Compared: 2024 Toyota Highlander vs. 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

A closer look at what sets these midsize three-row family crossovers apart.

Chris O'Neill | 

Nov 19, 2024 | 3 min read

Toyota | Volkswagen

Volkswagen

The Atlas' Starting Price Is Lower

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas comes in six trims. The base front-wheel-drive (FWD) SE costs just over $39,000. The specialty Peak Edition trim for the Atlas is available on both SE and SEL models and starts at about $49,000.

The SEL Premium R-Line is the top Atlas trim and costs a little more than $54,000. Where it isn't standard, all-wheel drive (AWD) adds $1,900.

Toyota

The non-hybrid 2024 Toyota Highlander has five trim levels, while the Highlander Hybrid has six. A base FWD LE starts at about $41,000, and a middle-of-the-pack Highlander Limited starts at about $48,000.

The Highlander's top trim, the Platinum, starts at just over $51,000. Adding AWD adds between $1,600 and $2,000 depending on trim, while stepping up to the Hybrid costs about $1,600.

Toyota also sells a longer, more spacious version of its Highlander called the Grand Highlander, but at about $45,000 in its cheapest form — and nearly $60,000 fully equipped — it's so much pricier than the Atlas that it is not included in this comparison.

Toyota

The Atlas Can Carry More Cargo Than the Highlander

The Toyota Highlander has room for up to eight people, while the Volkswagen Atlas can carry up to seven. The Atlas, however, is larger than the Highlander in most dimensions. The Atlas measures 200.7 inches long, nearly 6 inches longer than the Highlander at 194.9 inches.

The Highlander has an advantage in second-row legroom with 38.7 inches to the Atlas' 37.6, but the Atlas has a roomier third row, with 33.7 inches of legroom to the Highlander's 28.0.

Volkswagen

The Atlas has more cargo room, with 55.5 cubic-feet with its third row folded down and 20.6 cu-ft with it in place. The Highlander has 48.4 and 16.0 cu-ft, respectively.

The Atlas Peak Edition has dirt-road-ready wheels and tires, along with rugged trim pieces inside and out. The Highlander doesn't offer anything comparable.

The Atlas uses a 12.0-inch infotainment screen in all trims. In comparison, the Highlander has an 8.0-inch unit on lower trims before stepping up to a 12.3-inch unit starting with the Limited. Notably, the Atlas lacks a volume knob. The Atlas can have up to six USB ports, while the Highlander tops out at four.

All gas-only Highlander models can tow up to 5,000 pounds, while hybrid models are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds. The base Atlas SE is limited to 2,000 pounds. All other trims are rated for 5,000.

Toyota

The Highlander Hybrid Is the Clear Fuel-Economy Champ

The EPA's fuel-economy figures for the 2024 Toyota Highlander with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and AWD are 21/28/24 mpg city/highway/combined.

The Highlander Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and electric-drive motors. FWD Hybrid models return 36/35/36 mpg, though AWD Hybrid models see 35/35/35 mpg.

Volkswagen

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas comes with a 269-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. Base FWD models return 20/27/23 mpg. This drops to 19/26/22 mpg on the SE AWD, and drops further to 19/25/21 mpg on the SEL AWD. The Atlas Peak Edition, which comes standard with AWD, is the least efficient, returning 18/24/20 mpg.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Chris O'Neill

Chris has worked in the automotive industry in a number of capacities, from dealership operations to brand marketing to product planning for an OEM, and now as a journalist helping consumers make more informed decisions when shopping for a new vehicle. He's written for Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Outside, The Autopian, Expedition Portal, and more, and maintains his own automotive YouTube channel and Instagram page. He currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with a partner, two dogs, and a 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser that he's driven to the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula and back.