Compare the2025 Audi A6 AllroadVS 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A6 Allroad 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 A6 Allroad’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 A6 Allroad and Atlas Cross Sport have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 Allroad 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 Audi A6 Allroad 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 A6 Allroad. But it costs extra on the Atlas Cross Sport.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the A6 Allroad Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the A6 Allroad 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

	A6 Allroad	Atlas Cross Sport
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	197	307
Neck Injury Risk	30%	30%
Neck Stress	322 lbs.	412 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	98 lbs.	117 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 Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

	A6 Allroad	Atlas Cross Sport
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	135	208
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	514 lbs.	594 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the A6 Allroad, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 6.2% to 8% less likely to roll over than the Atlas Cross Sport, which received a four-star rating.

Warranty

The A6 Allroad’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

Reliability

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 A6 Allroad’s reliability 22 points higher than the Atlas Cross Sport.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 8 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 66 more horsepower (335 vs. 269) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi A6 Allroad is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

	A6 Allroad	Atlas Cross Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.7 sec	15.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102.8 MPH	90 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 Allroad gets better mileage than the Atlas Cross Sport:

			MPG
A6 Allroad
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	22 city/30 hwy
Atlas Cross Sport
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/26 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A6 Allroad’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi A6 Allroad higher (4 out of 10) than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport (3). This means the A6 Allroad produces up to 11.3 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Atlas Cross Sport every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The A6 Allroad offers a standard 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 A6 Allroad’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.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6 Allroad’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Atlas Cross Sport:

	A6 Allroad	Atlas Cross Sport
Front Rotors	14.7 inches	13.2 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.2 inches

The A6 Allroad stops shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport:

	A6 Allroad	Atlas Cross Sport
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The A6 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Atlas Cross Sport SE’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 Allroad has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SE.

Suspension and Handling

The A6 Allroad 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 front and rear suspension of the A6 Allroad uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Atlas Cross Sport, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The A6 Allroad has a standard 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. The Atlas Cross Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The A6 Allroad has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The A6 Allroad’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.

The A6 Allroad Prestige handles at .82 G’s, while the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 Allroad Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion (26.5 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the A6 Allroad Prestige has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas Cross Sport (7.3 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the A6 Allroad to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The A6 Allroad is 9.2 inches shorter in height than the Atlas Cross Sport, making the A6 Allroad much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The design of the Audi A6 Allroad amounts to more than styling. The A6 Allroad has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly 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 A6 Allroad get better fuel mileage.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the A6 Allroad’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the A6 Allroad 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.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Atlas Cross Sport SEL, the A6 Allroad Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The A6 Allroad’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.

The A6 Allroad Prestige 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Allroad has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A6 Allroad’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 A6 Allroad 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 A6 Allroad Prestige 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 Audi A6 Allroad 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 A6 Allroad Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus 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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi A6 Allroad, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport isn't recommended.

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