Atlas Vs Pilot

When it comes to midsize SUVs, the Honda Pilot has been a reliable, popular choice for 20 years now. The Volkswagen Atlas is a strong contender, often considered side-by-side when a prospective car buyer is trying to decide which vehicle is right for them.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at each and how they compare to offer you better insight into whether the Atlas or the Pilot suits your needs best.

The Basics — Size & Price

To start, both the Honda Pilot and Volkswagen Atlas are closer in price than you often find for otherwise comparable vehicles.

·         The starting MSRP for the Atlas begins at $37,995, and for the Pilot at $37,090.

·         At the top trims, the difference is even less pronounced — $52,890 for the Atlas and $52,480 for the Pilot, respectively.

(We should mention that if you're local to Carter Volkswagen, living in the Seattle area and considering a midsize SUV, our stock and associated prices change often. We recommend checking our site occasionally to see current inventory and pricing.)

As for the space and size you're getting for the price, both are midsize SUVs, but there is a difference in layout and capacity inside despite having similar exterior dimensions.

Overall, there is less than an inch difference in both the length and width of each vehicle; the Atlas is 200.7 inches long compared to the Pilot’s 199.9-200.2-inch length, and there is only a .2-inch difference in width — 78.3 inches for the Atlas and 78.5 inches for the Pilot, respectively.

Interior Room

·         Due to the difference in third-row layout, the Pilot can seat up to eight while the Atlas has a maximum capacity of seven.

·         Both have a three-person second row, but the Atlas's third row seats two people, while the Pilot squeezes in room for a third person in the middle of the row — the middle seat of the middle row can also fold down in the Pilot.

Essentially, this means if you're going to top out at needing to seat seven people, your third-row passengers will be a bit more comfortable with the less crammed Atlas, but if you'll likely need to carry eight people or would like the maneuverability of the removable second-row middle seat, the Pilot's your best bet.

Regarding headroom and legroom, the dimensions are pretty close between the two, but both are “winners” in different places here, if just by a bit.

·         The Atlas provides 41.3 inches of headroom in the front row and 40.4 inches in the rear, whereas the Pilot contains between 39.1 to 40.5 inches of headroom in the front and 39.2 to 40.2 inches in the rear.

·         Meanwhile, the Atlas has 41.7 inches of front row legroom and 37.6 inches of rear row legroom. The Pilot has less space in the front — anywhere from 39.1 to 40.5 inches — but more in the back, providing 39.2 to 40.2 inches.

So, to sum up, the Atlas provides a little bit more headroom, and then the two vehicles trade "wins" on the legroom front depending on the row; the Atlas has more legroom in the front than the Pilot, but there’s a greater drop-off in legroom between rows, giving the Pilot's back row more legroom.

Engine Details — Fuel Efficiency & Other Specs

Just like the sizing, the Pilot and Atlas have very similar fuel economy: Both get 19 MPG in the city, with the Pilot edging out the Atlas by one MPG on the highway with 27 to the Atlas' 26.

Then, with the Atlas' 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the Pilot's 3.5-liter V6 engine, each trade off advantages in torque versus horsepower. (Together, they equate to identical towing capacity.)

·         The Pilot produces 16 greater horsepower at 285 to the Atlas' 269.

·         The Atlas produces 11 pound-feet more torque, producing a maximum of 273 pound-feet to the Pilot's 262.

·         Both max out at 5,000 pounds of towing capacity.

Safety & Comfort

As the driver, preferences for the vehicle's feel and layout and console up front are personal. What one person finds ergonomic and easily navigable, another might find unideal and vice versa. Similarly, in many ways, comfort and interior features can have safety implications.

So with that in mind, the console and dashboard:

·         A key difference is the positioning of the infotainment screen, which is compatible in both cases with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

·         The VW Atlas' screen is more integrated into the dashboard than the Honda Pilot's, which sticks up somewhat and sits higher on the dash.

·         Neither of these is necessarily better than the other; it really is just a matter of personal taste.

Other safety features include both vehicles' own brand-specific suite of safety technology, IQ.DRIVE for the Atlas and Honda Sensing for the Pilot. These contain many similar features, including lane keep assist, a backup camera, and different driver alert systems:

·         The VW includes a rear cross-traffic alert, area view camera, blind spot monitor, and park distance control

·         The Honda provides a driver attention alert, forward collision warning, and their Collision Mitigation Braking System.

Bottom Line

In the end, both are fantastic midsize SUVs, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all “winner” here. Rather, which one works best for you largely comes down to your own priorities and preferences.

With one of the primary differences being the layouts of the second and third rows in each car, this could be one of the main factors, along with your handling preferences.

The Pilot’s removable middle seat in the second row gives you a bit of added flexibility and the additional middle seat, even if it’s pretty small, make it possible to fit eight people on a car ride — on the other hand, the Atlas has more space for most of the seats, making it extra comfortable despite being less customizable and fitting one fewer person.

Similarly, the greater horsepower of the Pilot might be more up your alley, or you might prioritize torque, in which case the Atlas is better suited for your needs, although neither of these engine power details are drastically in the favor of one or the other.

In other words, both are good choices.

If you want to do some research in-person and live in the Puget Sound region near us, don’t hesitate to stop by and look at the Atlas in person. We’re proud to have been serving our western Washington community for over 60 years and can help you figure out which vehicle is best for you.