2024 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas underwent a styling refresh that enhanced its original design, dating back to the Volkswagen CrossBlue concept of 2013. This update introduced new lighting elements, including light-up VW logos similar to those on the ID.4 electric crossover. The front logo illuminated in white, while the rear logo shone red. A front light bar connected to the daytime running lights, which were part of new LED headlights reminiscent of those on a Ford Expedition. These subtle changes gave the Atlas a fresh "face," emphasizing American swagger over European influences. At the rear, the taillights seamlessly blended into a full-width light bar housing the illuminated logo. All trim levels received new wheel designs, with the SE base model featuring 18-inch alloy wheels, while higher trims boasted 20-inch or 21-inch wheels. The Atlas Peak Edition joined the lineup, offering a more rugged appearance with black 18-inch wheels, all-terrain tires, and unique exterior colors. Inside, the Atlas featured a revised interior with a freestanding infotainment touchscreen and a compact shifter, enhancing functionality. Volkswagen aimed to elevate the interior's upscale feel with improved materials, although some areas still fell short of premium expectations.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport emphasized its sporty character within the Range Rover family. It stood taller than most vehicles on the road, yet its shorter wheelbase and chopped top lent it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. Large front air intakes and faux vents on the hood and fenders contributed to its sporty look, although it appeared somewhat tall and narrow from certain angles. The Range Rover Sport lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims. The Dynamic SE offered a Stealth appearance package with Carpathian metallic-gray paint, gloss black trim, and black 23-inch wheels. The SV Edition 2, the highest-performance model, featured 23-inch carbon-fiber wheels and a carbon-fiber hood. Inside, the SV Edition 2 boasted red leather upholstery, sport seats with illuminated "SV" inserts, and a minimalist dashboard with a touchscreen, shifter, and engine start button. The interior's high console and door panels created a cockpit-like feel, although it could feel cramped for a vehicle of its size. Material quality met luxury standards, but the use of reflective piano black plastic was excessive.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas streamlined its powertrain options, offering only a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine. This engine produced 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque on regular fuel, surpassing the previous VR6 engine's 276 hp and 266 lb-ft. The turbo-four engine, part of VW's EA888 family, was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The 2024 Atlas demonstrated improved acceleration, with FWD models achieving 0 to 60 mph in an estimated eight seconds, while AWD models took 8.3 seconds. Despite these improvements, the Atlas remained a family-oriented vehicle, prioritizing comfort and efficiency over performance. The ride quality remained consistent with previous models, and the Peak Edition added all-terrain tires and an Offroad driving mode. However, the 4Motion AWD system was primarily designed for pavement, lacking low range and underbody protection. The Atlas maintained a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, except for the base SE, which was rated at 2,000 pounds.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive (4WD). The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim increased the plug-in hybrid's output to 543 hp and 590 lb-ft, while also offering a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two pushed the V8's output to 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. It achieved 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of 180 mph. The Range Rover Sport excelled in handling, thanks to its sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring. It maintained a luxurious ride and impressive agility. Off-road capabilities were supported by the Terrain Response system, hill descent control, and ascent control, with Autobiography models featuring a two-speed transfer case. Ground clearance varied, with standard air suspension providing up to 11 inches when raised.

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

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport positioned itself between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover in terms of dimensions. It offered more room than the Velar but remained a midsize SUV. Unlike some competitors, it was a two-row, five-seater. Front-seat occupants enjoyed similar headroom to other midsize luxury SUVs, while rear-seat headroom was only slightly less than the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class. The Range Rover Sport featured reclining rear seats and 20-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and memory. Cargo space measured 31.9 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While it lacked a split tailgate, power operation and an "access height" setting for the air suspension facilitated loading and unloading. The Range Rover Sport's towing capacity reached 7,716 pounds for turbo-six and V8 models, surpassing several competitors.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received more standard tech features for 2024, including a 12-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless phone charging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were standard, with six USB-C ports available. A head-up display was standard on SEL and higher trims. The Atlas switched to a Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio system on higher trims. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with a map view in the digital instrument cluster. However, haptic touchpads for functions like audio volume and headlights lacked feedback, making them less intuitive.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration were standard. The screens looked impressive, but the minimalist design limited physical controls, requiring screen widgets for functions like climate control and drive mode selection. Steering-wheel controls offered limited alternatives. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car included "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, although it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not released ratings for the 2024 model, but the 2023 model received high scores in most crash tests. The Atlas included more standard driver-assist features for 2024, such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features included automatic post-collision braking and an emergency assist system.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered standard driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, although parking sensors were overly sensitive. The IIHS and NHTSA had not released safety ratings for the current-generation Range Rover Sport.