Compare the2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2023 GMC Acadia

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

Safety

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The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Acadia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and Acadia have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Atlas Cross Sport has Rear Traffic Alert (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Acadia’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive 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 GMC Acadia:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Acadia
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	277	319
Neck Injury Risk	39%	43%
Neck Stress	129 lbs.	203 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 GMC Acadia:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Acadia
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	48	125
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	64 lbs.	156 lbs.
Hip Force	215 lbs.	243 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	276
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	529 lbs.	799 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	309	381
Hip Force	594 lbs.	760 lbs.

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

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Acadia is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

The Atlas Cross Sport comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Acadia’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas Cross Sport for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Acadia.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Acadia’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 41 more horsepower (269 vs. 228) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 258) than the Acadia’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 271) than the Acadia’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Atlas Cross Sport FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Acadia 3.6 DOHC V6 FWD (20 city/27 hwy vs. 19 city/27 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Acadia with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Acadia. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Atlas Cross Sport’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Acadia
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	12.6 inches

The Atlas Cross Sport stops shorter than the Acadia:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Acadia
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Acadia (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R18). The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Acadia (265/45R21 vs. 255/65R17).

The Atlas Cross Sport SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia SLE/SLT’s standard 65 series tires. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Acadia’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Atlas Cross Sport SE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Acadia.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 4.8 inches longer than on the Acadia (117.3 inches vs. 112.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Acadia.

Passenger Space

The Atlas Cross Sport has .7 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear legroom, 5.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Acadia.

Cargo Capacity

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume than the Acadia with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 12.8 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Atlas Cross Sport. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Acadia’s (2000 vs. 1000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the GMC Acadia is only 4000 pounds. The Atlas Cross Sport offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard trailer stability control on the Atlas Cross Sport uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Acadia doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Atlas Cross Sport’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Atlas Cross Sport the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Acadia doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Atlas Cross Sport’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Atlas Cross Sport offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Atlas Cross Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Acadia.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Acadia.

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 Acadia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the GMC Acadia by 44% during 2023.

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