2021 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite its decade-old design, maintained a timeless appeal with its traditional Jeep styling cues, such as the 7-slot grille and trapezoidal fenders. Its balanced appearance made it suitable for both rugged trails and upscale settings, attracting a diverse range of buyers. The Grand Cherokee's pricing started at an MSRP of $46,245 for the Laredo model and went up to $71,045 for the Summit, with high-performance versions like the SRT and Trackhawk reaching even higher price points. The Limited X variant, painted in Slate Blue Pearl, featured a sport-themed design with 20-inch aluminum wheels, but its interior, especially in models priced over $60,000, was criticized for the excessive use of hard plastics.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas received a styling refresh, featuring new front and rear bumpers, standard LED headlights and taillights, and a new grille. These changes added 6 centimetres to its length, giving it a more extroverted look compared to the previous model. The Atlas's interior followed a minimalist approach, with logically laid-out controls and a standard seven-seat configuration. However, the material quality in the mid-level test car was below average, with cheap-feeling plastics and simulated wood and metal trim. Despite these drawbacks, the Atlas offered a spacious interior with more third-row legroom than most competitors, although second-row legroom was lacking.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 295-horsepower, 3.6-litre V6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, delivering satisfying acceleration and a fuel consumption rating of 11.3 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. For those seeking more power, three V8 engines were available, including the 5.7-litre "Hemi" V8 with 360 hp, the 6.4-litre "Hemi" V8 in the SRT with 475 hp, and the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 in the Trackhawk, boasting 707 hp. The Grand Cherokee excelled in off-road capabilities, with the Trailhawk model offering all-terrain tires and skid plates. In Canada, 4WD was standard on all models, with four different 4WD systems available. However, the driving dynamics on pavement were mixed, with impressive grip but excessive suspension movements.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas offered two engine options: a standard 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four producing 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.6-litre VR6 with 276 hp and 266 lb-ft. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4Motion AWD. The driving experience with the base engine was underwhelming, with adequate acceleration but rough shifts. Handling was truck-like, and the ride quality was poor, with every pavement imperfection felt in the cabin. The Atlas's AWD system included an Active Control feature with different drive modes, but it lacked a 4WD system with low range. VR6 models had a towing capacity of 2,267 kilograms, while four-cylinder models were limited to 900 kilograms.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered seating for five and cargo space of 1,028 litres behind the backseat, expanding to 1,934 litres with the backseat folded. The front seats were heated and power-adjustable, but lacked ventilation. The interior provided decent storage, with a handy tray in the centre console and sizable door-panel bins. Backseat passengers enjoyed adequate legroom and rear air conditioning vents.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas, a three-row crossover, provided 2,741 litres of cargo space behind the front seats and 583 litres with all seats up. It offered more third-row legroom than most competitors, but second-row legroom was lacking. The standard second-row bench seat was uncomfortable, with thin cushions. The Atlas featured a tall driving position, with controls logically laid out and within easy reach. It offered up to five USB ports and a wireless charging pad, along with up to 17 cupholders.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, navigation, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. A 4G LTE WiFi data plan was available, and the test vehicle had a 9-speaker Alpine audio system. Unique to Jeep's Uconnect was the Off-Road Pages app, providing information for off-roading excursions.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas included Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. The base trim had a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while other models had an 8-inch screen with satellite radio. Higher trims offered Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit, replacing analog gauges with a 10.3-inch digital display. The Atlas was set to receive the MIBIII infotainment system later in the model year, with improved features. The base audio system was decent, with a 12-speaker Fender audio system available on the Execline trim.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered three collections of advanced driving assistance systems. ProTech I was standard, including a reversing camera, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. ProTech II added forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Advanced ProTech II included adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous parking assist. The Grand Cherokee received a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Marginal rating from the IIHS for driver protection.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas received top "good" ratings in all IIHS crash tests, with mixed headlight ratings. The NHTSA hadn't published ratings for the 2021 model, but the 2020 model received a five-star overall rating. All Atlas trims had standard automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring, with adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist available on higher trims. The Atlas was set to receive more sophisticated driver aids later in the model year.