2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2023 Land Rover Defender

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was a standout in the SUV market, outselling its sibling, the Land Rover Discovery, by a significant margin. Despite sharing similar size and price points, the Defender's boxy, classic Land Rover design appealed more to customers than the Discovery's Ford-like appearance. The Defender's design was a nod to the old LR4, with its square-jawed face, rectangular hood, and doors set parallel to the ground, creating a rugged, classic truck aesthetic. The vehicle's design was further enhanced by tasteful accents reminiscent of the original 1980s Defender, such as the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof, and a full-size wheel mounted on the hatch. The Defender was available in three body styles—90, 110, and 130—offering a range of options for consumers.

Inside, the Defender maintained a focus on function and durability, with an interior that was more utilitarian than luxurious. Despite its high price, the interior was coated in rubbers and plastics designed to resist stains and moisture, with exposed screws and plain air vents contributing to its rugged character. While the build quality was excellent, the interior lacked the opulence of a Range Rover, making the high price tag of models like the Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition seem excessive to some. However, the Defender's unique character and excellent build quality continued to attract buyers, making it the second most popular model in Land Rover's lineup.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas underwent a styling refresh that updated its original design, which dated back to the Volkswagen CrossBlue concept of 2013. The refresh included new lighting elements, such as light-up VW logos and a front light bar connecting to the daytime running lights, giving the Atlas a new "face" with American swagger. The rear featured taillights blending into a full-width light bar, housing the illuminated logo. All trim levels received new wheel designs, with the SEL Premium R-Line boasting 21-inch wheels and sportier styling elements. The Atlas Peak Edition joined the lineup, offering an outdoorsy flavor with black 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, and unique colors like Avocado Green and Pure Gray.

Inside, the Atlas received a revised look, with changes concentrated around the center of the cabin. The infotainment touchscreen was now freestanding, and the shifter was reduced to a tiny toggle, creating more functional space. Volkswagen aimed to make the interior feel more upscale, with fake wood trim featuring more grain and a new weaved plastic trim simulating carbon fiber. Leatherette seats were standard, with leather upholstery and contrast stitching available on SEL models. The range-topping SEL Premium R-Line featured diamond stitching, though some areas, like the center console, appeared cheaper, and the overall material quality seemed more fitting for a base model.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender excelled off-road, showcasing incredible grip, wheel articulation, and clearance. Its air suspension allowed it to tackle almost any path, though most owners wouldn't fully utilize its Terrain Response 2 system. On-road, the Defender's performance was less impressive, with excessive body roll, slow steering, and noticeable wind noise. The turbocharged inline-six and supercharged V8 engines provided strong performance, with the V8 delivering 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, offered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, while the turbocharged four-cylinder engine was less powerful at 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. Fuel economy varied, with the V8 returning 14/19/16 mpg, the six-cylinder 18/23/20, and the four-cylinder 17/20/18.

For the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, powertrain options were reduced to a single 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, producing 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This engine, part of VW's EA888 family, was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive. The Atlas was quicker than the previous six-cylinder model, with FWD models reaching 60 mph in eight seconds and AWD models in 8.3 seconds. Despite the improved performance, the Atlas remained a family hauler, focusing on comfort and frugality. The ride quality was consistent with previous models, and the 4Motion AWD system was designed primarily for pavement, lacking the off-road capabilities of the Defender.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was exceptional as an everyday SUV, offering unmatched seating configurations. The Defender 90 could seat six with a jump seat, while the 110 offered an optional third row, and the 130 had a standard third row for up to eight seats. The Defender's large glass areas provided excellent visibility, and the 130 featured a panoramic moonroof. Cargo space varied by model, with the 130 offering 77 cubic feet with seats folded, the 90 providing 58 cubic feet, and the 110 offering up to 79 cubic feet. The Defender also offered a range of features, including off-road tires, a metal roof rack, and various convenience options.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas offered more standard features, with the base SE trim now including a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. Seating for seven was standard, with a three-seat second-row bench that could split-fold, recline, and slide. Second-row captain's chairs were available, reducing seating capacity to six. The Atlas provided competitive headroom and legroom across all three rows, with the third-row legroom being the best in its class. Cargo space was generous, with 96.6 cubic feet available with seats folded and 20.6 cubic feet with all seats in place. The Atlas offered more cargo space than most rivals, except the Chevy Traverse.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro software. The standard 10-inch screen was integrated into the dashboard, while the optional 11.4-inch screen offered greater legibility. Both screens supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a voice assistant and navigation. The Defender offered various trim levels with different features, including heated seats, a Meridian stereo, and advanced safety systems like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received more standard tech features, including a 12-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with six USB-C ports. Higher trim levels offered a head-up display and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. The upgraded infotainment system was user-friendly, with sharp graphics and a map view in the digital instrument cluster. However, VW's reliance on haptic touchpads for controls made them more challenging to use.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. safety organizations but received a five-star rating from Euro NCAP. It featured six airbags, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional safety features included a digital instrument panel, head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IIHS had not rated the 2024 model, but the 2023 model received high scores. The Atlas offered more standard driver-assist features, including VW's IQ.Drive package with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Additional safety features included automatic post-collision braking and an emergency assist system.