Compare the2025 Audi Q7VS 2025 Volkswagen Atlas

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Audi Q7 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Atlas doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Q7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Atlas doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q7 and Atlas have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Atlas’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Audi Q7 achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Volkswagen Atlas has not been tested.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q7. But it costs extra on the Atlas.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q7 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Atlas doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Q7’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Atlas doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Q7 and the Atlas have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi Q7 is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Q7	Atlas
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	99	307
Neck Injury Risk	25%	30%
Neck Stress	186 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	37 lbs.	59 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	61/46 lbs.	67/229 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	102	277
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	118 lbs.	129 lbs.
Neck Compression	38 lbs.	117 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	46/29 lbs.	297/97 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Q7 is much safer than the Atlas:

	Q7	Atlas
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Leg Forces L/R	315/202 pounds	337/517 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	MARGINAL
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q7 is safer than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Q7	Atlas
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	557 lbs.	800 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Audi Q7 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Atlas is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Q7’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Atlas’ (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q7’s reliability 39 points higher than the Atlas.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 11 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Engine

The Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 66 more horsepower (335 vs. 269) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the Atlas’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Q7 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid is faster than the Volkswagen Atlas:

	Q7	Atlas
Zero to 30 MPH	3 sec	3.2 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7 sec	7.7 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.8 sec	5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	92 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q7 gets better mileage than the Atlas:

			MPG
Q7
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	20 city/26 hwy
Atlas
	AWD	SE 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	19 city/26 hwy
		SEL 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	18 city/25 hwy
		Peak Edition 2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	18 city/25 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Q7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Atlas doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Q7 has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Atlas (22.5 vs. 18.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Atlas:

	Q7 45 TFSI	Q7 55 TFSI	Atlas
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	14.8 inches	13.2 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.8 inches	12.2 inches

The Q7 stops much shorter than the Atlas:

	Q7	Atlas
70 to 0 MPH	160 feet	174 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q7 has larger standard tires than the Atlas (255/55R19 vs. 245/60R18). The Q7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Atlas (285/45R20 vs. 265/45R21).

The Q7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Atlas SE/Peak Edition’s standard 60 series tires. The Q7’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Atlas SEL Premium R-Line’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q7 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Atlas SE/Peak Edition.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Q7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Atlas doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Q7 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Q7 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Atlas’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q7 Prestige handles at .86 G’s, while the Atlas 4Motion pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q7 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Atlas SEL 4Motion (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q7 has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Atlas (8.3 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Q7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q7 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 3.4 inches higher than on the Atlas (9.7 vs. 6.3 inches).

Cargo Capacity

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Q7’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Atlas doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Volkswagen Atlas is limited to 5000 pounds. The Q7 offers up to a 7716 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Q7 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Atlas. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Atlas SEL, the Q7 Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Q7’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Atlas doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Atlas’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Atlas doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Q7 has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Atlas doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Atlas doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Q7’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Atlas has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Audi Q7 has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Atlas SEL Premium.

The Audi Q7 has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the infotainment. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Volkswagen charges extra for Homelink® on the Atlas.

The Q7 55 TFSI Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Atlas SEL Premium R-Line’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q7 is less expensive to operate than the Atlas because typical repairs cost much less on the Q7 than the Atlas, including $386 less for a water pump and $588 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volkswagen Atlas isn't recommended.

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