Compare the2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2023 Audi Q3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Atlas Cross Sport offers optional Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Q3 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Q3
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	307	326
Neck Injury Risk	30%	39%
Leg Forces (l/r)	67/229 lbs.	235/363 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	277	346
Neck Stress	129 lbs.	186 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	297/97 lbs.	261/249 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Audi Q3:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Q3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	48	88
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	64 lbs.	95 lbs.
Hip Force	215 lbs.	333 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	529 lbs.	632 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
HIC	309	504
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	47 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Q3:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Q3
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	42	190
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.06 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.22 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis Force	1205 lbs.	1406 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	163	329
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.43 in	2.01 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.54 in	1.73 in
Torso Deflection Rate	10 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1049 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas Cross Sport for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q3.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Atlas Cross Sport’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 15 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

Engine

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (235 vs. 228) than the Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Atlas Cross Sport’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 48 more horsepower (276 vs. 228) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 258) than the Q3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is faster than the Audi Q3:

	Atlas Cross Sport turbo 4 cyl.	Atlas Cross Sport V6	Q3
Zero to 60 MPH	8.1 sec	7.9 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	16 sec	16.5 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

The Atlas Cross Sport has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q3 (18.6 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

The Atlas Cross Sport stops shorter than the Q3:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Q3
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Q3 (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R18). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q3 (265/45R21 vs. 255/45R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line has standard 21-inch wheels. The Q3’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 11.8 inches longer than on the Q3 (117.3 inches vs. 105.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is 4.8 inches wider in the front and 5.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Q3.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL 4Motion handles at .81 G’s, while the Q3 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Q3 (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Atlas Cross Sport 2.0T has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Q3 (7.1 vs. 5.5 inches), allowing the Atlas Cross Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Atlas Cross Sport V6’s minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the Q3 (7.5 vs. 5.5 inches).

Passenger Space

The Atlas Cross Sport has 28.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Q3 (112.1 vs. 84).

The Atlas Cross Sport has 1.7 inches more front legroom, 4.8 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 4.3 inches more rear legroom and 5.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q3.

Cargo Capacity

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q3 with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 23.7 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q3 with its rear seat folded (77.8 vs. 48 cubic feet).

Towing

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q3’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Audi Q3 is only 1500 pounds. The Atlas Cross Sport offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Atlas Cross Sport offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Q3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Q3’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Q3 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Atlas Cross Sport’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Q3 Premium Plus’ cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Atlas Cross Sport to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q3 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Atlas Cross Sport SEL is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Q3’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Q3 have standard heated front seats. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q3.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Atlas Cross Sport SEL’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Q3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Atlas Cross Sport offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Q3 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Atlas Cross Sport is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q3 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Audi Q3 isn't recommended.

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Audi Q3 by over three to one during the 2022 model year.