Comparing The Volkswagen Atlas To The Toyota Highlander in Baton Rouge

June 27, 2017 · 3 min read

The Volkswagen Atlas is here, and has been met with rave reviews. But, when you’re in the market for a new SUV, glowing praise isn’t always enough. What you need to know, especially for a brand-new model, is how it stacks up against the competition. You want to know how the Atlas will fit your lifestyle, when compared to similar SUVs. What sets the Atlas apart from every other Volkswagen to date is the third row of seating. So, to find the right comparison, we want to pit the Atlas versus another three row SUV. In this case, we are comparing the Volkswagen Atlas to the Toyota Highlander LE Plus. To do this, let’s look at four main categories that should be a consideration when purchasing an SUV.

Comparing the size of the Atlas versus the Highlander

Right off the bat, the Volkswagen Atlas measures in larger than the Toyota Highlander. The Highlander is 191.1 inches long, 75.8 inches wide, and has a height of 68.1 inches. The Atlas is 198.3 inches long, 77.9 inches wide, and has a height of 69.6 inches. This may not seem like much of a difference from the outside, but this difference shows its worth when it comes to cargo space. The Atlas boasts 96.8 cubic feet of potential cargo space. The Highlander measures short of that at a potential of 83.7 cubic feet of space. This translates to more room; whether you’re talking about filling that space with stuff, or you’re talking about the comfort of your passengers.

Comparing the safety features of the Atlas versus the Highlander

The Volkswagen Atlas, like the rest of the Volkswagen lineup, provides an assortment of both passive and active safety systems. It has been engineered to meet or exceed all current safety regulations and features six airbags as standard along with several electronic safety systems. All Atlas models are equipped with standard Electronic Stability Control. The Atlas is the only vehicle in its class to offer the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which is standard on all models. The Atlas is equipped with a basic rearview camera, pedestrian monitoring, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear traffic alert, and lane departure warning as well. The Highlander also has pedestrian detection as part of their pre-collision system, a rearview monitoring camera, and six airbags. However, it does not feature the automatic post collision braking system. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are both listed as “not available” for all models on their website.

Comparing the gas mileage of the Atlas versus the Highlander

This is one area that where the comparisons are close. According to the US Department of Energy, the Volkswagen Atlas offers 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway. The Toyota Highlander does slightly better in the city at 20 miles per gallon, but get 24 miles per gallon on the highway, making the difference negligible.

Comparing the price of the Atlas versus the Highlander

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas starts at $34,875. The 2017 Toyota Highlander LE Plus starts at $35,060. It is important to note that the price for the Highlander is based on the 2017 model year, since the 2018 model has not yet arrived. It is also important to note that I is expected to rise slightly. While these comparisons may be a helpful step in deciding which three-row SUV is right for your family, nothing replaces getting a first-hand look at the vehicle. If you would like to do that, we encourage you to contact our team at Southpoint Volkswagen to schedule a test drive.

Posted in:

Sep 21, 2017 in Baton Rouge Volkswagen Dealer

The Volkswagen Tiguan Named Best Compact SUV of 2017 by Cars.com

Volkswagen has recently made an extraordinary commitment to their line of Sport Utility Vehicles. This year, the Volkswagen Atlas was launched, adding a family SUV with a third row of seating to the line-up. But, we also revamped the Tiguan over the last two years to make sure that our name was among the best when it came to compact SUVs. Well, it appears that our efforts have been noticed as the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan has been named Cars.com’s “ Best Compact SUV of 2017.” more The Cars.com Compact SUV Challenge tested vehicles with a maximum price of $35,000 including all options and destination charges. Testing took place in the Chicago suburbs, where judges drove each car on the same loop for back-to-back impressions. Vehicles were judged on value, spaciousness, as-equipped driver assistance technologies, such as forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, lane departure warning, lane departure steering and lane-centering steering. Ease of child-safety seat installation was also evaluated and scored in each SUV. Cars.com noted the Tiguan’s exceptional value, laudable roominess, and high level of standard driver assist features as reasons. Editor in Chief of Cars.com, Jennifer Newman said, “The cargo capability is top of the class, making this small SUV a huge advantage for shoppers concerned about getting the most room for the money. The Tiguan is also a great option for families, earning the highest possible marks in Cars.com’s Car Seat Check.” Volkswagen of America couldn’t be happier with the announcement and recognition of the hard work to improve the Tiguan. “We are delighted that the 2018 Tiguan has been recognized by Cars.com as one of the best compact SUVs on the market,” said Derrick Hatami, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Every aspect of the Tiguan is designed to cater to the needs of American drivers and their families—from standard driver assist technologies to an optional third row—and this award validates the All-New Tiguan is a serious competitor in the segment.” 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan outlasted some formidable competitors in the challenge, as it bested the Honda CR-V, the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Escape, the Chevrolet Equinox, the Nissan Rogue, and the Jeep Compass. If you would like to learn more about the Tiguan, or schedule a test drive, please contact our team at Southpoint Volkswagen and we will be happy to assist you.

