2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas underwent a styling refresh that enhanced its original design, dating back to the 2013 CrossBlue concept. New lighting elements, including light-up VW logos, were added, with the front logo shining white and the rear logo red. A front light bar connected to new LED headlights gave the Atlas a fresh "face," emphasizing American swagger over European influences. At the rear, taillights blended into a full-width light bar. New wheel designs were introduced across all trim levels, with the Atlas Peak Edition offering a more rugged look with black wheels and all-terrain tires. Inside, the Atlas featured a revised centre cabin with a freestanding infotainment touchscreen and a minimalist interior design, contrasting with its robust exterior. The interior aimed for an upscale feel with improved materials, though some areas still felt less premium.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna presented a distinctive look with sleek front and rear fascias, available in vibrant colours like deep blue, red, or bronze. LED lighting was standard, with upper trims featuring Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, considered sporty, included a black metallic mesh grille and 20-inch dark wheels. Inside, the Sienna offered a practical layout with a lower storage pass-through and multiple cupholders. The second-row captain’s chairs provided ample legroom, though their slide function was complex, and they couldn't be removed, limiting cargo space. The third row was accessible and comfortable, with window shades and cupholders. The Sienna's interior was functional, with tri-zone climate control and a rear liftgate offering generous cargo space.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas reduced its powertrain options to a single 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, producing 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This engine, part of VW's EA888 series, was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada. The Atlas claimed improved acceleration over the previous VR6 model, reaching 100 km/h in about 8.5 seconds. Despite the increased power, the driving experience remained focused on comfort rather than performance, with a smooth but noisy engine. The Peak Edition added off-road features, but the 4Motion AWD system was primarily designed for pavement. The Atlas maintained a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive models included an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. The Sienna's performance was not its strong suit, with a sluggish feel and a continuously variable transmission that lacked excitement. However, it offered a smooth ride in town, with modes like Normal, Eco, and EV for different driving conditions. The brakes were slightly grabby, but steering was light and visibility excellent. Competing minivans like the Honda Odyssey and Kia Carnival offered more powerful V6 engines.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas offered more standard features, including heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power liftgate. Seating for seven was standard, with a second-row bench that could hold three child seats and slide for flexibility. Optional captain's chairs reduced seating to six. The Atlas provided competitive headroom and legroom, with the best third-row legroom in its class. Cargo space varied from 583 litres with all seats up to 2,735 litres with seats folded, offering more space than most rivals.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior functionality, with a lower storage pass-through and multiple cupholders. The second-row captain’s chairs offered significant legroom but couldn't be removed, limiting cargo capacity. The third row was accessible and comfortable, with ample legroom when the second row was adjusted. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control and a rear liftgate with 949 litres of cargo space, expanding to 2,860 litres with seats folded.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas included a 12-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, along with wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Harman Kardon 12-speaker system was available on higher trims. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with sharp graphics, though haptic touchpads for controls were less intuitive.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna retained older infotainment technology with a nine-inch touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While physical buttons for common menus were appreciated, the backup camera's grainy view was disappointing. The Sienna offered a 12-speaker JBL stereo system and a rear-camera mirror option. USB ports were plentiful, and a 1500-watt inverter provided additional power outlets.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with standard features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The Execline trim added park assist and a surround-view camera system. Emergency features included automatic post-collision braking and a crash response system.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna included the Toyota Safety Sense suite with lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The NHTSA rated it with four stars for frontal crash and rollover protection and five stars for side crash protection. The IIHS gave it top scores in crashworthiness, though front crash prevention was rated "Average."