2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a practical and stylish choice in midsize SUVs. It’s the sportier 2-row version of the standard 3-row Atlas. A thorough mid-cycle refresh for the 2024 model year brings a new turbocharged engine, updated exterior and interior styling, and more standard features, including a new 12-inch infotainment system. The Atlas Cross Sport combines everyday practicality with sporty styling and modern tech features to make a compelling midsize SUV. It competes to varying degrees with the Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Nissan Murano, for instance.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport gets a mid-cycle refresh for the 2024 model year. The interior receives many updates, including premium materials and new standard features. The exterior gets a little sportier with a more aggressive rear diffuser and a standard gloss black grille.

New standard features in the Atlas Cross Sport include a 12-inch infotainment system, the Digital Cockpit Pro digital gauge cluster, IQ.DRIVE driver assistance tech features, wireless phone charging, ventilated front seats, 3-zone climate control, and a heated steering wheel.

A new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine replaces the old 4-cylinder and V6 in the Atlas Cross Sport. On paper, the new engine delivers performance similar to the outgoing V6 but will likely be more efficient and refined.

All-wheel drive is a $1,900 premium on the two SE trims, and it’s standard on all SEL models.

Among Atlas Cross Sport trims, the top seller by far is the SEL R-Line. To haul more people, you can step up to the 3-row Atlas. However, if you can downsize a bit and want to save about $10,000, we recommend the VW Tiguan.

The Atlas Cross Sport pricing is on par with other midsize 2-row SUVs like the Ford Edge, Chevy Blazer, and Nissan Murano.

Before buying a VW Atlas Cross Sport, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s resale value is about average for the segment. Remember, the better a vehicle retains its value, the more you’ll get when you sell it or trade it in, which means more money to put down on your next vehicle.

We’re satisfied with the confident power delivery and smooth refinement of the 4-cylinder turbo engine. Even though it’s one of the largest vehicles in its class, the Atlas Cross Sport still manages to deliver some of the same qualities that have long made Volkswagen vehicles so uniquely satisfying to pilot.

We found the Atlas Cross Sport to be an easy SUV to drive, with the highway ride comfort and cabin noise on par for the segment. We had a chance to drive the updated Atlas Cross Sport back-to-back with the three-row Atlas and noticed that the Cross Sport variant is slightly easier to park because the overall length is about five inches shorter. Other than that, the driving character of these two SUVs is nearly identical.

Fuel Economy

With front-wheel drive, the Atlas Cross Sport delivers 23 mpg in mixed city-and-highway driving (20 city/27 highway). Opting for all-wheel drive drops that number to 22 mpg (20 mpg for the Peak Edition). Learn more about fuel economy for the Atlas Cross Sport at the EPA website.

The interior of the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport gets a welcome update for 2024. In addition to a more upscale look and feel, it’s also packed with desirable standard features like heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, and a digital gauge cluster.

A sloping roofline on SUV “coupes” typically compromises cargo space, but the Atlas Cross Sport has a sporty profile with a generous cargo hold to boot. We were also impressed with the rear seat headroom and legroom, helping make this midsize SUV as practical as it is eye-catching.

The styling of the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has been updated for 2024. It has a sportier look than the 3-row Atlas with a sloping roofline, unique rear light signature, aggressive rear diffuser, and a gloss black front grille. The Atlas Cross Sport is on the bigger side of the midsize 2-row SUV class.

Sporty styling
The updated 2024 Atlas Cross Sport stands out with sporty styling, including a sleek roofline, a sporty rear diffuser, and tasteful gloss black trim.

Turbo engine
A new turbocharged engine powers the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. It promises performance similar to the outgoing V6 but with better fuel economy and improved refinement.

12-inch infotainment system
The Atlas Cross Sport features an enhanced infotainment system with a big new 12-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, and six standard USB-C ports.

Digital Cockpit Pro
We love to see the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro come standard in the Atlas Cross Sport. This customizable 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster can show vehicle data, music info, navigation maps, and much more.

Standard comfort features
New standard features make the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport a more comfortable SUV. Some of the new standard features include ventilated front seats, 3-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel.

IQ.DRIVE
IQ.DRIVE driver assistance tech features add safety and convenience to the Atlas Cross Sport. It has automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-centering, and more.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is powered by a new-for-2024 269-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine matched with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It also generates 273 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, and VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive is optional.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The Atlas Cross Sport is covered by a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty and powertrain warranty. That’s longer than most rivals’ basic warranties, but shorter than competing powertrain warranties. Volkswagen also includes complimentary maintenance for two years or up to 20,000 miles.

Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the Atlas Cross Sport to its Top Safety Pick list for 2024, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Atlas Cross Sport with its highest overall score of 5-Stars.