2021 Toyota Highlander vs 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2021 Toyota Highlander | 2021 Volkswagen Atlas |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 512 | 471 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 17 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 180 | 619 |
| Investigations | 0 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 16 | 9 |
| Fire reports | 4 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–36 | 19–22 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 29,055 mi | 17,000 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Toyota Highlander | Volkswagen Atlas |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 219 | 15 |
| Electrical System | 26 | 145 |
| Service Brakes | 66 | 93 |
| Engine | 44 | 84 |
| Air Bags | 42 | 65 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 12 | 68 |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 66 |
| Structure | 51 | 21 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Hesitation / surging | 33 | 5 |
| Loss of power | 25 | 5 |
| Stalling | 19 | 46 |
| Vibration / shaking | 19 | 7 |
| Check engine light | 12 | 27 |
| Shifting problems | 8 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 6 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 6 | 0 |
2021 Toyota Highlander
2021 Volkswagen Atlas
Compare all Toyota Highlander vs Volkswagen Atlas years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.