2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Defender lineup includes the 90, 110, and 130. The 90 is the short and stubby two-door, the 110 is the standard four-door, and the 130 is the extended four-door. They’re available with turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, as well as a turbocharged or supercharged V8. They’re all equipped for off-roading right out of the box, but you can add more tech for more challenging situations. The big news for this model year is the high-performance 2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA.

Verdict: There is a Land Rover Defender for almost anyone, and any of them can take you farther into the wilderness than you expect. They’re rugged but refined, comfortable yet capable, and plenty of fun to drive. But the Defender comes at a cost, both on the window sticker and at the pump.

Unless buyers want a luxury model, the herd of midsize two-row crossovers is thinning as buyers gravitate to three-rows. Like the Mazda CX-70 and the Honda Passport, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a two-row version of a more popular three-row crossover, but its lowered roof and unique tail make it feel like a distinctive, standalone model akin to the Nissan Murano or the Chevrolet Blazer. Last refreshed for the 2024 model year, the Atlas Cross Sport is essentially unchanged for 2026, ahead of the arrival of a redesigned model for 2027. For this review, we grabbed a lower-level front-wheel drive (FWD) SE with Technology model to experience the value equation of this Volkswagen at a palatable price.

Verdict: The Atlas Cross Sport is a great value and well made, even if it's not enjoyable to drive.