Sep 14, 2017 in Baton Rouge Volkswagen Dealer

4 Questions For An Atlas Driver

For over a year now excitement has been building over the new Volkswagen Atlas. Now that it is here, we are seeing that excitement as people visit the dealership to look at, test drive, and purchase a new Atlas. We thought it would be a good idea to see if that excitement is continuing after the purchase. So, we asked new Atlas owner Ashley a few questions about her new vehicle. more Southpoint VW: Is the Atlas your first Volkswagen? Ashley: Yes, it is my Volkswagen purchase for myself and my family Southpoint VW: What attracted you to the Atlas? Ashley: It was everything I wanted in a car. I shopped around for a lot of cars and when I rode in the Atlas I knew that it was the car for me. It had new technology I had never seen before, it was very spacious and a fabulous price. Southpoint VW: Has it lived up to what you thought it would be? Ashley: It has lived up to everything I thought it would be and more. I find new features every day that are very helpful and easy to use. It still surprises me with all the features it has! Southpoint VW: What is the best feature you've found that you weren't expecting? Ashley: The car can be personalized completely for you. When you turn the car on the dashboard welcomes me with my name and it has my seat situated and remembered if someone else where to drive it. I also have been most surprised by the adaptive cruise control. On the interstate, it almost completely drives itself. It's absolutely amazing that a car can have this technology. We couldn’t be happier that Ashley is so thrilled with her new Volkswagen Atlas. Even better, while her excitement bubbled over about the Atlas’s technology and driver-friendly features, she didn’t even mention the third row of seating or the cargo space, which are two of the Atlas’ best features. If you are interested in learning more about the Atlas, please contact our team at Southpoint Volkswagen and we can schedule a test drive for you.

Aug 11, 2017 in Baton Rouge Volkswagen Dealer

Volkswagen Brings Upgrades To The 2018 Golf Family

The Volkswagen Golf has been on a hot streak in recent years. Golf models have made Car and Driver’s list of the ten best models for the last decade, they have been an IIHS top safety pick every year in recent memory, and in 2015, the Golf was named Motortrend’s Car of the year. So with all this recent success, it would be difficult to make this already great line of cars even better, but that is exactly what they have done as Volkswagen brings upgrades to the 2018 Golf family. Here are a few of the improvements. more A larger touchscreen infotainment system Previously, the Golf S featured a five-inch touchscreen for its infotainment system. The 2018 model has broadened out to a six and a half-inch touchscreen display. The Golf SEL has upgraded to an eight-inch display. This enlargement gives the driver easier access to everything Golf’s infotainment system has to offer. Balanced exterior styling Over the past few years, the Golf has been moving towards a more rounded profile. This year, the Golf has moved to straighter, sleeker lines giving it a more stylish, bolder look. Accompanying this look are LED taillights and daytime running lights. LED headlights are optional as well. Upgrades to safety features Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist) is now available on most SE trims and above, as is Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert. The updated version of Front Assist now includes Pedestrian Monitoring. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), ParkPilot, Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), and High Beam Control (Light Assist) are also available on some models. Of course, there are some areas where the Golf was already surpassing the competition. The most talked about aspect is how much fun it is to drive. So, since you don’t fix what’s not broken, Volkswagen has kept the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 170 horsepower engines. Volkswagen has also kept the five-speed manual transmission with an option to upgrade to a six-speed manual transmission. This, combined with its current suspension system maintains a sharp, well handled, fun ride for the driver. The Golf family of vehicles includes the Golf S, the SEL, the Alltrack, the GTI, the Sportwagen, and the Golf R for those that want all the bells and whistles. If you are interested in test driving any of the Golf family, please contact our team at Southpoint Volkswagen, and we will be happy to help.