Buying a midsize SUV means you have some choices to make. As is always the case, your needs will dictate your final selection. The fun of buying a midsize sport-utility vehicle means you can check out very different vehicles within the same category.
That’s the case with the 2024 Honda Pilot and 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. The Pilot can be optioned up to give you a tremendous off-road experience, while the Atlas can be gussied up to ensure your on-road experience is splendid.
Let’s check them out.
2024 Honda Pilot
In 2023, the Pilot received a significant redesign. The new, tougher exterior allows it to compete with other 3-row utes in several areas. It can still perform soccer mom duties with aplomb while being ready to head out to the great beyond and enjoy nature’s beauty. The rugged TrailSport edition features steel skid plates, an extra inch of ground clearance, the TrailWatch Camera System, and special software designed to help it traverse more challenging terrain than its predecessor.
Whether you’re looking to get away from it all for a few days or need a roomy, comfortable place to be while getting around town, the Pilot is ready. Honda upgraded the Pilot’s on-road componentry, such as its suspension and steering, and made it stiffer to find the right balance of comfort and agility. Pricing for the Pilot starts at $38,485.
Honda Pilot Highlights
Checking out: The rugged Pilot TrailSport is capable of towing 5,000 pounds. Honda claims that equates to a 24-foot camper or a 22-foot boat — just the items you need to escape everyday life for a few days or even a week.
Safe space: Honda improved the safety of this SUV while making it the most capable Pilot ever. The Honda Sensing Suite comes standard in every Pilot. It features a slew of advanced driver safety technology, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and more.
Spaciousness: The Volkswagen Atlas has a maximum seating capacity of seven. However, the Honda Pilot can seat up to eight. That’s thanks to the third row of seats having three seats rather than two. The Honda is also available with a removable second-row middle seat for extra flexibility.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Pilot models for sale near you.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas
Not everyone looking for an SUV plans to rough it. Some just need the room and versatility that a midsize SUV offers. The 2024 Volkswagens Atlas fits that bill. The Atlas is a well-mannered, tech-laden, spacious ute with looks to match. VW’s learned a lot about building SUVs for American roads, and each iteration of the Atlas gets better.
The 2024 Atlas got some exterior and interior tweaks to make it look more like it should be outdoors, perhaps even driving in the mud — or at least be mud adjacent. The Atlas is an attractive-looking 7-seater with cabin updates, including a bigger screen, 3-zone climate control, wireless charging, and more. Pricing starts at $39,420.
Volkswagen Atlas Highlights
Tech savvy: The interior tech makes the cabin a pleasant and safe place, starting with its all-new ID.Drive. The Atlas boasts new driver assistance technologies and simple convenience features like wireless charging, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.
Comfy cabin: The Volkswagen Atlas is one of the roomiest options in midsize 3-row SUVs. It has almost minivan-like third-row space with 33.7 inches of third-row legroom (1.2 more inches than the Pilot). Perhaps just as importantly, when you lower the second and third rows, there’s plenty of space for stuff. It’s an absolute hauler.
Punch of power: This current generation of the Atlas gets an all-new and much more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. One of the significant drawbacks of the previous models was an anemic 4-cylinder, and even the more powerful option wasn’t anything to write home about — 2024 is a new year with a much better powertrain.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Atlas models for sale near you.
Similarities
Even though we’ve talked about the differences, the two borrow the same boxy exterior look that creates an athletic, almost brawny exterior. They are also priced about the same and on the roomier side of this segment. They’re solid minivan alternatives for drivers who prefer SUVs.
Conclusion
Which SUV is right for you depends on your priorities. If you want maximum interior space in a midsize 3-row SUV, the Volkswagen Atlas is the king of space efficiency in this class, and your third-row passengers will appreciate it. However, the slightly cheaper and more powerful Honda Pilot comes with the Honda quality and reliability you can trust, and the Atlas can’t match the off-road chops of the TrailSport model.
| 2024 Honda Pilot | 2024 VW Atlas | |
| Starting Price (w/ destination) | $38,485 | $39,420 |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 3.5-liter 6-cylinder | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 285 hp @ 6,100 rpm | 269 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm | 273 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 19 city/27 highway/22 combined mpg | 20 city/27 highway/23 combined |
| Also Available | AWD | AWD |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | TBD | 5-Star |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 7 |
| Wheelbase | 113.8 inches | 117.3 inches |
| Overall Length | 199.9 inches | 200.7 inches |
| Width | 78.5 inches | 78.3 inches |
| Height | 71.0 inches | 70.4 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 37.8 feet | 41.0 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 40.5 inches | 41.3 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 40.2 inches | 40.4 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 39.3 inches | 38.3 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.0 inches | 41.7 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 40.8 inches | 37.6 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 32.5 inches | 33.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 61.9 inches | 61.5 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 61.7 inches | 60.8 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 59.5 inches | 54.9 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 18.6/48.5/87.0 cubic feet | 20.6/55.5/96.8 cubic feet |
