Used 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The SUV “coupe” craze isn’t just for luxury brands anymore. Volkswagen has its answer already. The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is an SUV with a sleek, coupe-like profile from a mainstream brand, which is quite novel. The Atlas Cross Sport is mechanically very similar to the regular Atlas, with the big difference being the sloping roofline and two rows of seats rather than three. For the cool look, you pay the price of less cargo space, but it also comes with a lower starting price than the 3-row model.

It’s tough to pin down any direct competitors to this SUV, but a couple of other 2-row midsize SUVs on the sporty side include the Ford Edge and Chevrolet Blazer.

There are some minor but welcome updates to this SUV for the 2022 model year. The sleek Volkswagen Digital Cockpit now comes standard across the model range. It’s an 8-inch digital gauge cluster on the SE models and a bigger 10.25-inch screen on the SEL models. A new SEL R-Line Black model is also new for 2022.

The two available engines in the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport don’t quite live up to the sporty profile of this SUV. The base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is okay, but it struggles in highway passing when the SUV is fully loaded with passengers and cargo. The available V6 is more potent, but it’s still less powerful and less fuel-efficient than many other V6-powered SUVs in this class.

The engines may not provide many thrills, but the handling of the Atlas Cross Sport is definitely on the sporty side of its segment. It drives like a smaller vehicle in tight corners and winding roads, making its German pedigree apparent. In long-distance highway driving, the Atlas Cross Sport is pretty smooth, quiet, and comfortable.

The inside of the Volkswagen Atlas has a nice, conservative design. It looks good, but the quality of the interior materials is just okay in the lower trims. It gets nicer in the upper trims, with the SEL Premium R-Line model benefiting from leather seating, Fender premium audio, and much more.

Usually, an SUV with a sporty sloping roofline like the Atlas Cross Sport compromises cargo space. While this one does have less maximum cargo space than the 3-row version of the Atlas, this is still pretty roomy for a midsize 2-row SUV. The back seats accommodate adults, and it has a maximum of 77.8 cubic feet of cargo space when the back seats are folded.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a stylish SUV with an aesthetic that’s conservative yet sporty. It has a handsome light signature with standard LED lighting and several attractive wheel options. The models with “R-Line” in the name have a sporty appearance package with different front and rear bumpers and unique badging.

The size of the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is on the bigger side of midsize 2-row SUVs. It’s larger than the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge, and Hyundai Santa Fe, and it’s about the same size as the Nissan Murano.

SPACIOUS INTERIOR
The Atlas Cross Sport has a roomy 2-row interior with generous seating and cargo space.

DIGITAL COCKPIT
The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit now comes standard on every trim. It’s an 8-inch screen in the lower trims and a more feature-rich 10.25-inch screen in the upper trims.

The standard powertrain of the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission with a Sport mode. Front-wheel drive is standard.

The base SE trim comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, heated, power-adjustable mirrors, 60/40 split folding back seats, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, V-Tex leatherette seating, Volkswagen Digital Cockpit with an 8-inch screen, and push-button start.

The standard infotainment system is a 6.5-inch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Standard safety tech features in the Atlas Cross Sport include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Upgrading to the SE with Technology model makes the V6 engine available. It also adds several standard features, including front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, a hands-free power liftgate, remote start, an 8-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless charging pad, dual-zone automatic climate control, 20-inch wheels, and a 115-volt power outlet.

Starting with the mid-range SEL trim, all-wheel drive becomes standard, and the V6 engine remains optional. Other upgrades include adaptive front lighting, a panoramic sunroof, memory mirrors and driver’s seat, ambient interior lighting, a heated steering wheel, navigation, and Digital Cockpit Pro with a 10.25-inch screen.

SEL is also where the IQ.DRIVE safety tech suite becomes standard. This adds the Travel Assist semi-autonomous driving system, lane-keep assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. Other additional safety tech includes traffic sign recognition and high-beam assist.

The SEL R-Line is primarily an appearance package that adds unique wheels, bumpers, and interior trim to the SEL model. There’s also an SEL R-Line Black model that’s new for 2022, which is a darker appearance package.

The SEL Premium R-Line model is the most luxurious trim of the Atlas Cross Sport. It’s the only trim where the V6 engine comes standard. It also comes with 21-inch wheels, power folding mirrors, perforated Vienna leather seats, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, rear sunshades, a 360-degree camera, park assist, and Fender premium audio.

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has two engines available. Neither is a pavement scorcher, but they get the job done. The standard engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, which delivers rather underwhelming performance and fuel economy numbers.

Upgrading to the available 3.6-liter V6 improves performance over the base engine, but some rivals like the Ford Edge ST and the V6-powered Chevy Blazer are more powerful and more efficient.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. All SEL models have standard AWD. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard on every trim of this SUV.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
235 horsepower @ 4,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/25 mpg (FWD), 20/24 mpg (AWD)

3.6-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
266 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg (FWD), 18/24 mpg (AWD)