Compare the2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2025 Audi new 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 new Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the new 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.

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 new 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’ 2025 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 44 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

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

The Atlas Cross Sport has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the new Q5 (18.6 vs. 17.2 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 new Q5.

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the new Q5 (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R19). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the new 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 new Q5’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 new Q5; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 6.4 inches longer than on the new Q5 (117.3 inches vs. 110.9 inches).

The Atlas Cross Sport has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 3.8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 4.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the new Q5.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the new Q5 with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the new Q5 with its rear seat folded (77.6 vs. 57.1 cubic feet).

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the new Q5’s (5000 vs. 4400 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 new Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

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 costs extra on the new Q5.

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 new 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 new 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 new Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.