Compare the2024 Genesis GV70VS 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The GV70’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the GV70 and Atlas Cross Sport have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The GV70 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 Genesis GV70 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GV70 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the GV70 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The GV70’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Atlas Cross Sport’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GV70. But it costs extra on the Atlas Cross Sport.

The GV70’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 GV70 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The GV70 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The Atlas Cross Sport’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the GV70 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Atlas Cross Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Atlas Cross Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The GV70’s 7 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Atlas Cross Sport runs out after 100,000 miles.

Genesis pays for scheduled maintenance on the GV70 for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Atlas Cross Sport (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis above average in initial quality. With 73 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 62 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 9 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The GV70’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 31 more horsepower (300 vs. 269) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The GV70’s optional 3.5 turbo V6 produces 106 more horsepower (375 vs. 269) and 118 lbs.-ft. more torque (391 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Genesis GV70 is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

On the EPA test cycle the GV70 gets better mileage than the Atlas Cross Sport:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Genesis GV70 higher (5 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (3). This means the GV70 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas Cross Sport every 15,000 miles.

The GV70’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.

For better stopping power the GV70’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Atlas Cross Sport:

The GV70 stops shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport:

The GV70’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Atlas Cross Sport SE’s standard 60 series tires. The GV70 Sport’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GV70 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SE.

The GV70 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 GV70 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 GV70’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (56% to 44%). This gives the GV70 more stable handling and braking.

The GV70 Advanced handles at .84 G’s, while the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GV70 Sport Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion (26.4 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GV70’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (37.7 feet vs. 40 feet).

For greater off-road capability the GV70 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas Cross Sport (7.3 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the GV70 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The GV70 is 9.9 inches shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion, making the GV70 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Genesis GV70 amounts to more than styling. The GV70 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Atlas Cross Sport (.34 to .36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GV70 get better fuel mileage.

The GV70 has .2 inches more front headroom and 1.3 inches more rear headroom than the Atlas Cross Sport.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the GV70’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The GV70’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds).

The engine in the GV70 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 GV70 Select/Advanced/Sport/3.5T’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GV70 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Atlas Cross Sport only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The GV70’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 GV70 Sport Prestige/3.5T has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Atlas Cross Sport.

The GV70 Sport Advanced/Sport Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GV70 third among compact premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Atlas Cross Sport isn’t in the top three.

The GV70 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 2023. The Atlas Cross Sport has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the GV70 as their 2022 Sport Utility of the Year. The Atlas Cross Sport has never been chosen.