Compare the2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, 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 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Santa Fe Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	307	460
Leg Forces (l/r)	67/229 lbs.	290/423 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	277	369
Neck Compression	117 lbs.	140 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	297/97 lbs.	726/652 lbs.

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

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 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Santa Fe Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	64 lbs.	85 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	16 inches

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Atlas Cross Sport is .5% to 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Warranty

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. Hyundai doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (269 vs. 231) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Santa Fe Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	9.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.9 sec	17.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	82.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and Santa Fe Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Atlas Cross Sport has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Santa Fe Hybrid (18.6 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Atlas Cross Sport’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Santa Fe Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	12.8 inches

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Santa Fe Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The Atlas Cross Sport stops shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Santa Fe Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Santa Fe Hybrid (245/60R18 vs. 235/60R18). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Santa Fe Hybrid (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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 6.5 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (117.3 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid HTRAC AWD (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Chassis

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

Passenger Space

The Atlas Cross Sport has 1.9 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 14.6 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Atlas Cross Sport. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Atlas Cross Sport’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Atlas Cross Sport the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Santa Fe Hybrid can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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. Proximity Key standard on the Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Atlas Cross Sport’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Santa Fe Hybrid’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Atlas Cross Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Atlas Cross Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited/Calligraphy.

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 Santa Fe Hybrid.

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. Only the Santa Fe Hybrid SEL/Limited/Calligraphy offers wireless charging.

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