Published December 30 2018

2019 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2018 Toyota Highlander Spec Comparison

There are different ways you can compare vehicles. You can check out their respective engine specs, fuel economy numbers, towing capacity and interior volume numbers to see how they stack up, or you can compare how much value they provide.

Most buyers will do both. The only thing that matters is whether or not the vehicle you’re looking to buy answers your specific needs in terms of versatility and capability. As for value, however, there’s some leeway here.

Most buyers have a handful of features they really want, but if those features come with other features for the same amount of money, or less than money, than a competing vehicle, you’ve just gotten more bang for your buck.

Let’s look at an example by comparing the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas three-row premium SUV with one of its direct competitors, the Toyota Highlander.

Both are about the same price, but they don’t offer the same equipment. For this comparison, we’ll focus solely V6-powered, AWD versions. To get a V6 and 4Motion all-wheel drive in the Atlas, you’ll pay $40,540 for the Trendline version while the Highlander starts at $38,945.

The Toyota is therefore a bit less expensive, but it doesn’t have 18-inch wheels or Android Auto like the Volkswagen Atlas. And if you compare both models once equipped with heated seats, the Volkswagen Atlas is more affordable by about $1,000. But that’s just the entry-level models. Let’s look at some other versions.

Like the Highlander, the Altas comes in four versions – Trendline, Comfortline, Highline and Execline.

The Comfortline features remote start, power liftgate, 3-zone climate controls, keyless access with push-button start and blind spot warning with rear traffic alert. The Highline adds features such as a panoramic sunroof, heated front and rear seats, navigation, and park distance control. Finally, the top-of-the-line Execline adds 20-inc wheels and Volkswagen’s exclusive Digital Cockpit.

The latter is an exclusive all-digital instrument cluster that can be customized to the driver. It’s beautiful, useful, and gives the Atlas an upscale aura you won’t find in any other mid-size SUV including the Highlander.

It’s near the top of the range that you see how the Altas outshines the Highlander in terms of value. Heated rear seats and a panoramic sunroof, for example, are available in the Highline model for less than $50,000, but in the Highlander they only come in the Limited model that starts at over $50,000. Same can be said for the power liftgate.

In other words, many of the features you only get in the most expensive Toyota Highlander are available in the Highline model in the Atlas lineup. That said, that model isn’t the range-topper, and you have an even more luxurious model called the Execline which offers features the Highlander doesn’t have at all like the 20-inch wheels and Digital cockpit.

To learn more about the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas, contact us today at Turner Volkswagen.