2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vs 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

Launched for the 2020 model year, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a two-row, five-seat version of the Volkswagen Atlas family crossover, itself a fairly new model, having launched for the 2018 model year.

The two-row midsize crossover segment is experiencing a resurgence, with newer models like the Cross Sport, Toyota Venza, Honda Passport, and Chevrolet Blazer joining the aging Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. VW also named the Jeep Grand Cherokee as a competitor to the Cross Sport, but the Jeep is a more traditional SUV.

Typically for a model entering its sophomore year, the Cross Sport doesn’t get many updates for 2021. The only change is VW’s new MIB3 infotainment system for most trim levels, and two new driver-assist features: Travel Assist and Emergency Assist.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is available in four trim levels: Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, and Execline. In Canada, 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard while front-wheel drive (FWD) is not offered. The option to choose between the four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines is available on all trims but the base model. Our test car was a U.S. model, the approximate Canadian equivalent being the Execline grade with the six-cylinder engine.

The “Dieselgate” emissions scandal forced Volkswagen to double down on electric cars, and now we’re finally seeing the first result of that: the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover.

VW has made an electric car before, but its last attempt, the e-Golf, was built to satisfy emissions standards, not rack up sales. It was barely advertised, and it was sold only in certain locations. With the ID.4, it will launch in the three largest Canadian EV markets—British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario—and will even be built in North America, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, starting in 2022. Volkswagen views the ID.4 as a rival not to other EVs, but to mainstream gasoline vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Being late to the party means there are already several other EVs trying to coax new-car buyers away from internal combustion, however. If you want a reasonably priced EV, the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Kia Niro EV already exist, and General Motors has the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV—a new variant of the Chevy Bolt EV with a crossover body style similar to the Volkswagen.

Our test car was an ID.4 1st Edition, a U.S.-only model released to commemorates the car’s launch. Its closest Canadian equivalent is the ID.4 RWD Pro with the Statement Package.