2020 Acura RDX vs 2021 Volkswagen Atlas

The 2020 Acura RDX retained its striking design from the previous year, featuring a beamy, imposing grille and rakish headlights. The large logo within the grille, although comically oversized, fit well within the overall design. The upper character line swooped from the windshield to the rear hatch, intersected by another line that gave the appearance of a large spoiler. Inside, the RDX boasted sharp, precise styling with eye-catching red leather upholstery, creating a strong red-and-black interior aesthetic. Standard features included synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power moonroof, and a 10.2-inch infotainment screen. The A-Spec model added unique 20-inch wheels, ventilated front seats, and a panoramic moonroof, while the Advance Package offered rain-sensing wipers, heated rear seats, and ambient cabin lighting.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas received a styling refresh, including new front and rear bumpers, standard LED headlights and taillights, and a new grille. These changes added 2.4 inches to its length, giving it a more extroverted look. The R-Line trim package added sportier bumpers and side skirts. Despite the cosmetic changes, the Atlas still rode on the same MQB platform. The interior took a minimalist approach, with sensibly laid-out controls and a standard seven-seat configuration. The second-row bench seat was uncomfortable, with thin, flat cushions, but the third row offered more legroom than most competitors. Higher trims featured simulated leather, while the top SEL Premium trim level had real leather upholstery. The Atlas also offered up to 17 cupholders and a tall driving position, although forward visibility was less than optimal.

The 2020 Acura RDX came with a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided solid acceleration and a great engine note. Power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission to either the front wheels or the available Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD). The Integrated Dynamics System allowed drivers to choose between Comfort, Snow, Sport, and Sport-Plus drive modes, affecting throttle response, shift patterns, and steering feel. The A-Spec model with SH-AWD returned an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city, 27 highway, and 24 combined. The RDX offered fantastic handling and remained incredibly comfortable, making it a well-rounded performer.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas offered two engine options: a standard 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.6-liter VR6 rated at 276 hp and 266 lb-ft. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard front-wheel drive or optional 4Motion all-wheel drive. The driving experience with the base 2.0-liter engine and AWD was underwhelming, with adequate acceleration but rough shifts and poor ride quality. The Atlas had an Active Control feature with different drive modes, but it didn't improve on-road handling. VR6 models could tow up to 5,000 pounds, while four-cylinder models were limited to 2,000 pounds. Fuel economy for the four-cylinder models was rated at 22 mpg combined with FWD, while VR6 models were rated at 19 mpg combined with FWD.

The 2020 Acura RDX pushed the limits of what constitutes a "compact" SUV, offering a spacious cabin with comfortable and supportive front seats. The second row also provided great headroom and decent legroom. The front row had space for large water bottles in the doors and center console, while the second row had a fold-down center console with cup holders. The RDX had 29.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 58.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The cargo area was easily accessible, with a helpful cubby and a hidden cargo area beneath the load floor.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas, designed as a family hauler, offered 96.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats and 20.6 cubic feet with all seats up. It provided more third-row legroom than most competitors, but at the expense of second-row legroom, which was the worst among its competitive set. The second-row bench seat was uncomfortable, with thin, flat cushions. Folding and raising the second- and third-row seats was straightforward, and third-row access was easy thanks to a sliding second-row bench. The Atlas featured logically laid-out controls, up to five USB ports, and an optional wireless charging pad. It also offered up to 17 cupholders and a tall driving position, although forward visibility was less than optimal.

The 2020 Acura RDX's infotainment system was a letdown, operated via a touchpad that lacked the logic of similar systems. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, but the touchpad negated their simplicity. Standard tech features included Bluetooth, two USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and a 9-speaker audio system. The Technology Package added two more USB ports, navigation, and Acura's ELS premium audio system. The A-Spec model featured the ELS Studio 3D premium sound system with 16 speakers, while the Advance Package added a 10.5-inch head-up display.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas came with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. The base S trim level had a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, while other models got an 8-inch screen. Higher trims featured Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit, replacing analog gauges with a 10.3-inch reconfigurable digital display. The Atlas was set to receive VW's new MIBIII infotainment system later in the 2021 model year, adding multi-phone pairing capability and improved voice recognition. The base six-speaker audio system sounded decent, with a 12-speaker Fender audio system available on higher trims. New for 2021 was a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot.

The 2020 Acura RDX came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, LATCH child-seat mounting systems, a tire pressure monitoring system, hill-start assist, and a rear-view camera. It also included a full complement of driver-assistance features, such as lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, road-departure mitigation, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Technology Package added front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic monitoring. The Advance Package included a 10.5-inch head-up display, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a washer nozzle for the rear-view camera. The 2019 Acura RDX, mechanically identical to the 2020 model, received a 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas received the top "good" rating in all IIHS crash tests, but with a "marginal" rating for child-seat anchors and mixed headlight ratings. The NHTSA hadn't published ratings for the 2021 Atlas, but the 2020 model received a five-star overall rating. Every 2021 Atlas trim level came with standard automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and a traffic-jam assist feature. Later in the model year, SEL and SEL Premium trims were set to receive Travel Assist and Emergency Assist.