VW Atlas vs Toyota 4Runner vs Nissan Murano vs GMC

When shopping for a midsize SUV, it makes sense for the Volkswagen Atlas to have attracted your attention. The Atlas offers an excellent safety rating, cutting-edge tech, an impressive list of standard features, and a truly segment-leading warranty. But it’s the Atlas’s versatility where it really impresses.

This versatility is one of the most important qualities for a vehicle in this segment to possess, but not all of them manage to pull it off. In order to show how the Atlas stacks up to the competition, Volkswagen of Ann Arbor has put together this helpful guide.

Volkswagen Atlas VS Toyota 4Runner

2023 Volkswagen Atlas SE w/Technology V6	VS	2023 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4X2
$42,365	MSRP*	$39,055
7	Seats	5
18 / 24 / 20	Fuel Economy (city / highway / combined)	16 / 19 / 17
8	Transmission Speeds	5
41.7 inches / 37.6 inches	Legroom (front / rear)	41.7 inches / 32.9 inches
55.5 cubic feet	Cargo Space (behind 2nd row)	47.2 cubic feet
Standard	Heated Seats	Requires higher trim
Standard	Remote Start	Requires higher trim
Three-zone automatic	Climate Control	Manual, dual-zone automatic available on higher trim
4 years, 50,000 miles	Basic Warranty	3 years 36,000 miles

For our first comparison, we’re looking at how the Atlas measures up against the Toyota 4Runner. To make the two as similar as possible, we’ve gone with the V6-equipped Atlas, and the two vehicles seem pretty similar at first. The two engines offer very similar power, and identical towing capacities. But things start to change when we look at transmissions. The 5-speed automatic in the Toyota is downright outdated, especially compared to the advanced 8-speed automatic in the VW. This is also why you see much better fuel economy from the Atlas.

The Atlas offers 7 seats to the 4Runner’s 5. And while that might not seem like a big deal to some, the Atlas also offers more cargo space with those seats folded. A good example of the strength of the versatility offered by the Atlas. And while you might think that offering fewer seats would let Toyota offer some good second-row legroom on the 4Runner, it actually falls pretty far short of the Atlas. But this is just part of why you’ll be more comfortable in the Altas. Toyota requires you to option up to a higher trim to get many of the creature comforts that come standard on the Atlas, like heated seats, automatic climate control, and a remote start.

Rounding out the list of the Atlas’s advantages in the warranty, which is clearly just better with Volkswagen.

Volkswagen Atlas VS Nissan Murano

2023 Volkswagen Atlas SE	VS	2023 Nissan Murano S
$35,150	MSRP*	$33,310
258 lb-ft @1,600 rpm	Torque	240 lb-ft @4,400 rpm
8-speed automatic	Transmission	CVT
7	Seats	5
154 cubic feet	Total Passenger Volume	108.1 cubic feet
55.5 cubic feet	Cargo Space (behind 2nd row)	32.1 cubic feet
5,000 lbs	Max Towing Capacity	1,500 lbs
2 years, 20,000 miles	Complimentary Maintenance	Not Available
Standard	Heated Side Mirrors	Not Available
Standard	Remote Start	Not Available

For our second comparison we’re putting the Atlas up against the Nissan Murano. We’re just using the base trims, because even though the base Murano comes with a V6, it produces noticeably less torque than the base four-cylinder in the Atlas. Not only that, but the Atlas also produces that torque lower in the rev range, giving you more pickup pulling away from a stop. To go with that extra torque is an 8-speed automatic transmission, which will give you a much more engaging driving experience than you will get from the CVT-equipped Murano.

The Atlas gives you quite a bit more interior space than the Murano, both for people and for cargo. No surprise that this means there is enough room for two more seats. Not only that, but you can tow more with the Atlas as well.

The Murano is slightly cheaper than the Atlas, but looking at what’s standard on both vehicles will tell you why. In fact, features like heated side mirrors and a remote start aren’t offered on the Murano at all. And finally, the Atlas comes with 2 years/20,000 miles of complimentary maintenance, compared to the Murano’s zero.

Volkswagen Atlas VS GMC Acadia

2023 Volkswagen Atlas SE w/Technology V6	VS	2023 GMC Acadia SLT
$42,365	MSRP*	$42,495
276 HP / 266 LB-FT TQ	Horsepower/Torque	228 HP / 258 LB-FT TQ
5,000 lbs	Towing Capacity	4,000 lbs
Optional	All-Wheel Drive	Requires higher trim
154 cubic feet	Total Passenger Volume	143.8 cubic feet
7	Seats	6
96.8 cubic feet / 55.5 cubic feet / 20.6 cubic feet	Cargo Space (behind 1st row / 2nd row / 3rd row)	79 cubic feet / 41.7 cubic feet / 12.8 cubic feet
20 inches	Wheels	18 inches
Standard	Rain Sensing Wipers	Not Available
4 year, 50,000 miles	Basic Warranty	3 year, 36,000 miles

For our last comparison, we’re looking at the Atlas up against the GMC Acadia. We’ve chosen two trims that are nearly identically priced in order to illustrate how much further your money will go with the Volkswagen. For starters, that nearly identical price lets you option up to the V6 in the Atlas, but not the Acadia. The Acadia does have a V6 option, but it only comes on the top trims. This is true of the optional all-wheel drive as well, something available as an a-la-carte option on the Atlas, but is only available with higher trims on the Acadia. Towing capacity is better on the Atlas, but beyond that, towing equipment is standard on the Atlas, whereas you have to spend extra money to get the Acadia’s towing capacity up to the max, which is still lower than the Atlas’s.

You get more space inside the Atlas, both when it comes to passengers and cargo. This is why the Atlas is able to offer one more seat than the Acadia. You get bigger wheels with the Atlas, as big as the biggest optional wheels available for the Acadia. You have the option to go up to 21 inches with the Volkswagen. Rain-sensing wipers are standard on the Atlas, and strangely aren’t even available at all on the Acadia. Lastly, Volkswagen will give you a better warranty on the Atlas than you’ll get from GMC, by an entire year.