Head-to-head
2027 Kia Sportage vs 2027 Volkswagen Atlas
The Kia Sportage wins clearly, 100 to 83.3, on fuel & range.
A
2027 Kia Sportage
The 2027 Kia Sportage is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid, hybrid and gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sport…
vs
A2027 Volkswagen Atlas
The 2027 Volkswagen Atlas is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Atlas, is EPA-rated at 25 mp…
Verdict · default weights
2027 Kia Sportage
Clear winThe Kia Sportage wins clearly, 100 to 83.3, on fuel & range.
Fuel & range 2027 Kia Sportage leads by 38.9
| Category · weight | 2027 Volkswagen Atlasoverall 83.3 | 2027 Kia Sportageoverall 100 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 61.1 | 100 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Performancenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 83.3 | 100 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 2 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Volkswagen Atlas
Volkswagen Atlas: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available) · Kia Sportage: base trim LX FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2027 Kia Sportage wins
- It is rated 41 combined against 25 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $1,050 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,650 against $2,700).
What they share
- A Safety Signal of 100.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
45 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | — | $28,990 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | — | twin turbo |
| Cylinder count | — | 4 |
| Engine displacement | — | 2,497 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | — | 2.5L 4-cylinder gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine |
| Fuel injection system | — | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | — | DOHC |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | — | 187 hp |
| Torque | — | 178 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | — | 25 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 28 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | — | 33 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | — | 3.648 |
| Transmission speeds | — | 8 |
| Transmission type | — | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | — | 7.1 in |
| Overall height | — | 65.4 in |
| Overall length | — | 184 in |
| Overall width | — | 73.4 in |
| Wheelbase | — | 109 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 1st row | — | 69.3 cu-ft |
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | — | 36.6 cu-ft |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | — | 39.6 in |
| Second-row headroom | — | 39.4 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | — | 41.4 in |
| Second-row legroom | — | 41.3 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (minimum) | — | 3,434 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | — | 4,740 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | — | McPherson strut |
| Rear suspension type | — | Multi-Link |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | — | Column Type - Motor Driver Power Steering (MDPS) |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | — | 19.3 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | — | 320 mm |
| Front brake type | — | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | — | epb |
| Rear brake diameter | — | 300 mm |
| Rear brake type | — | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | — | 17 in |
| Wheel material | — | forged alloy |
| Wheel width | — | 7 in |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | — | 235/65R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | — | 14.3 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | — | 57.5 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | — | 55.6 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
126 features · differences first, then sharedSafety37 differ · 37 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance Fusion+ with Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist Detection and Direct Oncoming Detection and Avoidance | — | std |
| Highway Driving Assist (HDA2) | — | std |
| Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go (SCC with S&G) | — | std |
| Blind-spot View Monitor (BVM) | — | std |
| Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA) | — | std |
| Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA) | — | std |
| Dual front advanced airbags | — | std |
| Front seat-mounted side air bags | — | std |
| Full-length side curtain airbags | — | std |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | — | std |
| Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) | — | std |
| Navigation based Smart Cruise Control Curve (NSCC-C) | — | std |
| Parking Collision Avoidance - Reverse (PCA-R) | — | std |
| Rearview camera with dynamic guidelines | — | std |
| Downhill Brake Control (DBC) | — | std |
| Driver Attention Warning (DAW) with Leading Vehicle Departure Alert | — | std |
| Parking Distance Warning - Front and Rear (PDW-F/R) | — | std |
| Parking Distance Warning - Front and Rear (PDW-F/R) | — | std |
| Rear seat-mounted side airbags | — | std |
| Safe Exit Warning (SEW) | — | std |
| Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) | — | std |
| Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) | — | std |
| Blind Spot-Collision Warning (BCW) | — | std |
| Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Hold | — | std |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | — | std |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Fusion+ with Car, Pedestrian, Cyclist Detection and Direct Oncoming Detection and Avoidance | — | std |
| Height adjustable up/down headrests | — | std |
| Height-adjustable front seat-belt anchors | — | std |
| High-Beam Assist (HBA) | — | std |
| Highway Driving Assist (HDA) | — | std |
| Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) | — | std |
| Impact sensing auto door unlock | — | std |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) | — | std |
| Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) | — | std |
| Speed sensing auto door locks | — | std |
| Immobilizer | — | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) High-Line | — | std |
Infotainment12 differ · 12 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 12.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, SAT, HD Radio, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto (ccNC Lite) | — | std |
| 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation with Satellite Radio, Kia Connect, HD Radio, Voice Recognition, Wi-Fi, Map OTA, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (ccNC Navigation) | — | std |
