Volkswagen Atlas vs. Ford Explorer
When looking for your next family-friendly SUV for your Avon, Indianapolis, or Plainfield, IN drives, odds are you've come across the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas and the 2023 Ford Explorer. These innovative rides have all the style, power, and state-of-the-art features you've been searching for.
While it's great to have superior options, you essentially must choose just one. That's why our team at Andy Mohr Volkswagen has come up with this Volkswagen Atlas vs. Ford Explorer vehicle comparison. Let's dive in to find out which model will soon make its new home in your parking spot.
PASSENGER VOLUME
MAX CARGO SPACE
ROOF
If you're thinking of purchasing an SUV for your family, making sure there's enough space for you and your whole gang is important. Luckily, both the VW Atlas and the Ford Explorer provide ample space for your passengers. Each of these sporty utility vehicles offers three rows of seating that can accommodate up to seven riders.
Inside the Volkswagen Atlas, you'll find a generous 154 cubic feet of passenger space. The Explorer, on the other hand, offers more than a full cubic foot less of room for your squad, coming in at 152.7 cubic feet.
The VW Atlas also offers 33.7 inches of legroom for third-row riders, which is quite impressive for its class. It can easily fit adults comfortably in all three of its rows. In comparison, the Explorer follows with 32.2 inches of third-row legroom, so you might want to leave this space for smaller children.
Along with ensuring there's plenty of space for your passengers, cargo volume is also important. You'll need all the room you can get when traveling to the lake, taking a cross-state road trip, or transporting larger items home from the store.
Both vehicles offer easy access to load and unload cargo with their available hands-free tailgates. However, the 2023 VW Atlas allows you to use more of the interior space with a total of 96.8 cubic feet of cargo room when you fold down both back rows. Unfortunately, the 2023 Ford Explorer falls short here with just 87.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
With either SUV, you'll gain a range of technology features that help make things more convenient and enjoyable. Whether you’re in the car for five minutes or five hours, you’ll be able to turn up the music and sing along.
The VW Atlas and the Ford Explorer each have infotainment systems that let you connect to your smartphone and run select apps directly on the vehicle's display.
Both models also come equipped with a Wi-Fi Hotspot, so your kids can stream shows on their devices when you're heading out on a long ride to visit the grandparents. There's no concern about the little ones using your data.
Each vehicle also has an app that offers helpful capabilities as well. With either Volkswagen Car-Net® or FordPass Connect™, you can lock or unlock the doors remotely and locate your vehicle. However, Volkswagen Car-Net® offers a suite of extra features that will assist when you need it most.
It can help you locate an open parking spot, which is extremely useful when heading into the city for an appointment or dinner with friends. This app also allows you to set family alerts, which is handy if you have a teen driver. You can keep tabs on their driving habits and even set boundaries, top speed limits, curfews, and more.
With passenger room, cargo space, and plenty of technology, the inside of the VW Atlas and the Explorer seem perfectly accommodating. However, there are more amenities to be found in both models.
When you glance up in the Ford Explorer, you'll find an available twin-panel moonroof that offers a new point of view for your passengers and natural lighting for the vehicle. Plus, this can be opened to let in fresh air on nice weather days.
However, the VW Atlas takes this one step further. It includes an available panoramic sunroof that spans across all three rows and truly immerses everyone on board in the drive. This can also be slid open, offering a convertible-type feeling when inside the SUV.
Another thing you won't find in the Ford Explorer is Volkswagen 4MOTION® with Active Control —a VW exclusive. This available feature allows you to customize the way you drive, with four different settings, including:
- Snow
- On-Road
- Off-Road
- Off-Road Custom
These modes will make it easy to maintain traction in all sorts of weather and across all types of terrain.
While both the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas and the 2023 Ford Explorer are excellent SUVs, we think the extra space, the convenience, and the high-tech features make the VW Atlas worth a test drive.
To learn more about the 2023 VW Atlas, drivers in Avon, Indianapolis, or Plainfield, IN can contact us at Andy Mohr Volkswagen today!
All of the tools you need to move forward with experiencing a new 2023 VW Atlas for yourself are conveniently available right here online.
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