Normally, we tend to measure vehicles belonging to the same category. For example, we will compare a Volkswagen model to those offered by Nissan, Chevrolet, Mazda, etc. There is a tendency not to make connections with similar products from luxury brands.
And yet, it would be to our advantage to do so. For example, the Volkswagen Atlas stands up to a BMW X5 or a Mercedes-Benz GLE. Let's see how it stands out against these unusual rivals.
Cargo space
With a luxury model, the focus is often on aesthetics at the expense of practicality. The models in question here are a good example of this. If you look at the cargo space offered by each one, you'll find huge differences. With the BMW X5, the trunk is only 1,870 liters when the seats are folded down behind the first row. That's less than many compact SUVs, even though the X5 is a mid-size model.
With the Mercedes-Benz GLE, it's a little better at 2055 liters, but that's not much to ask. On the other hand, with the Atlas, it's a space of 2741 liters that is at your disposal. That makes all the difference.
The level of luxury
In the past, it's true that to enjoy an interesting level of luxury, you had to pay more and opt for a vehicle offered by a luxury manufacturer. They are the ones who introduced things like power adjustments, heated seats, heated steering wheel, high quality sound systems, etc.
Today, all manufacturers offer these amenities. So nothing that a luxury vehicle offers will be found with a model like the Volkswagen Atlas. It's true that luxury products offer more with their entry-level versions, but even if you equip your Atlas a bit, you're going to pay less for it.
Comfort
Great comfort used to be the stuff of great luxury vehicles. Whether we're talking about soundproofing, smoothness of ride, suspension work, you could tell a huge difference when you moved to the other side of the force.
Today, the difference is still noticeable, but it's much less obvious than before. With a Volkswagen Atlas, you're going to enjoy an incredibly smooth ride, super comfortable seats, a very well tuned sound system, and impressive silence on board. Is it worth paying double for your vehicle to get 5-10% more in every way? To ask the question is to answer it.
That's why we firmly believe that our Volkswagen Atlas has nothing to envy to models like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE.