Compare the2025 Audi new Q5VS 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Both the new Q5 and Atlas Cross Sport have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new Q5 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Atlas Cross Sport’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The new Q5 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the new Q5. But it costs extra on the Atlas Cross Sport.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new Q5 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Audi new Q5 offers an optional Top View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

The new Q5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the new Q5 and the Atlas Cross Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The new Q5’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 11 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The new Q5’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the new Q5 gets better mileage than the Atlas Cross Sport:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi new Q5 higher (6 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (4). This means the new Q5 produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas Cross Sport every 15,000 miles.

The new Q5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The new Q5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer launch control.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the new Q5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The new Q5 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Atlas Cross Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The new Q5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Atlas Cross Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The new Q5 Prestige has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new Q5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the new Q5’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (38.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

The new Q5 is 9.9 inches shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport, making the new Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The engine in the new Q5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Atlas Cross Sport. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The new Q5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The new Q5’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Atlas Cross Sport has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Audi new Q5 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line.

The Audi new Q5 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Volkswagen charges extra for Homelink® on the Atlas Cross Sport.

The new Q5’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport by 49% during 2024.