| 6 speakers (including 2 tweeters) | — | std |
| Bluetooth phone and streaming audio hands-free | — | std |
| Center speaker (front x1) | — | std |
| Front USB c-type charging and connection (x1) | — | std |
| Harman Kardon Premium Audio system | — | std |
| Paddle shifters | — | std |
| Rear USB c-type chargers (x2 ports rear console) | — | std |
| Steering wheel mounted audio controls | — | std |
| Subwoofer speaker (front x1) | — | std |
| Wireless phone charging pad with integrated cooling fan | — | std |
Convenience8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Height adjustable Smart power liftgate | — | std |
| Digital Key 2.0 Premium | — | std |
| Smart Key with Push Button Start with burglar alarm and panic function | — | std |
| 12V power outlet (console x1, cargo x1) | — | std |
| Power window with one-touch auto up/down (driver window) | — | std |
| Powered front and rear windows | — | std |
| Driver and Passenger's central door lock | — | std |
| Power windows with front one-touch auto up/down and safety | — | std |
Climate3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd row air vents | — | std |
| Dual-zone full automatic temperature control (FATC) | — | std |
| Automatic defog system | — | std |
Seating11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 10-way power adjustable driver's seat with 2-way lumbar support | — | std |
| Heated front seats | — | std |
| SynTex premium artificial leather seating | — | std |
| 2-position Integrated Memory System (IMS) for driver's seat and outside mirrors | — | std |
| 6-way manual adjustable driver's seat | — | std |
| 10-way power adjustable driver's seat with 2-way lumbar support | — | std |
| 4-way manual adjustable front passenger seat | — | std |
| Cloth seating | — | std |
| Front passenger seatback pockets | — | std |
| Rear 60:40 folding with recline | — | std |
| Rear center padded armrest with cup holders | — | std |
Interior15 differ · 15 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Day and night rear-view mirror | — | std |
| Door pocket bottle holder | — | std |
| Extendable sunvisor | — | std |
| Hydrographic wood center fascia | — | std |
| Leather wrapped steering wheel | — | std |
| Metal paint center fascia | — | std |
| Metal paint inside door handle | — | std |
| Padded front center armrest with storage box and cupholders | — | std |
| Soft PVC Trans gearshift knob | — | std |
| Soft-touch crashpad | — | std |
| Tilt and telescopic steering column | — | std |
| Illuminated sunvisor mirrors | — | std |
| Front passenger seatback pockets | — | std |
| LED luggage lamp | — | std |
| LED map lamp | — | std |
Exterior28 differ · 28 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Panoramic sunroof with power shade | — | std |
| Power folding outside mirrors | — | std |
| 18-inch Alloy wheels | — | std |
| Acoustic Laminated Windshield | — | std |
| Black radiator grille with silver trim | — | std |
| Body-color outside mirrors | — | std |
| Front variable intermittent windshield wipers | — | std |
| Gloss black outside mirrors | — | std |
| Gloss black radiator grille with dark trim / Gloss black unique design radiator grille with dark trim | — | std |
| Gloss black window DLO surround | — | std |
| Heated outside mirrors | — | std |
| Heated tailgate glass | — | std |
| Hidden rear tailgate glass wiper | — | std |
| LED daytime running lights (DRL) Amber Type | — | std |
| LED fog light | — | std |
| LED Low Projection and High MFR Beam Low and High Beam, Cube type | — | std |
| LED rear combination lights | — | std |
| Matte black over fender trim | — | std |
| Matte black side sill trim | — | std |
| Power adjustable outside mirrors | — | std |
| Power adjustable outside mirrors with integrated LED turn signals | — | std |
| Privacy rear windows (PHEV: Privacy rear windows) | — | std |
| Rear spoiler | — | std |
| Silver finish window DLO surround | — | std |
| Tire Mobility Kit (TMK) | — | std |
| Auto light control | — | std |
| Privacy glass (tailgate and rear windows) | — | std |
| LED high mounted stop lamp | — | std |
Powertrain7 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| All Wheel Drive (AWD) | — | std |
| Front Wheel Drive (FWD) | — | std |
| Terrain mode, Snow, Mud, Sand modes (AWD only) | — | std |
| 6-Speed Automatic Transmission | — | std |
| Eco, Sport and MyDrive | — | std |
| Electric Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) | — | std |
| Transmission gear selector - Rotary Dial (Shift-by-wire) | — | std |
Chassis3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| McPherson strut front suspension | — | std |
| Multi-link rear suspension | — | std |
| Shock Absorber Type: Gas | — | std |
Cargo2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Dual-level cargo floor | — | std |
| Luggage net hook | — | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPVolkswagen Atlas
Safety Signal 100 A
NHTSA overall —
Frontal / side / rollover — / — / —
Recalls 0
Owner complaints —
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Kia Sportage
Safety Signal 100 A
NHTSA overall —
Frontal / side / rollover — / — / —
Recalls 0
Owner complaints 1 · 0 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained about Electrical System (1), Engine (1), Power Train (1)
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Volkswagen Atlas | Kia SportageLX FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | $28,990 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — | $28,990 – $47,390 18 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | PHEV, HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Atlas | Sportage Hybrid FWD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 25 | 41 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,700 | $1,650 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas or the 2027 Kia Sportage?
The Kia Sportage wins clearly, 100 to 83.3, on fuel & range. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2027 Kia Sportage scores 100 and the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas 83.3. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas or the 2027 Kia Sportage?
2027 Volkswagen Atlas: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 0 recalls. 2027 Kia Sportage: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 0 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas and the 2027 Kia Sportage?
Where the 2027 Kia Sportage wins: it is rated 41 combined against 25 (EPA mpg or MPGe) and costs $1,050 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($1,650 against $2,700). What they share: a Safety Signal of 100.