Honda Pilot vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
Side-by-side comparison from manufacturer specifications, NHTSA safety data, and live dealer listings.
Vehicles
Vehicles
2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
Overview
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| Selected trim | Sport 2WD | SE |
| Body style | SUV | SUV |
| Drivetrain | front wheel drive | front wheel drive |
| Fuel type | regular unleaded | regular unleaded |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed shiftable automatic |
| Engine type | gas | gas |
| Model year | 2026 | 2026 |
Pricing & market
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $42,195 | $38,300 (best) |
| Lowest listing price | $5,000 (best) | $17,681 |
| Median listing price | $40,183 | $39,495 (best) |
| Highest listing price | $56,395 (best) | $56,450 |
| For sale now | 126 (best) | 91 |
Fuel economy & range
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| Combined MPG | 22 MPG | 23 MPG (best) |
| City MPG | 19 MPG | 20 MPG (best) |
| Highway MPG | 27 MPG (best) | 26 MPG |
| Fuel tank | 19 gal (best) | 18.6 gal |
Performance
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 285 hp (best) | 269 hp |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft | 273 lb-ft (best) |
| Engine size | 3.5 L (best) | 2 L |
| Cylinders | V6 | I4 |
Size & capability
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | 8 seats (best) | 5 seats |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Cargo volume | — | 77.6 cu ft (best) |
| Towing capacity | 3,500 lbs | 5,000 lbs (best) |
| Payload | — | 1,102 lbs (best) |
| Curb weight | 4,336 lbs | 4,165 lbs (best) |
| Ground clearance | — | 6.3 in (best) |
| Wheelbase | 114 in | 117.3 in (best) |
| Length | 200.1 in (best) | 195.6 in |
| Width | 79 in (best) | 78.3 in |
| Height | 71 in (best) | 68.1 in |
Safety & recalls
| Spec | Honda PilotSport 2WD | Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportSE |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA overall | 5 / 5 ★ | 5 / 5 ★ |
| Frontal crash (driver) | 4 / 5 ★ | 4 / 5 ★ |
| Frontal crash (passenger) | 4 / 5 ★ | 4 / 5 ★ |
| Side crash (driver) | 5 / 5 ★ | 5 / 5 ★ |
| Side crash (passenger) | 5 / 5 ★ | 5 / 5 ★ |
| Side pole | 5 / 5 ★ | 5 / 5 ★ |
| Rollover | 4 / 5 ★ | 4 / 5 ★ |
| Open recalls (YMM scope) | 1 (best) | 2 |
Highlighted values indicate the better figure for that spec when a clear winner exists. Specs reflect the selected trim for each vehicle. Drag a vehicle header to reorder columns. MSRP and specifications are manufacturer data; listing prices and inventory come from live dealer listings. Safety ratings are from NHTSA.
Trim overview
All available trims with MSRP. The trim selected above is highlighted; comparison specs use that selection.
| Trim | Honda Pilot | Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sport 2WD $42,195 MSRP(Currently comparing) | SE $38,300 MSRP(Currently comparing) |
| 2 | Sport AWD $44,295 MSRP | SE $40,200 MSRP |
| 3 | EX-L $44,495 MSRP | SE w/Technology $42,720 MSRP |
| 4 | EX-L $46,595 MSRP | SE w/Technology $44,620 MSRP |
| 5 | TrailSport AWD $50,395 MSRP | SEL $48,610 MSRP |
| 6 | Touring $51,095 MSRP | SEL R-Line Black $50,560 MSRP |
| 7 | Touring S $52,295 MSRP | SEL Premium R-Line $53,620 MSRP |
| 8 | Elite $53,495 MSRP | — |
| 9 | Black Edition AWD $54,995 MSRP | — |
Live inventory
Honda Pilot126 for sale
See all
Used2025 Honda Pilot
Touring 4dr SUV
GRAY48,616 mi$42,252Big O Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM
Greenville, SC
Used2019 Honda Pilot
Touring 7-Passenger
Blue•gray46,329 mi$29,199Kia of Clermont
Clermont, FL
Certified2025 Honda Pilot
Sport
Gray•Black49,438 mi$35,335Bob Boyte Honda Moss Point
Moss Point, MS
Used2021 Honda Pilot
Elite
Deep Scarlet Pearl•Beige55,458 mi$29,990Classic Volkswagen Gastonia
Gastonia, NC
Certified2024 Honda Pilot
Touring
Crystal Black Pearl•Black106,038 mi$33,101Stokes Hodges Ford Graniteville
Graniteville, SC
Certified2024 Honda Pilot
Touring
Obsidian Blue Pearl•Gray8,785 mi$42,000Plaza Auto Mall
Brooklyn, NY
Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport91 for sale
See all
Used2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
2.0T SEL
Pure White•Titan Black59,402 mi$23,987Curry INEOS Grenadier
Danbury, CT
New2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
2.0T SEL R-Line Black
Opal White Pearl•Gray15 mi$48,880Lou Sobh Volkswagen of Athens
Bogart, GA
New2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
2.0T SEL R-Line Black
Opal White Pearl•Black12 mi$49,298Lou Sobh Volkswagen of Athens
Bogart, GA
Certified2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
2.0T SE w/Technology
Platinum Gray Metallic•Titan Black40,575 mi$30,746Greensboro Auto Center
Greensboro, NC
Certified2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
3.6L V6 SEL R-Line
Pure White•Titan Black113,003 mi$19,694Stokes Hodges Ford Graniteville
Graniteville, SC
Certified2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
3.6L V6 SEL
Blue Metallic•Dark Beige/Titan Black15,648 mi$35,088Volkswagen of Kirkland
Kirkland, WA
Honda Pilot vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport FAQ
- Which is better: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- It depends on priorities. OpenDealer compares 2026 Honda Pilot vs 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport on MSRP, fuel economy, horsepower, seating, towing, NHTSA safety ratings, and live market prices so you can weigh the tradeoffs.
- Which costs less: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- Based on starting MSRP, the 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport starts lower at $38,300. Live Honda Pilot listings start at $5,000. Live Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport listings start at $17,681.
- Which has better startingMsrp: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- The 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport leads on startingMsrp in this comparison (38,300).
- Which has better combinedMpg: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- The 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport leads on combinedMpg in this comparison (23).
- Which has better horsepower: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- The 2026 Honda Pilot leads on horsepower in this comparison (285).
- Which has better seats: 2026 Honda Pilot or 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- The 2026 Honda Pilot leads on seats in this comparison (8).
- How do the NHTSA safety ratings compare for 2026 Honda Pilot vs 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?
- NHTSA overall crash-test ratings in this comparison: Honda Pilot (5/5 NHTSA overall); Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (5/5 NHTSA overall).