2025 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E retained its distinctive and sharp styling, with an aggressive front fascia and a sloping profile that maintained the Mustang's iconic tri-bar tail lights. The lamps were refreshed to match the signature lighting of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang, while other updates focused on individual trims. The new Rally trim emerged as the top-of-the-line model, featuring unique styling cues such as LED fog lamps integrated into the grille, a black roof, and a unique front splitter and rear spoiler painted in Dark Carbonized Grey. The Rally trim's Oxford White 19-inch wheels were particularly eye-catching, reflecting a design inspired by rally racing. The GT trim offered 20-inch wheels with various finishes, including a new Bronze Appearance Package exclusive to the GT, which added Sinister Bronze paint to the wheels and adjusted the badges and front grille shield. Inside, the Mach-E's minimalist dash featured a large touchscreen and Ford Performance front seats, now standard on the GT and Rally trims, with Oxford White plastic trim on the Rally seats for a futuristic look.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas was available in four trim levels in Canada: Comfortline, Peak Edition, Highline, and Execline. The Atlas Peak Edition had an off-road appearance, while the Execline was sporty with the most standard equipment. The Atlas Cross Sport, a five-passenger version, offered a more rakish design but was otherwise similar to the three-row Atlas. The Execline model, tested in Mountain Lake Blue with a Shetland Beige leather interior, showcased polished aluminum detailing, front and rear light bars, and sizable 21-inch wheels with a machined finish. The Atlas's chiseled, muscular appearance aged well, and the Mountain Lake Blue colour resisted looking dirty. Inside, the Atlas featured diamond-stitched leather, metallic accents, and artificial wood, creating a warm and inviting environment. The digital instrumentation and large infotainment touchscreen promised a high-tech experience, although the touch-sensing controls for temperature and stereo volume were less satisfying to use, especially in winter conditions.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E maintained a firm ride quality, even with the revised GT trim. The MagneRide damping system, now standard on the GT, allowed for more adjustment by drive mode, but the Mach-E still prioritized a sports-car-first approach. The steering was sporty, stiff, and tight, appealing to those seeking a sports-oriented experience. The GT Performance Upgrade package, priced at $1,295, increased torque output to 700 lb-ft while maintaining 480 horsepower, resulting in a 0-96 km/h time of 3.3 seconds and an 11.8-second quarter mile. This upgrade could be added later, offering flexibility for buyers. The Mach-E GT and Rally trims featured standard Ford Performance features, including Brembo front brake calipers and a unique suspension tuning for the Rally trim, which also had a 2.5-centimetre lift for off-road use. The Mach-E's range varied by trim, with the base model offering 402 kilometres, the Premium trim with extended-range battery reaching 515 kilometres, and the GT and Rally trims providing 451 and 426 kilometres, respectively. Ford improved the DC fast-charging experience, reducing the time to charge from 10 to 80% by about 20%.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas transitioned to a new turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous V6 and offering 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Despite initial concerns, the engine proved refined and satisfying for daily driving tasks, especially when using Sport mode. The Atlas's fuel economy was tested at 15.2 litres per 100 kilometres in urban conditions and 12.3 L/100 km over a 110+ kilometre route. The ride quality was less impressive, with the suspension feeling brittle over smaller road surface anomalies and excessive body motions at highway speeds. However, the Atlas's handling was predictable on mountain roads, with the tires being the weakest link. The brakes resisted rumble and fade, and the Sport mode added heft to the steering. Despite the ride quality issues, the Atlas's handling remained predictable and trustworthy.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E excelled in interior space, offering 965 litres of cargo space, with 841 litres behind the rear seats and a drainable frunk for additional storage. Folding the rear seats expanded the cargo space to 1,690 litres. The driver and front passenger enjoyed 988 millimetres of headroom, while back-seat passengers had 970 mm without the panoramic glass roof, increasing to 1,026 mm and 998 mm with it. Legroom measured 1,100 mm in the front and 968 mm in the rear. The driver's seat was power-adjustable in every Mach-E, with eight-way adjustability for the base trim and 10-way for the others. ActiveX seating surfaces were standard, with Miko inserts and performance-inspired perforation adding a premium feel. Heated front seats were available on the base trim and standard on the others.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas shone in form and function, offering a comfortable third-row seat and a cavernous cargo area. The Execline model featured heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, although the leather felt slightly stiff. Outward visibility was excellent, aided by large side mirrors and a surround-view camera system. The second-row bench seat accommodated three adults comfortably, with ample leg-, foot-, and headroom. The third-row seat provided adequate leg support and easy access, with generous clearance between the roof pillar and second-row seat. Storage space was commendable in all three rows, with practical and well-sized compartments. The Atlas offered 583 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 1,571 litres with the third row folded and 2,735 litres with the second row down.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E came standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, featuring the latest version 4A of Ford’s SYNC infotainment software. The 15.5-inch, portrait-oriented touchscreen housed climate and temperature controls, with a single hard control for stereo volume and power. The Mach-E included Ford’s Intelligent Range system, a cloud-based feature that kept range estimates accurate by considering various factors. However, the user experience could be improved, particularly with navigation and full-screen interfaces.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas used VW Group’s MIB3 operating system, accessible through a 12-inch touchscreen display. The lack of traditional controls made the system less user-friendly, with touch-sensing temperature buttons and a touch-and-slide volume control. The native digital voice assistant was unreliable, making tasks like tuning the radio difficult. However, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto provided a more satisfying experience, with a conversational digital voice assistant and music streaming. The Atlas Execline’s Harman Kardon audio system was impressive, but the MIB3 system's glitches and lack of intuitive controls detracted from the overall experience.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured BlueCruise 1.3, Ford’s hands-free highway-driving assist software, available on all trims. A 90-day trial was included, with the option to purchase a subscription later. The Mach-E also came with a 360-degree camera and the Ford CoPilot 360 suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies, including blind-spot information, pre-collision assist, and adaptive cruise control. The 2023 Mach-E earned a Top Safety Pick Award from the IIHS, with the 2024 model receiving similar ratings. The NHTSA awarded five-star ratings in side crash and rollover testing.

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas included standard driver assistance features under the IQ.Drive umbrella, such as Front Assist, Side Assist, Lane Assist, Emergency Assist, and Travel Assist. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and a rear cross-traffic alert system were also standard. The Atlas earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and was a 2024 IIHS Top Safety Pick, although updated ratings for 2025 were not available.