Compare the2025 Mazda CX-70VS 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-70 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-70 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.

With its standard Smart Brake Support, the Mazda CX-70 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-70. But it costs extra on the Atlas Cross Sport.

The CX-70’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-70 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, 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-70 weighs 518 to 1027 pounds more than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-70 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-70’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

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-70’s standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 11 more horsepower (280 vs. 269) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-70 PHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 54 more horsepower (323 vs. 269) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the Atlas Cross Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 71 more horsepower (340 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 CX-70 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-70 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Atlas Cross Sport:

The CX-70 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Atlas Cross Sport can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-70’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CX-70 Turbo S’ standard fuel tank has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Atlas Cross Sport (19.6 vs. 18.6 gallons).

For better stopping power the CX-70 Turbo S/PHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Atlas Cross Sport:

The CX-70 stops shorter than the Atlas Cross Sport:

For better traction, the CX-70 has larger standard tires than the Atlas Cross Sport (265/55R19 vs. 245/60R18). The CX-70 Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Atlas Cross Sport (275/45R21 vs. 265/45R21).

The CX-70’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.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-70 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SE.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-70’s wheelbase is 5.5 inches longer than on the Atlas Cross Sport (122.8 inches vs. 117.3 inches).

The CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus handles at .80 G’s, while the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-70 PHEV Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion (26.9 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-70’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Atlas Cross Sport’s (38.1 feet vs. 40 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-70 has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas Cross Sport (8 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the CX-70 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-70 Turbo S/PHEV’s minimum ground clearance is 1.8 inches higher than on the Atlas Cross Sport (8.1 vs. 6.3 inches).

The CX-70 has 29.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Atlas Cross Sport (141.6 vs. 111.9).

The CX-70 has .3 inches more front headroom and 1.5 inches more rear headroom than the Atlas Cross Sport.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the CX-70’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Atlas Cross Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The engine in the CX-70 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 CX-70 Premium’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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-70 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 CX-70 Premium’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.