Traverse Limited’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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Traverse Limited is less expensive to operate than the Atlas because typical repairs cost much less on the Traverse Limited than the Atlas, including $199 less for a water pump, $406 less for a muffler, $344 less for a starter, $84 less for fuel injection, $330 less for front struts, $173 less for a timing belt/chain and $610 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Traverse Limited, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Chevrolet Traverse Limited Premier three places higher than the Volkswagen Atlas SEL 4Motion.

The Chevrolet Traverse Limited outsold the Volkswagen Atlas by 18% during 2022.