2022 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting seamlessly into the Volvo lineup with its “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro look. The XC40 Recharge featured a blanked-off grille, “Recharge” badging, model-specific alloy wheels, a gloss black roof, and a model-exclusive Sage Green Metallic color. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents blending seamlessly.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas carried over with minor modifications from the previous year. The lineup was simplified to SE, SE with Technology, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL R-Line Black, and SEL Premium R-Line trims. Pricing ranged from $34,355 to $51,505, plus a $1,195 destination charge. The SEL Premium R-Line trim featured 21-inch wheels with a machined finish, enhancing its upscale look. The interior was simple yet premium, but many materials were low-cost, with hard, shiny plastics that detracted from the overall quality. Storage areas lacked linings, leading to unwanted noise and vibration.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The AWD T5 increased to 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor per axle for AWD, producing 402 hp and 486 lb-ft. The Recharge had a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack, with 75 kWh usable capacity, and could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The T5 and T4 achieved 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality and one-pedal driving capability. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas offered a standard turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The turbo-four had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds and an EPA fuel economy rating of 22-23 mpg combined. The 3.6-liter V6 engine, standard on higher trims, produced 276 hp and 266 lb-ft, with a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. Fuel economy for the V6 was 19-20 mpg combined. The Atlas featured Eco, Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, with additional Active Control calibrations for AWD models. The ride quality was mixed, with a taut and busy ride on 21-inch wheels, and occasional body float on undulating pavement.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom compared to competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The cargo area was also smaller, with a very small frunk. Clever storage solutions included a removable trash bin, a bag hook in the glovebox, extra-large door bins, and a well-shaped storage cubby ahead of the shifter. A wireless charging pad was optional, and a single USB-C port was standard, but second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas offered V-Tex leatherette seating as standard, with heated front seats and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Higher trims added tri-zone automatic climate control, ambient cabin lighting, an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, and a panoramic sunroof. Genuine leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated second-row seats were available on the SEL Premium R-Line trim. The Atlas had a roomy interior, seating seven people comfortably, with a low step-in height. Cargo space was exceptional, with 20.6 cubic feet behind the third row, 55.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 96.8 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system with Google apps, including Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability and lacked a start button, allowing drivers to simply shift out of park with the key fob on their person.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas included the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrument cluster as standard, with an 8-inch display on lower trims and a 10.25-inch display on higher trims. The SE trim had a 6.5-inch touchscreen with last-generation infotainment, while higher trims featured the MIB3 system with an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. Car-Net connected services were available in three plans, with additional features like natural voice recognition and over-the-air map updates. The SEL Premium R-Line trim included a 12-speaker Fender premium sound system. However, the user experience was hindered by slow loading times and a cumbersome tuning process.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver-alertness monitor, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and Pilot Assist. The Recharge model had a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure, with scalable sensor suite software for future driver aids.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas offered an impressive list of safety features, including automatic post-collision braking, Front Assist, Side Assist, and Rear Traffic Alert. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, Travel Assist, Emergency Assist, brighter LED headlights, and an adaptive front lighting system. The SEL Premium R-Line trim included a surround-view camera system and Park Assist technology. However, the Lane Assist technology had issues with old construction markings and exit ramps. The Atlas received four-star ratings for the driver and front passenger in frontal-impact tests from the NHTSA.