Buick Envision vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2021 Buick Envision underwent a significant redesign, following two consecutive years of facelifts. This two-row compact crossover, positioned between the smaller Encore GX and the larger Enclave, featured a lower and wider stance, giving it a more planted appearance. The Envision's sculpted look was more pronounced than its cousin, the Cadillac XT4, but not as sleek as the Acura RDX. The three trim levels—Preferred, Essence, and Avenir—offered distinct looks, with the Avenir trim introducing premium exterior elements like a Black Ice Chrome mesh grille and 20-inch Avenir-specific wheels. The interior of the Avenir models boasted leather-appointed seating with diamond perforated inserts and a head-up display (HUD).

The Envision's cabin design was driver-centric, with the center stack angled towards the driver, creating a tighter front cabin feel. While stylish, the use of piano black plastic on the dashboard and center console attracted dust. The Envision came with LED headlights, taillights, and daytime running lights, along with a welcome lighting animation. It rode on 18- or 20-inch wheels, depending on the trim level, all wrapped in standard all-season tires.

Volkswagen's 2022 Atlas Cross Sport was a sportier, more upscale version of the standard seven-passenger Atlas, achieved by removing the third row, lowering the roofline by 2.3 inches, and shortening the SUV by 5.2 inches. Despite these changes, the wheelbase remained the same, ensuring a roomy interior for five people. The SEL Premium R-Line trim, with its 21-inch machined-finish wheels, emphasized the Cross Sport's bold and broad-shouldered stance. However, other wheel choices were less appealing, with the base SE trim's 18-inch wheels looking too small for the vehicle's size.

The Atlas Cross Sport offered six paint colors, with some requiring an extra cost. The test vehicle's Pure Gray exterior paired with a Dark Burgundy over Titan Black interior looked fantastic. The interior, though spacious and comfortable, was marred by hard, glossy plastic that dulled the impression of quality. The numerous storage areas lacked rubber or fabric linings, leading to potential rattles and scraping noises. Despite these drawbacks, the Atlas Cross Sport's overall appearance and functionality were impressive.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This was a downgrade from the previous model's 252 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Despite shedding 200 to 300 pounds, the Envision's performance was more about comfortable cruising than sporty driving. The front-wheel drive (FWD) was standard, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available. The FWD models achieved an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined, while AWD versions fared slightly worse. The Envision's drivability was more akin to a Lincoln, providing a comfortable ride but lacking in sporty dynamics.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport offered two engine options: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.6-liter V6 with 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The V6, which did not require premium fuel, also had a higher towing capacity of 5,000 pounds compared to the turbo-four's 2,000 pounds. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with FWD standard and VW's 4Motion AWD system available. The V6 engine felt more energetic in the two-row Cross Sport, despite its aging design and occasional lack of refinement. The ride quality varied, with the suspension feeling too firm at lower speeds and too soft at higher speeds. The Atlas Cross Sport excelled in highway driving, where the ride quality was more agreeable.

The 2021 Buick Envision's redesign resulted in less headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row, and rear-seat passengers lost two inches of legroom and nearly six inches of hip room. Despite these reductions, Buick calculated nearly identical passenger volumes for the 2020 and 2021 models. The Envision's cargo space was also reduced, with 25.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The driver-centric cockpit limited the front passenger's access to climate controls and the infotainment screen. Small-item storage was typical for the segment, and the Envision offered standard heated front seats, eight-way power-adjustable seats, and a heated steering wheel.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport shared its wheelbase and track width with the larger seven-passenger model, resulting in an exceptionally roomy interior. The test vehicle featured 10-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-zone automatic climate control system. A panoramic sunroof added to the spacious feel, and rear side-window sunshades protected passengers from sunlight. The Atlas Cross Sport's cargo area was generous, with deep wells for additional storage. Despite the shorter length and lower roofline, the cargo space was ample for full-size suitcases and other items.

The 2021 Buick Envision's tech highlight was the standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which was responsive and displayed necessary functionalities clearly. The driver could use the available 8.0-inch driver information display to scroll through channels more efficiently than the infotainment screen. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, rearview camera, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. Available features included navigation, driver massage, HD Radio, surround-view camera, HUD, and wireless device charging.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SE came with Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, featuring an 8-inch display and a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and two USB-C ports. Higher trims had a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit, an 8-inch touchscreen with proximity sensing, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM with 360L, wireless smartphone charging, and more USB ports. The upgraded infotainment system offered access to Car-Net connected service subscription plans, providing features like remote start, emergency assistance, WiFi hotspot, and natural voice recognition. The SEL Premium R-Line test vehicle had a 12-speaker Fender premium sound system, which was highly praised.

The 2021 Buick Envision had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included Buckle to Drive, forward-collision alert, front and rear park assist, lane change alert with blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, rear-seat alert, automatic emergency braking, and teen-driver monitoring. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist were available on Avenir models.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and an automatic post-collision braking system as standard. Higher trims added adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, low-speed automatic braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and IQ Drive. IQ Drive featured Travel Assist and Emergency Assist. The SEL Premium R-Line test vehicle included a semi-autonomous Parking Steering Assistant system and an Area View 360-degree surround-view camera system. The Atlas Cross Sport received favorable crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA.