2022 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2021 Honda Passport

The 2021 Honda Passport was essentially a more compact version of the Pilot, featuring two rows of seats instead of three. Its exterior design closely mirrored that of the Pilot, leading some to refer to it as a "Pilot Sport." Inside, the Passport's dashboard layout was nearly identical to the Pilot's, sharing Honda's unconventional "button shifter" design. Despite these corporate design choices, the Passport boasted a spacious interior with high-quality materials throughout. The trim levels for the 2021 Passport included Sport, EX-L, Touring, and Elite, each offering a range of features from 20-inch alloy wheels and LED fog lights to leather upholstery and advanced audio systems.

In contrast, the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas carried over with minor modifications from the previous year, following significant updates in 2021. The lineup was simplified to include SE, SE with Technology, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL R-Line Black, and SEL Premium R-Line trims. The Atlas was known for its big and boxy design, with the SEL Premium R-Line trim featuring 21-inch wheels that enhanced its upscale appearance. Inside, the Atlas offered a simple yet premium design, though some materials were crafted to a low-cost point, resulting in hard, shiny plastics. Despite this, the Atlas provided a spacious and comfortable interior, accommodating up to seven passengers with ease.

The 2021 Honda Passport came equipped with a standard 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque through a nine-speed automatic transmission. It offered both front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 engine provided strong acceleration, and the automatic transmission managed power effectively. The Passport's ride was a blend of comfort and refined handling, with 8.1 inches of ground clearance and Intelligent Traction Management for AWD models. It could tow up to 3,500 pounds with FWD and 5,000 pounds with AWD.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas offered a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for the SE, SE with Technology, and SEL trims, producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It required premium fuel for maximum output and had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds. The Atlas also offered a 3.6-liter V6 engine, standard on higher trims, delivering 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. The V6 could tow up to 5,000 pounds but had a leisurely acceleration. The Atlas featured Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, with 4Motion AWD providing additional Active Control calibrations. Ground clearance was 7.1 inches for the turbocharged model and 7.5 inches for the V6.

The 2021 Honda Passport offered a generous 100.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 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 Passport's upright seating position provided excellent visibility, and the interior featured deep storage bins and accommodating rear seats with ample headroom and legroom.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas, with its discontinuation of the base S trim, no longer offered cloth seats. Instead, V-Tex leatherette seating was standard, along with heated front seats and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat. Higher trims added features like tri-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof. The Atlas excelled in interior space, comfortably seating seven passengers, even in the third row. It offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 55.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 96.8 cubic feet with the second row down.

For 2021, the Honda Passport included Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard features, integrated with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While this was a step forward, the system's graphics and menu layout were dated, and the volume dial felt like an afterthought. Despite these drawbacks, the inclusion of smartphone connectivity was a notable advantage over the Pilot.

In 2022, the Volkswagen Atlas featured the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrument cluster as standard, with an 8-inch display that expanded to 10.25 inches on higher trims. The Atlas SE had a 6.5-inch touchscreen with last-generation infotainment, while other trims offered the MIB3 system with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The Car-Net connected services provided various plans, including Remote Access, Safe & Secure, and Hotspot. However, the infotainment system had a slow startup and a cumbersome tuning process, making the user experience less than ideal.

The 2021 Honda Passport was equipped with advanced safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Passport received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests, though it had "Acceptable" ratings for headlights and child-seat anchor ease of use.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas offered a comprehensive list of safety features, including automatic post-collision braking, Front Assist, Side Assist, and Rear Traffic Alert. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, and the full collection of IQ Drive safety features. However, the Atlas had some issues with its Lane Assist technology, which struggled with old construction markings. The Atlas received four-star ratings in frontal-impact tests from the NHTSA and did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.