2025 Volkswagen Atlas vs the Competition

Honda fully updated the Pilot for the 2023 model year, so it carries over largly unchanged. The Pilot has been a popular choice compared to vehicles like the Toyota Highlander since 2003. With that being said, there are many more competitive SUVs out there than ever, like the VW Atlas, and Honda looks to keep its grip on a loyal customer base. The Pilot is available in Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition trim levels.

• Buyers looking at the 2025 Honda Pilot will find a starting price of $41,650 for the base Sport trim, while the 2025 VW Atlas starts from $39,625, a $2,025 difference. And with cost conscious options, even on the SE model, such as pearlescent paint or different interior colors at no additional cost, the Atlas thinks about your wallet. The Pilot, on the other hand, charges $455 for three of its six optional exterior colors.
• When it comes to getting your vehicle off the line at a traffic light faster, torque is going to be your best friend. The Atlas packs 273 lb-ft of torque compared to the Pilot’s mild 262 lb-ft. While 11 torque doesn’t seem like a big number, it’s how the vehicles use it. The Pilot’s peak torque happens way up in the rev range at 5,000 rpm, just before it shifts into the next gear. That means that below 5,000 rpm the car has in the low 200s for torque. The Atlas meanwhile develops full torque at just 1,600 rpm. So basically, when you press the gas pedal you will have instant torque.
• The Honda Pilot has a 18.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 48.5 cu.ft. when those seats are folded, and 87 when all rear seats are folded. That is a rather small cabin when compared to the Atlas, which features 20.6 cu.ft. behind the third-row seats, 55.5 when they are folded, and a total of 96.6 cu.ft. behind the front seats when the rears are laid flat.
• The driver and passenger along with third row occupants will appreciate the extra legroom in the Atlas versus in the Pilot, where they will have an extra .7 inch in the front seats and 1.2 inches in the most rear seats.
• If you are going to need to put a car seat at any point in the third row when carrying extra passengers, you will be delighted to know that the Atlas has 45.1 inches of hip room in those seats compared to 44.6 in the Pilot. Just that little bit of extra room can make the difference when putting a child’s seat in the back to accommodate larger riders in the luxurious second row captain’s chairs.
• The Honda Pilot can tow up to 3,500 lbs when equipped with front-wheel drive or 5,000 lbs with all-wheel drive. The Atlas Peak Edition and up, however, can tow up to 5,000 lbs no matter if you have a front-wheel drive model or the advanced 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

The latest three row SUV to enter the ring is the Toyota Grand Highlander. Toyota positioned it as a model above their popular Highlander and is their answer to vehicles like the Volkswagen Atlas that not only have sales success but also have built a loyal customer base. The Grand Highlander starts from $45,080 with a mix of gas and hybrid powertrains. It is available in XLE, Hybrid XLE, Limited, Hybrid Limited, Hybrid Nightshade, Platinum, Hybrid Max Limited, and Hybrid Max Platinum trims.

• The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander starts from $45,080, a whopping $5,455 more than the Volkswagen Atlas. And that doesn’t get you anything extra either. It still features standard front-wheel drive like the VW, a turbocharged engine, and the like.
• If you want special, vibrant pearlescent paint you will sadly have to pony up an additional $475 when buying a Grand Highlander. The Atlas, however, features Deep Black Pearl at no additional cost to customers.
• Both the gasoline and hybrid motors in the Grand Highlander produce less horsepower than the Atlas with 265 and 245 both at 6,000 rpm, respectively. The Atlas has 269 horsepower that peaks at just 5,000 rpm. When you are merging onto the highway, or driving around town, that extra horsepower available sooner can be a gamechanger.
• The Grand Highlander has a 17.83 gallon fuel tank, which is quite a bit smaller than the 18.6 gallon tank in the Atlas. This means that, on a combined driving cycle, the Toyota will struggle to get 390 miles to a full tank of gas, whereas the Atlas will get well over 400 miles to a tank.
• With 60.2 and 58.8 inches of front and second row shoulder room, the Grand Highlander has a tougher time for larger drivers and passengers than the Atlas with its 61.5 and 60.8 inches.
• The story is much the same with hip room, too. The Toyota has 56.5 and 57 inches in the front and second rows, but the Atlas is more accommodating with 58.2 and 58 inches.

The Subaru Ascent has been around since 2018 and is Subaru’s try at a higher quality three row SUV that they hope to build on their success with smaller SUVs like the Forester and Outback. The Ascent starts from $40,330 and is available in Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, Bronce Edition, Touring, and Onyx Edition Touring.

• The 2025 Subaru Ascent starts from $40,330, which is a bit more than the $39,625 starting MSRP of the Atlas.
• With 260 horsepower the Ascent is down 9 horsepower compared to the Atlas with 269. While that may not seem like a big number, it all makes a difference when you are hauling people and luggage. You will start to feel some sluggishness when trying to pass people more quickly on the road.
• The VW Atlas has 273 lb-ft of torque that is available from only 1,600 rpm, or basically right above idle. The Subaru, however, develops its peak torque at a higher 2,000 rpm, which means the engine needs to be spinning just a bit higher to give drivers enough torque to pass people on the road or get up to speed when merging onto the highway.
• The Subaru Ascent comes with a continuously variable transmission, or CVT, while the Atlas features an 8-speed automatic that shifts smoothly and allows for greater control when driving. Most people dislike CVTs because they make the engine sound like it’s about to blow up because there transmission does not shift like in a traditional automatic. Instead, it has a variable gear that controls gear ratios. So, there is more engine drone at higher speeds. CVTs are also much less reliable by comparison. See how confusing that is?
• The Atlas features a whole 2 inches more legroom in the third row than the Ascent, which means it will be much easier to transport your older kids and their friends from school or sports practices/games, or when on trips.
• The third row for the Atlas also has 2.1 inches of extra headroom than in the Subaru. Again, this is great for adults or larger kids as they grow up to be able to fit easily and comfortably in the third row. This is especially helpful if you have children that are still in car seats or boosters that sit in the second-row captain’s chairs.
• The Atlas is much more suited for carrying large amounts of cargo, such as luggage, plants, groceries, and the like, than the Subaru. The Ascent has 17.8 cubic feet of space when the third-row seats are up, 42.1 when they are folded, and 72.8 cu.ft. when both rear rows are folded. The Atlas, though, has 20.6 cu.ft. for owners’ cargo behind the third row, 55.5 when they are folded, and a grand total of 96.6 cubic feet behind the front seats when the rears are folded flat.

