Compare the2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2024 Audi Q5

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Atlas Cross Sport are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

With its standard Front Assist, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi Q5, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Q5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Audi Q5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Q5:

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Q5 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas Cross Sport for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Atlas Cross Sport’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 68 more horsepower (269 vs. 201) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 236) than the Q5 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (269 vs. 261) than the Q5 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Atlas Cross Sport has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q5 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (18.6 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5.

The Atlas Cross Sport stops much shorter than the Q5:

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Q5 (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q5 (265/45R21 vs. 255/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line has standard 21-inch wheels. The Q5’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 6.3 inches longer than on the Q5 (117.3 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 4.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Q5.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL 4Motion handles at .81 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Atlas Cross Sport has .8 inches more front legroom, 3.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 3.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q5.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 25.9 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 with its rear seat folded (77.6 vs. 54.1 cubic feet).

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q5’s (5000 vs. 4400 pounds).

While the Q5 55 TFSI e can only tow 2000, any Atlas Cross Sport can tow a minimum of 5000 pounds.

Standard trailer stability control on the Atlas Cross Sport uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard KESSY Keyless Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start standard on the Q5 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

Consumer Reports rated the Atlas Cross Sport’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Q5’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R Line has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Q5.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q5.

The Atlas Cross Sport offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Atlas Cross Sport is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Atlas Cross Sport owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Atlas Cross Sport will cost $855 less than the Q5 over a five-year period.

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by 29% during 2023.