Compare the2025 Mazda CX-50VS 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Mazda CX-50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Atlas Cross Sport.

The CX-50’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 CX-50 and the Atlas Cross Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 Mazda CX-50 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Atlas Cross Sport is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-50 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Atlas Cross Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Atlas Cross Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The CX-50’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-50’s reliability 37 points higher than the Atlas Cross Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 9 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 20 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-50 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 gets better mileage than the Atlas Cross Sport:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-50 (except Turbo/Hybrid)’s fuel efficiency. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda CX-50 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (3). This means the CX-50 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas Cross Sport every 15,000 miles.

The CX-50 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CX-50 stops shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport:

The CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus 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 CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion (26.8 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-50 Hybrid’s turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (35.4 feet vs. 40 feet). The CX-50’s turning circle is 4 feet tighter than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (36 feet vs. 40 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 Hybrid Preferred has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas Cross Sport (7.6 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 2.5 S Premium Plus’ minimum ground clearance is 2.3 inches higher than on the Atlas Cross Sport (8.6 vs. 6.3 inches).

The Mazda CX-50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 450 pounds less than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

The CX-50 is 9.7 inches shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion, making the CX-50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-50 is 5.4 inches narrower than the Atlas Cross Sport, making the CX-50 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 CX-50 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.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-50’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Atlas Cross Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The CX-50’s optional 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 CX-50 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CX-50 will retain 53.88% to 56.04% of its original price after five years, while the Atlas Cross Sport only retains 50.68% to 52.68%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-50 will be $7287 to $9544 less than for the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-50, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport isn't recommended.