2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a styling refresh that significantly updated its look. The original sheet metal, dating back to the 2013 Volkswagen CrossBlue concept, was retained but augmented with new lighting elements, including light-up VW logos—the front logo shone white while the rear logo gleamed red. Notably, a new front light bar connected to the daytime running lights and new LED headlights, offering a robust "American swagger."

At the back, a full-width light bar housing the illuminated logo was introduced. New wheel designs also arrived with the 2024 model. The base Atlas SE featured 18-inch alloy wheels, while higher trims came with 20-inch wheels, and the top-tier SEL Premium R-Line boasted 21-inch wheels for sportier aesthetics.

The Atlas Peak Edition joined the lineup, designed with an outdoorsy vibe featuring black 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, body cladding, and model-specific colors like Avocado Green and Pure Gray. Its interior was notably functional, with a revised center console, which created extra storage. The leatherette seats, upgraded fake wood, and new weaved plastic trim attempted to deliver an upscale feel, though the quality seemed more in line with lower trims.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Toyota Sienna was characterized by a distinctive look across its LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, and Platinum trims. Sporting sleek front and rear fascias with vivid color options like deep blue, red, and green, the Sienna embraced a kid-friendly style.

Standard LED lighting was complemented by Bi-LED projector headlamps in upper trims. The XSE trim featured a sporty persona with a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. Unique to the Woodland Edition were traits aimed at light off-roading, such as roof rails with crossbars, a tow hitch, and an elevated ground clearance of 6.9 inches.

Inside, the Sienna impressed with spacious, functional design elements. The XSE trim’s Premium package added leather-trimmed, heated, and cooled seats, along with a leather-trimmed power steering wheel. The horizontal design lines and fixed center console enhanced the sense of roominess, further bolstered by a built-in vacuum cleaner option for upper trims.

For the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, the powertrain lineup was simplified to a single 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, eliminating the VR6. This engine produced 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, outperforming the previous turbo-four and even the older V6 in terms of torque. Connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the Atlas offered front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD).

Volkswagen claimed improved performance, with the Atlas accelerating from zero to 60 mph in about eight seconds for FWD models and 8.3 seconds for AWD. Despite its quicker pace, the driving experience remained primarily comfort-focused. The four-cylinder engine was smooth but noisy, and ride quality was static compared to the pre-refresh model.

The Atlas maintained a 5,000-pound towing capacity for most trims, although the base SE had a lower rating of 2,000 pounds. The Peak Edition came with all-terrain tires and an Offroad driving mode, yet it was not designed for extensive off-roading.

For the 2024 Toyota Sienna, every model operated as a hybrid, blending a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors to produce 245 horsepower. All-wheel-drive models used an additional electric motor for the rear wheels.

In terms of performance, the Sienna was sluggish off the line, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) didn’t enhance driving dynamics. Sport mode provided better acceleration, but the minivan remained lackluster in spirited driving scenarios. The Sienna excelled in urban environments with a smooth and mostly pleasant drive, ideal for slow-speed maneuvers and packed parking lots.

Despite its drawbacks in performance, the Sienna presented an economical and eco-friendly alternative to more conventional powertrains.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas added more standard features across trims. However, its form factor remained unchanged. Seating seven passengers, it offered a three-seat second-row bench that could 60/40 split-fold, recline, and slide. Optional captain’s chairs on higher trims reduced capacity to six. The Atlas provided generous headroom across all rows, and its third-row legroom was benchmark-setting.

In terms of cargo space, the Atlas excelled with 96.6 cubic feet when the second and third rows were folded, 55.5 cubic feet with only the third row stowed, and 20.6 cubic feet with all seats in place.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured a well-thought-out interior with practical storage solutions, including a lower pass-through and numerous cupholders. Second-row captain’s chairs with sliding functionality provided up to 40 inches of legroom, although the seats couldn’t be removed, limiting cargo versatility.

Accessing the third row was easy, and when the seats were adjusted, passengers found sufficient space. The third-row tilt function added comfort, and tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone on some trims, ensured comfort for all passengers.

Cargo capacity for the Sienna was also commendable, starting at 33.5 cubic feet with all seats in use, expanding to 75 cubic feet with the third row folded, and reaching 101 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas advanced in technological offerings with a standard 12-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. It added wireless phone charging along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Up to eight USB-C ports were available, and a head-up display was standard on higher trims. The upgraded Harman Kardon 12-speaker system delivered premium audio for upper trims.

The infotainment interface was user-friendly with clear graphics and practical features like a map view in the digital cluster. However, the reliance on haptic touchpads for certain controls reduced usability.

Conversely, the 2024 Toyota Sienna lagged with older infotainment tech, featuring a nine-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Though slower and less feature-rich, it offered physical buttons for ease of use. The backup camera quality was disappointing, and the gauges were mainly analog.

Despite these drawbacks, the Sienna offered a Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL system. The available rear-camera mirror and several USB ports added functionality. Control buttons for outlets and advanced tech features highlighted the minivan’s practical design.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The structurally similar 2023 model received "Good" ratings in most crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), except for the updated moderate overlap front test, which was rated "Marginal."

For 2024, more driver-assist features became standard, including Volkswagen's IQ.Drive package with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims added features like predictive adaptive cruise control, park assist, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna's Toyota Safety Sense suite included lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard.

Systems generally performed as expected, although lane-keeping assist showed some inconsistency. With ample airbags and smart safety reminders, the Sienna provided comprehensive protection. The NHTSA rated it highly for side crash protection but slightly lower for frontal crash and rollover tests. The IIHS gave top marks in crashworthiness but rated front crash prevention as "Average."