The Hyundai Palisade is a popular SUV with buyers. It has been around since 2020 and is starting to get a little old compared to other vehicles in its class, like the VW Atlas. With its decently powerful V6 and modest starting price of $38,575, buyers like its overall size and interior features. The Palisade is available in SE, SEL, XRT, SEL Premium, Limited, Calligraphy, and Calligraphy Night.

• Like the Honda Pilot, the Hyundai Palisade features 262 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. The Volkswagen, again, brings 273 lb-ft of torque to the road from just 1,600 rpm. Torque is what gives your vehicle that extra oomph when you mash the throttle pedal to move ahead of traffic, and having more of it low down in the rev range gives you quicker optimal performance.
• The Palisade is rather light on interior cargo space when compared to the Volkswagen Atlas. The Palisade has similar interior volume to the Pilot, which means it’s smaller than the Atlas. The Hyundai has 18 cu.ft. behind the third row, 45.8 behind the second row, and finally 86.4 when all rear seats are folded down. The Atlas gives owners 20.6 cubic feet when the third row is up, 55.5 cu.ft. when they are folded, and 96.6 cu.ft. when all rear seats are folded flat.
• The Hyundai Palisade only has 31.4 inches of legroom in the third row, meaning it will be difficult for adults, or even tall teenagers, to fit comfortably. The Atlas, however, has an extra 2.3 inches of legroom for third row occupants, giving everyone enough space on nearly any drive.
• The Atlas, once again, has more hip room in the third-row seats with 45.1 inches compared to 43.7. Not only is this great when carrying adult-sized passengers, but essential if you ever have to put a child seat in the third row. They are bulky and wide, and all the more space to handle them is appreciated by parents.
• When you do have to put adults or larger teens all the way in the back, you will feel better knowing they can sit up straight and don’t have to hunch down at more headroom in the Atlas than in the Palisade with 38.3 inches compared to 37.8.
• The Hyundai Palisade has a very truck-like ground clearance with 7.9 inches. While this is great if you are driving through the woods, it’s not so great for a family vehicle where you need your younger children to be able to easily and safely get in and out of your SUV. The VW Atlas has a rather modest 6.3 inches of ground clearance. Just enough to still be able to take the vehicle off-road for camping or when towing, but low enough that your children won’t hurt themselves trying to climb up or drop down from their seat.

The 2025 Chevy Traverse was all-new in 2024 and carries over unchanged to the new model year. As the brand’s largest mid-size crossover, it starts from $42,195 and features a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive as an option.

• The top-of-the-line Chevy Traverse with optional all-wheel drive has a base MSRP of $57,295, which is $2,210 more than the highest Atlas SEL Premium R-Line with standard 4MOTION all-wheel drive.
• The Atlas features eight unique exterior colors compared to only 6 for the Traverse, meaning you can more easily customize the VW to your taste.
• With up to 8 USB-C ports, the Atlas features two more than the Chevy.
• Volkswagen equipped each USB-C port in the Atlas with 45 watts of power, allowing you to charge everything from phones, tablets, to laptops, and more. Chevrolet doesn’t disclose how many watts their USB-C ports have.
• The Traverse RS with front-wheel drive weighs a massive 4,793 lbs, which is 476 lbs heavier than a FWD-equipped Atlas, and still 150 lbs heavier than the top SEL Premium R-Line 4MOTION trim.
• The 2025 Atlas is equipped with 13.2-inch front brake rotors compared to the Chevy’s 12.6-inch rotors. This gives the VW an advantage in stopping power especially when needing to make panic stops.
• Thanks to those larger, vented disc brakes, the Atlas stops from 70 mph in just 170 feet, a whole 8 feet shorter than the Traverse, according to Car and Driver.
• The Atlas features 8 unique exterior colors compared to only 6 for the Traverse, meaning you can more easily customize the VW to your taste.
• With up to 8 USB-C ports, the Atlas features 2 more than the Chevy.
• Volkswagen equipped each USB-C port in the Atlas with 45 watts of power, allowing you to charge everything from phones, tablets, to laptops, and more. Chevrolet doesn’t disclose how many watts their USB-C ports have.
• The Traverse RS with front-wheel drive weighs a massive 4,793 lbs, which is 476 lbs heavier than a FWD-equipped Atlas, and still 150 lbs heavier than the top SEL Premium R-Line 4MOTION trim.
• The 2025 Atlas is equipped with 13.2-inch front brake rotors compared to the Chevy’s 12.6-inch rotors. This gives the VW an advantage in stopping power especially when needing to make panic stops.
• Thanks to those larger, vented disc brakes, the Atlas stops from 70 mph in just 170 feet, a whole 8 feet shorter than the Traverse, according to Car and Driver.