Review: 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport V6 SEL 4MOTION

The Volkswagen Atlas, which is built by the German automaker Volkswagen, is a relative new comer to the SUV wars. It was officially classified a mid-size crossover SUV when it first hit dealer lots in the United States May 2017. It's currently the largest vehicle produced by Volkswagen on the Group MQB platform.

Quick Overview

The 5-door Atlas offers all the great benefits of a midsize SUV, but has all the roominess and convenience of a full-size 3 row SUV. You can purchase the Atlas with a second row bench seat that can easily accommodate three child safety seats or the optional second row captain's chairs with room for two child safety seats. The huge benefit for families that have the second row captains seats, they have access to the third row seating area while the second row child safety seats are still in place. The Atlas can be purchased as a front wheel only or also as an all wheel drive version. In 2018 the Atlas received its first of many IIHS "Top Safety Pick" rating awards in all five crashworthiness tests, and a "Superior" rating on the front crash prevention test. For reasons I have listed, the Atlas should be given serious consideration for a growing family of 4 or more.

Cross Sport Debut

New to the VW Atlas family for 2020 will be the all new five-seat Atlas Cross Sport. The original seven-seat Atlas that debuted in 2017 has consistently been one of Volkswagens top selling models, so this all new coupe-like designed five-seat Atlas should add great value and options for families that are looking for fun and adventure. "This is the boldest SUV in the Volkswagen stable," said Scott Keogh, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "Pairing high design with the distinctive driving dynamics and value the brand is known for, the Atlas Cross Sport allows you to show up without showing off."

Power and Towing

The Cross Sport will offer the same two engine packages that have shown great success in the bigger Atlas sibling. You can get the 2.0-liter TSI inline-four cylinder that generates 235 horsepower or the powerful direct-injection 3.6-liter VR6 that creates 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. Every Atlas Cross Sport features start/stop technology and the advanced eight-speed automatic transmission that can be optioned with Volkswagen 4Motion all-wheel drive. If you are the type of family that likes to get out and enjoy your weekends on the lake, camping or towing some type of off-road vehicle to an off-grid location, the V6 Cross Sport can easily accommodate that lifestyle. It comes standard with an 18.6-gallon fuel tank and factory-installed trailer hitch (SEL and SEL Premium) that can haul up to 5,000 pounds.

Exterior Coupe Heritage

The engineers purposely designed the Cross Sport with a dramatically raked rear pillar, angled rear hatch, a lower roofline so it creates a coupe-like profile that is specific to the Cross Sport. This new profile allows the Cross Sport to differentiate itself from the original 3-row seven-seat Atlas. Despite its size, the Atlas Cross Sport still offers a low coefficient of drag of 0.34 that produces an EPA-estimate of 17/23/19 mpg (city/hwy/combined) for the V6 front-wheel-drive models and 16/22/19 mpg for the 4Motion all-wheel drive model.

Interior Technology Innovation

The interior design of the new Atlas Cross Sport is still a Volkswagen at heart with its classic, clean and functional interior that has a definite premium feel to it. Despite its shorter stance and raked rear-end the Cross spot still offers a generous amount of head room and interior space for five adults and cargo. From the drivers perspective everything is about maximum driver comfort, so the driver seat position, shifter height, and the spacing between the pedals as well as all controls are positioned at optimal ergonomic heights. Also the advanced Volkswagen Digital Cockpit system, that is standard on SEL trims, allows for driver-centric displays for enhanced involvement behind the wheel.

All of the new Cross Sport models will come with Volkswagen's innovative MIB II touchscreen infotainment system. The SEL will offer an 8" glass covered infotainment display that uses capacitive-touch sensor technology, which is similar to smartphone and tablet technology. This will allow for gesture controls like swiping and pinch-zooming instead of traditional resistive touchscreens that require finger pressure. In the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium trim, it will have the advanced Fender Premium Audio System which was designed and developed to create the feeling of a live performance for not only the front seat passengers, but for the second row riders as well. The Fender system has a 480-watt, 12-channel amplifier that delivers arena-sized sound through 12 speakers located throughout the Cross Sport. There is an innovative center channel speaker, woofer speakers in each door, first and second-row tweeters, and two wide-frequency speakers and a subwoofer in the rear for a true surround sound experience.

Driver-Assistance Technology

One of my absolute favorite technologies offered by the Atlas family of vehicles is the Intelligent Crash Response System. When you are in a crash, the system shuts off the fuel pump to mitigate the chance of a fire, unlocks the doors for quick escape of the vehicle, and switches on the hazard lights to immediately notify other vehicles the car was involved in a collision. The 2020 Atlas Cross Sport also offers the full suite of driver-assistance technology. Available features include: Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring (Front Assist); Blind Spot Monitor; Rear Traffic Alert; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Lane Keeping System (Lane Assist); Traffic Jam Assist; Park Distance Control; Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist); Dynamic Road Sign Display; High Beam Control (Light Assist); and Overhead View Camera (Area View).

The Cross Sport will have a starting price of $30,545 and because it will be available in eight separate trim lines (S, SE, SE w/ Technology, SE w/ Technology R-Line, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL Premium and SEL Premium R-Line,) there should be no problem for a buyer to find a Cross sport that meets their daily and weekend adventure needs. It is expected to hit dealer lots beginning sometime in Q1 of 2020.

Specs & Details

Pictured: Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport V6 SEL
MSRP: $45,180
Aurora Red Metallic Ext
3.6L V-6 producing 276-hp
4MOTION all-wheel drive
4 Wheel Independent Suspension
20" Alloy Wheels
Silver Roof Rails
Adaptive Front Light System with Cornering Lights

Dark Beige Leatherette Interior
8" Touch Screen
Heated Leather Wrapped Searing Wheel
Driver Seat Leather 10 Way Power Heated
Front Passenger Leather 8 Way Powe Heated
2nd Row Leather Bench Seat w/Captain's Seat Styling
Panoramic Roof

5,000lb Tow Capacity

For more information or to test drive this vehicle for yourself, stop by a local dealer or visit online at:
Volkswagen | Atlas

ABOUT VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, one of the world's leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. It operates a manufacturing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee and houses the U.S. operations of a worldwide family of distinguished and exciting brands including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen, as well as VW Credit, Inc. Founded in 1955, Volkswagen Group of America brings vehicles to the U.S. that marry the science of engineering and the art of styling, with the goal of offering attractive, safe, and eco-conscious automobiles that are competitive and set world standards in their respective classes. Headquartered in Herndon, Va., the company has approximately 8,000 employees in the United States and sells its vehicles through a 1,000-strong dealer network.