2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out with its distinctive design, avoiding the common trend of emulating competitors' styles. It carried over the sharp, chrome-accented design language from the Navigator, resulting in a striking appearance. The interior of the Aviator was equally impressive, offering a sense of comfort and warmth with its soft-touch materials and elegant center console. The cabin was further enhanced by a piano button shifter and soothing chimes, contributing to an overall luxurious feel. The Aviator's trims ranged from Standard to Black Label Grand Touring, each offering a variety of features, from synthetic leather upholstery and tri-zone climate control to advanced options like massaging front seats and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system.

In contrast, the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport maintained much of the Atlas's design but with a lower roofline and aggressively-raked rear hatch. This styling choice resulted in a mix of SUV ruggedness and car-like features, though some elements, like the fake exhaust tips, appeared tacky. The interior followed VW's minimalist design, which was functional but let down by subpar materials. Despite leather upholstery and contrast stitching in the SEL Premium model, the cabin felt cheap, with hard and shiny plastics. The color scheme was dark and uninviting, and the flat-bottom steering wheel seemed out of place for a non-performance model.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a robust performance with its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque across the Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, boosting output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque, with an electric-only range of 21 miles. The Aviator's drive mode selector included unique options like "Excite" and "Conserve," enhancing its suitability for highway driving, though it struggled with city maneuverability due to its long wheelbase and noticeable body roll.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport shared powertrain options with the seven-seat Atlas, featuring a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and an optional 3.6-liter VR6 engine with 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The VR6 engine provided lively acceleration from a stop but lacked midrange power, and the transmission was slow to react. The ride quality was poor, with noticeable bumps and pothole impacts, and the cabin allowed significant wind and tire noise. Despite its "Sport" name, the Atlas Cross Sport handled like a truck, with loose steering and significant body roll.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a total of 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second row was particularly comfortable, featuring captain's chairs and a digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio settings. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport provided competitive interior space for a two-row midsize crossover, with top-class front-seat and rear-seat legroom. However, rear headroom was limited due to the sloping roofline. Cargo space was 40.3 cubic feet with rear seats in place and 77.8 cubic feet with them folded, slightly behind the Honda Passport. The interior included standard 60/40 split-fold second-row seats, a foot-activated tailgate on SE with Technology trims, and various storage solutions like cargo nets and cupholders.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen with the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, offering a user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system included redundant controls and a fully digital instrument panel, with an optional head-up display providing clear graphics and easy readability.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered two infotainment systems: the MIB2 with a 6.5-inch touchscreen on the base trim and the MIB3 with an 8-inch touchscreen on higher trims. Both systems included USB-C ports and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. The MIB3 added multiple-device pairing and updated voice recognition, though it was slow to load and the Fender audio system was underwhelming. The Digital Cockpit display allowed for customizable gauge configurations, and analog controls made basic functions accessible without the touchscreen.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, featuring automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator received top safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned top "Good" scores in IIHS crash tests, with mixed headlight ratings. It received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring, with optional features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. Unique to the Cross Sport were the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Intelligent Crash Response System. New for 2021 were Travel Assist and Emergency Assist, offering automated lane centering and emergency stopping capabilities.