The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and Honda Passport are like Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather; they’re pretty even in most aspects, including size and weight, however, they differ vastly in the style department.

Looks aside, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a newcomer to the two-row SUV segment and has a lot of ammo to go up against a veteran like the Honda Passport. Here are five ways in which the Atlas Cross Sport wins over the Passport.

Standard Apple Carplay and Android Auto

If you have ever used Apple Carplay or Android, you would know that’s it’s practically a gift from the car gods. You can use Google maps and a bevy of other applications right on your car’s touchscreen, negating the need to buy a higher trim. It’s a win-win situation that the Honda Passport is not a part of.

In order to get Apple Carplay/Android Auto, you would need to step up a level to the EX-L trim, whereas in the Atlas Cross Sport, it comes standard on the base trim.

Two different engine choices

The Honda Passport is available with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower, which is good, but what about consumers that don’t need the extra power and would rather have a smaller engine for efficiency?

In that case, the Atlas Cross Sport offers more versatility as it can be equipped with either a 235-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a more robust 276-hp, 3.6-liter V6. The pricing difference between the Cross Sport SE with the four-cylinder and the V6 is about $4,000, so prospective buyers will save a lot of money at the initial buy-in as well.

Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear traffic alert

Safety is important and safety technology like blind-spot monitors can mean the difference between changing lanes safely or getting into an accident. Fortunately, the Atlas Cross Sport has blind-spot monitors as standard and it even comes with rear traffic alert, which warns the driver of any passing vehicles when going in reverse.

Does the Honda Passport have it? Yes, it does. But you have to opt for the EX-L trim level, which is a $4,500 premium over the base Sport.

Interior refinement

We have to hand it to the Honda Passport in that it does have a handsome interior with great fit and finish, especially in the higher trim level with leather. However, Volkswagen has long been known for its superb interior refinement and the Atlas Cross Sport’s interior has Audi-like qualities to it, with a superior fit and finish in not only the upholstery but also the trim pieces. We suspect that any Atlas Cross Sport owners won’t have much issue with squeaks or rattles in the long run.

A better warranty

We might be nitpicking a little here, but the warranty on any car is important. While Hondas are known for reliability, it is possible for them to break. In that case, the Passport comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty that covers just about everything.

The Atlas Cross Sport, on the other hand, comes with a 4-year/50-000-mile warranty and 2 years/20,000 miles of complimentary maintenance. That’s pretty generous of Volkswagen and it offers good peace of mind if you were to go with a Cross Sport.

It’s the little things

When comparing two cars, just like two boxers, we sometimes have to dig deep in order to find the little nuances that make them different. Looks are subjective and reliability can go either way, but sometimes it’s the little things that can make one car just a little better than the other.

In this case, we think the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has a few important features to offer over the Honda Passport. And while they may not be the sole reasons to purchase a $30,000-$40,000 SUV, we greatly feel that they’re something to consider if you’re planning to compare the two in person.