Battle Of The Suvs: Ford Explorer Vs Volkswagen Atlas – Which One Wins?
What To Know
- The Ford Explorer gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway with the four-cylinder engine.
- The Volkswagen Atlas offers a few more standard features than the Ford Explorer, including a power liftgate, a heated steering wheel, and a rearview camera.
- If you’re looking for a vehicle with good fuel efficiency and a long list of standard features, the Volkswagen Atlas is the better choice.
The Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas are two of the most popular three-row SUVs on the market. Both vehicles offer spacious interiors, plenty of features, and capable performance. But which one is the right choice for you?
In this blog post, we’ll compare the Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas head-to-head in several key categories, including:
- Price
- Performance
- Fuel efficiency
- Interior space
- Features
- Safety
We’ll also provide our recommendations for which vehicle is the best choice for different types of buyers.
Price
The Ford Explorer has a starting price of $33,250, while the Volkswagen Atlas starts at $32,565. However, the Atlas offers more standard features than the Explorer, so the price difference is negligible.
Performance
The Ford Explorer is available with two engine options: a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine that produces 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Volkswagen Atlas is available with a single engine option: a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque.
In terms of performance, the Ford Explorer has a clear advantage over the Volkswagen Atlas. The Explorer’s more powerful engines provide quicker acceleration and better towing and hauling capabilities.
Fuel Efficiency
The Ford Explorer gets an EPA-estimated 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway with the four-cylinder engine. With the V6 engine, the Explorer gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The Volkswagen Atlas gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.
Overall, the Volkswagen Atlas has a slight edge over the Ford Explorer in terms of fuel efficiency.
Interior Space
The Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas offer similar amounts of interior space. Both vehicles have three rows of seats that can accommodate up to seven passengers. The Explorer has a slightly larger cargo area than the Atlas, with 18.2 cubic feet of space behind the third row of seats and 87.8 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down. The Atlas has 17.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats and 96.8 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down.
Features
The Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas offer a wide range of features, including:
- Infotainment systems with touchscreen displays
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Navigation systems
- Panoramic sunroofs
- Heated and cooled seats
- Leather upholstery
The Volkswagen Atlas offers a few more standard features than the Ford Explorer, including a power liftgate, a heated steering wheel, and a rearview camera.
Safety
The Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas have both received good safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Explorer comes standard with a variety of safety features, including:
- Automatic emergency braking
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
The Atlas comes standard with similar safety features, as well as a few more, including:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Traffic sign recognition
- Park assist
Which Vehicle Is Right for You?
The Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas are both excellent choices for families who need a spacious and versatile SUV. However, there are a few key differences between the two vehicles that may make one a better choice for you than the other.
If you’re looking for a vehicle with powerful performance and good towing and hauling capabilities, the Ford Explorer is the better choice. If you’re looking for a vehicle with good fuel efficiency and a long list of standard features, the Volkswagen Atlas is the better choice.
Key Points
Ultimately, the best way to decide which vehicle is right for you is to test drive both the Ford Explorer and Volkswagen Atlas. That way, you can see which vehicle feels more comfortable and which one has the features that are most important to you.
Information You Need to Know
Q: Which vehicle has a more powerful engine?
A: The Ford Explorer has a more powerful engine than the Volkswagen Atlas. The Explorer’s V6 engine produces 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, while the Atlas’s V6 engine produces 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque.
Q: Which vehicle gets better fuel efficiency?
A: The Volkswagen Atlas gets better fuel efficiency than the Ford Explorer. The Atlas gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, while the Explorer gets an EPA-estimated 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Q: Which vehicle has more cargo space?
A: The Volkswagen Atlas has more cargo space than the Ford Explorer. The Atlas has 17.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats and 96.8 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down. The Explorer has 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats and 87.8 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows folded down.
