Volkswagen Atlas vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

The 2025 Atlas is Volkswagen’s midsize, three-row crossover SUV. It debuted for the 2018 model year, designed specifically for Americans and manufactured in VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant. Over the years, it has received numerous updates to keep it fresh and technologically competitive, most recently for 2024, when styling, powertrain, and tech upgrades were introduced. The 2025 Atlas adds standard automatic high-beam headlights and wireless charging in addition to two new color choices.

Verdict: This family-sized SUV has more interior space than most rivals, making the 2025 VW Atlas a great choice if passenger and cargo room are high on your list of requirements. However, unimpressive fuel economy, dissatisfying ride quality, and a sometimes-infuriating infotainment interface could have you mapping out alternatives to an Atlas.

It would appear to be the calendar, not the competition, that has the Ioniq 5 due for a mid-cycle refresh. We liked it when it burst onto the scene as an angular oddball in a sea of soft-lined sameness, and it has only improved over the last few years.

Verdict: Hyundai makes minor but welcome changes and avoids tweaking the many things that were working well, successfully making a good thing better.