2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport showcased a refreshed design that mirrored its three-row sibling, the Atlas, with updated lighting elements at both the front and rear. The Volkswagen logos on the grille and tailgate were illuminated in white and red, respectively, a feature inspired by the all-electric Volkswagen ID.4. The front of the Cross Sport featured a light bar connecting the daytime running lights, complemented by new standard LED headlights, giving it a distinctly Americanized appearance. Built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Cross Sport was designed with the U.S. market in mind. The rear of the vehicle, with its lower roofline, offered a silhouette reminiscent of German luxury crossover coupes, setting it apart from other two-row midsize crossovers. The Cross Sport was 5.2 inches shorter than the standard Atlas and sat slightly lower, enhancing its sporty stance.

The interior of the Cross Sport received similar updates to the standard Atlas, with a central touchscreen now standing upright and a raised center console providing additional storage space. The electronic shifter was compact, allowing for a more streamlined design. Interior trim options included standard leatherette upholstery, with leather seats available on SEL models and quilted leather upholstery on the top SEL Premium R-Line trim. Despite attempts to improve the simulated wood and carbon-fiber-facsimile trim, the materials remained predominantly plastic. The Cross Sport offered new wheel designs across its trim levels, with options ranging from 18-inch alloy wheels on the base SE to 21-inch wheels on the SEL Premium R-Line.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender, with its rugged appeal, offered a variety of customization options for buyers. The Defender 110 four-door model was considered the sweet spot in terms of design, balancing the visual mass of the Defender 130 and the stubby appearance of the Defender 90. The Defender 130 X trim, priced at $102,525, included the Extended Black Exterior Pack, upgraded interior materials, and comprehensive off-roading technology. The test vehicle featured 20-inch wheels with Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, enhancing its pavement-friendly performance. The Gondwana Stone paint, however, did not complement the orange brake calipers or the delicate twin-spoke wheels, with colors like Pangea Green, Santorini Black, or Carpathian Gray being more suitable.

Inside, the Defender X boasted premium Windsor hides with Kvadrat fabric, available in Ebony or Caraway, and an Ultrafabric upholstery option in Light Cloud. The interior maintained an industrial theme, with quality materials that emphasized functionality over luxury. The Defender's cabin was appreciated for its purposeful design, offering features like illuminated door-sill treadplates and metal pedal covers. Despite its rugged nature, the Defender provided a comfortable and spacious interior, with a focus on practicality and durability.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This engine replaced the previous 3.6-liter VR6, offering slightly less horsepower but more torque, with peak torque arriving earlier at 1,550 rpm. The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in standard front-wheel drive or optional 4Motion all-wheel drive. While the new engine provided an upgrade for many buyers, the noise-to-power ratio was a concern, as the engine was noticeably loud. The Cross Sport's maximum towing capacity remained at 5,000 pounds, except for the base SE model, which was rated at 2,000 pounds.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid system, producing 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. This engine was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with Sport and manual shift modes, and a standard all-wheel-drive system with a low-range setting for off-roading. The Defender 130 X could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and had a maximum tow rating of 8,200 pounds. The adaptive air suspension, hill descent control, and Terrain Response 2 driving modes enhanced its off-road capabilities. Despite its off-road prowess, the Defender was primarily driven on pavement during testing, where it performed well, absorbing bumps and maintaining a comfortable ride.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered more standard equipment for 2024, including heated side mirrors, two-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel. The front seats were ventilated and heated, while the SE with Technology trim added a power liftgate and tow hitch. The SEL trim featured heated second-row seats and leather upholstery. The Cross Sport's roofline impacted rear-seat headroom, but legroom was competitive with rivals. Cargo space was generous, with 40.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 provided three rows of spacious seating, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The Defender's tall seating position offered excellent forward visibility, though the square side mirrors seemed undersized. The panoramic sunroof and large windows created an open and airy feel. The second-row captain's chairs were heated and ventilated, with a four-zone climate control system available. The Defender 130 excelled in third-row seat accessibility and comfort, with a side-hinged cargo door providing access to 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 89 cubic feet with all rear seats folded.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport came standard with a 12-inch touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though the haptic touchpads for controls were less intuitive than traditional buttons. The Cross Sport offered up to six USB-C ports, with a USB-C dash cam port on higher trims. The SEL trim included a head-up display, and the SEL Premium R-Line featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The system's response to voice commands was slower than preferred, but its accuracy was impressive. The user experience was more intuitive than previous iterations, with easy programming of favorite radio stations. The Defender also included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system, enhancing visibility and parking ease.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The IQ.Drive package, now standard on all models, included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Travel Assist. Higher trims added predictive adaptive cruise control, park assist, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured several driver aids, including automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality. The lane-keep assist was decisive, though it occasionally attempted to steer the vehicle into a turnout area. Crash-test ratings for the Defender were unavailable at the time of publication.