2023 Toyota Sequoia vs 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, with its bold design inspired by the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The SUV's exterior featured a traditional grille and front bumper, which distinguished it from the Tundra's more unconventional look. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, offering an industrial yet upscale feel, especially in the Capstone trim. This top-tier version boasted a luxurious cream white-over-black two-tone interior, dominated by a massive 14-inch infotainment system. However, despite its premium appearance, some materials reminded occupants of its pickup truck origins.

In contrast, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport received styling updates that aligned it with its three-row sibling, the Atlas. The vehicle featured new lighting elements, including illuminated VW logos and a light bar connecting the daytime running lights. The Cross Sport's rear design, with its lower roofline, gave it a silhouette reminiscent of German luxury crossover coupes. The interior saw revisions such as a raised centre console and a new electronic shifter, enhancing storage space. The cabin offered standard leatherette upholstery, with higher trims featuring leather and quilted leather options. Despite attempts to improve interior materials, some elements still felt plasticky.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a hybrid system combining a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator, and a 1.87 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride battery pack. This setup delivered 437 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 583 pound-feet of torque at 2,400 rpm. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 4,137 kilograms, a significant improvement over the previous model. Fuel efficiency also improved, with a rating of 11.7 L/100 km in combined driving. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, but its steering was slow, and the regenerative braking system felt unresponsive.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport came with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4Motion AWD in Canada. This engine produced 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, with peak torque arriving at 1,550 rpm. While the new engine offered better performance than the previous VR6, it was less powerful but more torquey. The Cross Sport's towing capacity remained at 2,268 kilograms. Despite its "Sport" moniker, the vehicle was not particularly engaging to drive, and the ride quality was compromised, possibly due to the 21-inch wheels on the test vehicle.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on highways, offering a quiet cabin with comfortable front seats, a JBL premium audio system, and a triple-zone climate control system. However, the panoramic moonroof reduced second-row headroom, and the third-row seat was cramped due to the high floor and low roof. Cargo space was limited, with only 325 litres available with the third-row seat in place, expandable to 2,460 litres with all seats folded. The hybrid powertrain's battery pack compromised overall utility, reducing cargo capacity compared to the previous model.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport featured more standard equipment, including heated and ventilated front seats, a power liftgate, and a heated steering wheel. While front headroom was competitive, the sloping roofline reduced rear-seat headroom. Cargo space was more generous, with 1,141 litres available with the rear seats up and 2,197 litres with them folded. The cabin offered functional storage solutions, including a redesigned centre console and ample door pockets.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with a 14-inch touchscreen in most trims. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the display suffered from glare. The Intelligent Assistant responded to voice commands, though it occasionally misinterpreted requests. The Capstone trim included a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system, but the parking sensors and automatic rear braking system were overly sensitive.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport came with a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The user experience was intuitive, but the haptic touchpads for controls were less user-friendly than traditional buttons. The Execline trim featured a head-up display and a Harman Kardon premium audio system, enhancing the overall tech offering.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia included a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features as standard, bundled into Toyota Safety Sense 2.5. This package offered forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and more. While the Sequoia had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, the Tundra, on which it was based, received high ratings from IIHS.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA, with strong performance in side-impact crash tests. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. The Execline trim added park assist and a surround-view camera system, while all models featured post-collision braking and an emergency assist feature.