2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid vs 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport showcased a refreshed design that mirrored its three-row sibling, the Atlas, with updated lighting elements at both the front and rear. The vehicle featured illuminated Volkswagen logos on the grille and tailgate, a nod to the all-electric ID.4. The front end was characterized by a light bar connecting the daytime running lights, complemented by new standard LED headlights, giving the Cross Sport a distinctly Americanized appearance. Built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Cross Sport was designed with the U.S. market in mind. The rear of the vehicle, with its lower roofline, offered a silhouette reminiscent of German luxury crossover coupes, setting it apart from other two-row midsize crossovers. The Cross Sport was 5.2 inches shorter than the standard Atlas and sat slightly lower, enhancing its sporty profile.

The interior of the Cross Sport received significant updates, including a new central touchscreen that stood upright and a raised center console with additional storage space. The interior trim carried over from the three-row Atlas models, featuring standard leatherette upholstery and leather seats on higher trims. The top SEL Premium R-Line trim boasted quilted leather upholstery with a diamond pattern, adding a touch of luxury. Despite efforts to improve the simulated wood and carbon-fiber-facsimile trim, the materials remained predominantly plastic. The Cross Sport offered various wheel designs across its trim levels, with the SEL Premium R-Line featuring 21-inch wheels and sportier styling elements. However, it did not include the rugged Peak Edition package available in the three-row Atlas lineup.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, offered a more conservative design, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. This approach resulted in a vehicle that resembled a larger RAV4, with seating for up to eight passengers and ample cargo space. The interior emphasized functionality, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. Despite the use of glossy hard plastics and unlined storage surfaces, the controls were logically laid out, featuring matte black surfaces and white iconography. The climate system was user-friendly, with large temperature-adjustment knobs, although the infotainment interface's volume knob was less intuitive.

The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Platinum trim, evaluated in this review, arrived in Storm Cloud paint, a flat grayish blue. It featured a mix of leather and artificial suede upholstery, adding an upscale touch. The vehicle's design prioritized practicality, with comfortable seating across all three rows and nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. However, the long rear doors and sharp corners posed challenges for families with small children. The second-row captain’s chairs, a no-cost option, provided flexibility for accessing the third row. The Grand Highlander offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 97.5 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive, with optional 4Motion all-wheel drive. This marked the end of the 3.6-liter VR6 engine era for VW, as the new turbo-four delivered 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque on regular fuel. While this was slightly less horsepower than the VR6, it provided more torque, with peak torque arriving earlier at 1,550 rpm. Volkswagen anticipated quicker acceleration from zero to 60 mph compared to the 2023 model with the VR6. The Cross Sport's maximum towing capacity remained at 5,000 pounds, except for the base SE model, which was rated at 2,000 pounds.

The Cross Sport's new engine was an upgrade for many buyers, offering improved performance over the previous 2.0-liter turbo-four. However, the engine note was not particularly pleasing, and the noise-to-power ratio was a concern. Despite its "Sport" moniker, the Cross Sport was not an engaging vehicle to drive, with lackluster ride quality, possibly due to the test car's 21-inch wheels.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate swiftly, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. The Hybrid Max offered a balance of performance and efficiency, with a combined fuel economy rating of 27 mpg. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds, 1,500 more than the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid.

During testing, the Hybrid Max achieved 26 mpg on a balanced city and highway route, and 23.3 mpg on a mountainous evaluation loop. The powertrain's acceleration was commendable, with electric motors eliminating turbo lag. The Grand Highlander provided a soft, isolating ride, although road undulations could cause vertical bounding and lateral rocking. Handling was secure up to a point, with early tire scrub and squeal during aggressive cornering. Outward visibility was excellent, aided by front, rear, and top-down cameras, although the front camera's frequent screen takeover was a minor annoyance.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport received additional standard equipment for 2024, including heated side mirrors, two-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel. The front seats were ventilated and heated, while the SE with Technology trim added a power liftgate and tow hitch. Heated second-row seats and leather upholstery became standard on the SEL trim. The Cross Sport offered competitive front headroom, but the roofline compromised rear-seat headroom. Legroom was more competitive, with decent first-row legroom. The Cross Sport provided 40.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The Cross Sport's cabin was functional, with a new center console offering ample storage space and generously sized cupholders. The door pockets could hold multiple drink bottles without rattling.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating across all three rows, with nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum-trim test vehicle featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery. The front and second-row seats were heated and ventilated, with supportive cushions. However, the long rear doors and sharp corners posed challenges for families with small children. The second-row captain’s chairs provided flexibility for accessing the third row. The Grand Highlander offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 97.5 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport came standard with a 12-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. The infotainment system featured intuitive layouts and well-designed graphics, but the haptic touchpads were less user-friendly than conventional buttons. The Cross Sport offered up to six USB-C ports, with a USB-C dash cam port on SE with Technology and above models. The SEL trim included a head-up display, and the optional premium audio system was now from Harman Kardon.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, with a 7-inch digital driver display on LE and XLE trims. The system offered wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services provided features such as a Wi-Fi hotspot, automatic collision notification, and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was user-friendly, although the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously was a drawback. The Platinum trim included a color head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IQ.Drive package of driver aids became standard on all models, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Travel Assist. SEL and SEL R-Line models received predictive adaptive cruise control, while the Premium R-Line included park assist and a surround-view camera system.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features and driver-assistance technologies. The system included lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, although it did not offer hands-free operation like Ford’s BlueCruise or GM’s Super Cruise. Proactive Driving Assist was standard, but its performance varied depending on the driving situation. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.