Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vs Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport received a styling facelift, echoing updates seen on its three-row sibling, the Atlas. This makeover primarily revolved around new lighting elements at the front and rear. The Volkswagen logos on the grille and tailgate were illuminated in white and red, respectively, a feature that first appeared on the all-electric Volkswagen ID.4. The redesigned front featured a light bar connecting the daytime running lights under new standard LED headlights, granting the Cross Sport a more Americanized visual appeal, befitting its design and production origins in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The Cross Sport's most significant design alteration appeared at the rear, where reshaped taillights seamlessly integrated into a rear light bar with another illuminated VW logo. The vehicle's low roofline gave it a nuanced silhouette akin to the "crossover coupes" of German luxury marques. At 5.2 inches shorter than the standard Atlas and positioned slightly lower, the Cross Sport distinguished itself.

Additionally, Volkswagen revamped the wheel designs for 2024. The base SE model carried 18-inch alloy wheels, SE with Technology and SEL versions equipped 20-inch wheels (with a black wheel package as optional), while the SEL R-Line and SEL Premium R-Line models sported 21-inch wheels and feature bespoke styling elements.

The interior saw significant tweaks too. A boldly standing central touchscreen replaced the integrated one, and the center console was elevated to accommodate a new electronic shifter, creating a small storage nook underneath. Standard leatherette upholstery, leather options on SEL and above models, and quilted leather with a diamond pattern on the top SEL Premium R-Line trim enriched the interior experience. Yet, despite attempts to improve simulated wood and carbon-fiber facsimile trims, they remained plasticky.

Conversely, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, was situated among Toyota's robust lineup of SUVs like the Corolla Cross, RAV4, and Sequoia. Although a crossover, it boasted substantial dimensions at 201.4 inches in length with a 116.1-inch wheelbase, outstripping competitors like the Kia Telluride. This expanse translated into a spacious interior.

Ground clearance stood at 8 inches, supporting light off-roading. Its design, inspired by more rugged vehicles, sported a trapezoidal grille and a horizontal slit above it, flanked by narrow headlights. The Toyota emblem centered in this design closely resembled the grittier 4Runner.

Offered in XLE, Limited, and Platinum trims, the Grand Highlander’s interior provided diverse upholstery: light gray or black Softex in XLE, real leather in Limited or Platinum, and brown upholstery exclusive to Platinum. It featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat and eight-way adjustability for the front passenger. Higher trims introduced ventilated seats and a heated steering wheel.

The rear seats provided standard sunshades, and captain’s chair-equipped models had a center console and an inbuilt step for easy third-row access. Practicality was further emphasized with 13 cupholders, seven USB-C ports, and a capacious center console.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport was powered by a singular 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, marking the end of the VR6 era. This engine delivered 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, outperforming the older VR6 in terms of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the engine was available with standard FWD and optional AWD. Despite the increased power and quicker acceleration expectations, the engine's loudness detracted from its appeal. Furthermore, the Cross Sport lacked excitement in driving dynamics, coupled with a subpar ride quality—often attributed to the 21-inch wheels.

It offered a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds (except for the base SE at 2,000 pounds), standard for its class but overshadowed by competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

In the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, options were broader with three engine choices. The base 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder generated 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, while a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid produced 245 combined horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. A top-tier Hybrid Max powertrain combined a turbocharged engine with electric motors to deliver 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.

All engines offered FWD and AWD options, with the Hybrid Max exclusive to AWD. The Hybrid Max, specifically, boasted impressive acceleration with a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The standard turbocharged engine, expected to dominate sales, provided adequate acceleration and decent performance, although maneuverability and steering feedback presented challenges given the vehicle's size. The brakes, however, were linear and reliable.

Three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—were standard, with additional terrain modes on AWD-equipped models. Sport mode slightly enhanced responsiveness, while Eco mode toned it down, with Normal mode being the default preference.

Volkswagen enriched the 2024 Cross Sport with more standard features, including heated mirrors, two-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats even on the base model. Higher trims added a power liftgate, tow hitch, and heated second-row seats. The stylized roofline, while cutting into rear headroom, did not significantly impact cargo space. With 40.3 cubic feet behind the second-row seats and 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded, the Cross Sport was fairly competitive, offering more space than most rivals but closely matched by the Honda Passport.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander excelled with its spaciousness, offering a roomy interior and expansive cargo capacity. Measuring 201.4 inches long with a 116.1-inch wheelbase, it outstripped many of its primary rivals. Cargo capacity hit an impressive 97.5 cubic feet with all seats folded. Even with all three rows up, it maintained 20.6 cubic feet, offering substantial space for passengers and luggage alike. The interior comfort was notable, providing ample head, leg, and shoulder room across all rows, and accommodating six-foot adults comfortably in the third row.

Volkswagen's tech upgrades for 2024 included a 12-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging as standard. Despite the user-friendly screens and intuitive layout, the haptic touchpads replacing conventional buttons posed a challenge due to the lack of physical feedback. The Cross Sport also offered four standard USB-C ports, expandable to six, and an optional premium Harman Kardon audio system on higher trims.

The Toyota Grand Highlander featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims. This visually impressive system included an intelligent assistant, cloud-based navigation, and dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, but required a subscription for full functionality. The Limited and Platinum trims came with an 11-speaker JBL stereo system, and streaming audio integration with Sirius XM was available. Toyota’s technology package had evolved significantly, although it required careful consideration of various subscriptions.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, scoring five stars in side-impact tests and four in frontal and rollover tests. The updated IQ.Drive package, now standard, included a suite of driver aids such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims added predictive adaptive cruise control, park assist, and a surround-view camera.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander hadn't undergone crash testing by the NHTSA or IIHS at publication time. However, Toyota's Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) package, standard on all models, offered comprehensive ADAS features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with improved following-distance settings, lane-departure alert, and road-sign recognition.