2021 Honda Passport vs 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a shortened version of the Pilot, featuring two rows of seats instead of three. This similarity was evident in its design, both externally and internally. The Passport’s dashboard layout was visually identical to that of the Pilot, including Honda’s awkward “button shifter” design. Despite these corporate design choices, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with high-quality materials throughout.

Trim levels for the 2021 Passport included Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite. The entry-level Sport came with features like 20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, push-button start, and a seven-speaker audio system. The EX-L added leather upholstery, a power moonroof, and a power rear liftgate. The Touring trim included front-and-rear parking sensors, a hands-free liftgate, and a WiFi hotspot. The top-tier Elite trim offered heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and wireless device charging.

Volkswagen made the 2022 Atlas Cross Sport by removing the third row from the standard seven-passenger Atlas model, lowering the roofline by 2.3 inches, and shortening the SUV’s length by 5.2 inches. These changes resulted in a bold, sporty, and upscale appearance, especially in the SEL Premium R-Line trim with 21-inch machined-finish wheels. The interior remained exceptionally roomy for five people, though cargo space was reduced to 40.3 cubic feet behind the second-row seat and a maximum of 77.8 cubic feet.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s interior featured a mix of high-quality materials and some hard, glossy plastics that dulled the impression of quality. The test vehicle had a Dark Burgundy over Titan Black interior, which looked fantastic. However, the numerous storage areas lacked Volkswagen’s typical rubber or fabric linings, leading to potential rattles and scraping noises. Despite these drawbacks, the Atlas Cross Sport felt worth its price, especially with the SEL Premium R-Line trim’s upscale appearance.

The 2021 Honda Passport came standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 provided strong acceleration, and the automatic transmission managed power well. The engine's stop-start system could be abrupt, but it had a switch to cancel it. The Passport’s ride was a blend of comfort and refined handling, with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and AWD models featuring Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes. FWD Passports could tow up to 3,500 pounds, while AWD models could tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Volkswagen offered two engines for the 2022 Atlas Cross Sport. The standard engine was a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, requiring premium fuel. The available 3.6-liter V6 produced 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, with an EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg in combined driving. The V6 engine also had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, compared to the turbo-four’s 2,000-pound rating. Both engines used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard and VW’s 4Motion AWD system available. The 4Motion system offered several driving modes, including Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad.

The 2022 Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line we tested had the V6 engine and 4Motion as standard. Despite weighing only about 140 pounds less than the three-row Atlas, the V6 felt more energetic in the two-row version. However, the V6 was aging, and the drivetrain occasionally lacked refinement. We averaged 19.2 mpg during testing. The 21-inch wheels and Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season tires looked great but didn’t help with urban and suburban ride quality. The suspension could feel harsh at lower speeds and too soft at higher speeds. Highway driving was where the Atlas Cross Sport shined, with agreeable ride quality and efficient V6 performance.

The 2021 Honda Passport provided a generous 100.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and up to 50.5 cubic feet with the second row in use. An additional 2.5 cubic feet was available in an under-floor storage tray. The EX-L trim featured a power liftgate, while the Touring and Elite trims included a hands-free power liftgate. The upright seating position offered excellent visibility, and the center console had a deep center bin and an open cargo tray. The rear seats provided ample headroom and legroom, with the ability to recline and slide for added comfort.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport shared its wheelbase, track width, and interior with the larger seven-passenger model, minus the third row. This resulted in an exceptionally roomy interior for five adults, with generous rear legroom. Our test vehicle had 10-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-zone automatic climate control system. A panoramic sunroof added to the spacious feel, and rear side-window sunshades helped prevent sunlight from shining into kids’ faces.

Comfort was a priority in the Atlas Cross Sport, with roomy door panel bins, a large glove compartment, and other storage spaces. However, many of these areas lacked rubber or fabric linings, leading to potential rattles and scraping noises. The cargo area offered plenty of load-floor real estate, with deep wells for carrying items that required restraint. Though the shorter length, lower roofline, and angled rear window reduced cargo space compared to the seven-passenger model, there was still ample room for full-size suitcases and other items.

For 2021, Honda made Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard on the Passport, included with the newly-standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This was a distinct advantage over the three-row Pilot, which required moving up to at least the EX trim to get these features. However, the Passport's infotainment system had dated graphics, a confusing menu layout, and a volume dial that felt like an afterthought. The audio interface lacked a tuning dial, which was a drawback.

The base 2022 Atlas Cross Sport SE came standard with Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel paired with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This system included Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and two USB-C ports. Higher trims featured a more sophisticated 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit, an 8-inch touchscreen with proximity sensing, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, and more USB ports.

The upgraded infotainment system provided access to three Car-Net connected service subscription plans, offering features like remote start, emergency assistance, a WiFi hotspot, and more. However, the user experience could be frustrating, especially with the standard voice recognition technology. Our SEL Premium R-Line test vehicle had a 12-speaker Fender premium sound system, which was excellent for the price point.

The 2021 Honda Passport came well equipped with advanced safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and top "Good" scores in most crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, it received "Acceptable" ratings for headlights, child-seat anchor ease of use, and front crash prevention tech.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and an automatic post-collision braking system as standard. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and a low-speed automatic braking system. The SEL trim featured automatic high-beam LED headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and IQ Drive, which included Travel Assist and Emergency Assist.

Our SEL Premium R-Line test vehicle also had a semi-autonomous Parking Steering Assistant system and an Area View 360-degree surround-view camera system. Travel Assist was generally accurate but occasionally too obvious with its steering inputs. The Lane Assist technology sometimes misinterpreted road construction scars as lane markings. The Atlas Cross Sport received decent crash-test ratings but did not earn the highest accolades from the IIHS or NHTSA.