Compare the2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2026 Audi Q8

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Atlas Cross Sport are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q8 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Q8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Atlas Cross Sport is much safer than the Q8:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Audi Q8:

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

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 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 Q8 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Atlas Cross Sport’s warranty.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Q8’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 44 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Audi.

On the EPA test cycle the Atlas Cross Sport gets better mileage than the Q8:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q8 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Atlas Cross Sport stops much shorter than the Q8:

For better maneuverability, the Atlas Cross Sport’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the Q8’s (40 feet vs. 43.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Atlas Cross Sport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Q8 (6.3 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Atlas Cross Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 800 pounds less than the Audi Q8.

The design of the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport amounts to more than styling. The Atlas Cross Sport has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Q8 (.39). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Atlas Cross Sport get better fuel mileage.

The Atlas Cross Sport has 2.3 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q8.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q8 with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 30.5 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q8 with its rear seat folded (77.6 vs. 60.7 cubic feet).

Standard trailer stability control on the Atlas Cross Sport uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q8 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Q8’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Q8.

The Atlas Cross Sport offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q8 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Atlas Cross Sport is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q8 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport outsold the Audi Q8/SQ8/RS Q8 by almost four to one during 2024.