Hyundai Palisade vs Volkswagen Atlas
Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Hyundai Palisade based on your priorities for this class.
Buy the Volkswagen Atlas based on your priorities for this class.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Hyundai Palisade | Volkswagen Atlas | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual maintenance | $573 | — |
| 5-year total cost | $2,865 | — |
| Reliability score | 7 / 10 | — |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 13% | — |
| Cargo space | — | — |
| Starting price (new) | $41,035 | $39,310winner |
| Best years to buy | 2022 | — |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Hyundai Palisade | Volkswagen Atlas | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 7 / 10 | — |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 355.3 | — |
| Years to avoid | 2024, 2025, 2026 | None identified |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 73.3% | — |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 54.7% | — |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 43.2% | — |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Hyundai Palisade | Volkswagen Atlas | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 11.2% | —winner |
| Electrical | 4.7% | —winner |
| ADAS | 9.4% | —winner |
| Brakes | 14.6% | —winner |
| Suspension | 5.7% | —winner |
| Steering | 2.0% | —winner |
| Tires/Wheels | 0.7% | —winner |
| Glass/Windows | 14.1% | —winner |
| Airbags | 4.6% | —winner |
| Seatbelt | 14.0% | —winner |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| Hyundai Palisade | Volkswagen Atlas | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $3,049 | — |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Palisade costs $573/year to maintain — exactly at the three-row segment average. Repair frequency of 37% is slightly below the class average of 40%. Reliability score of 7 and major repair probability of 13% both match segment averages. Precisely average across all maintenance metrics — though its insurance cost stands well apart from the class.
How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →