2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Review

　　

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　Looking for an SUV that's roomy but also stylish? Volkswagen might just have what you need with its all-new 2020 Atlas Cross Sport. To make the Cross Sport, VW took its three-row Atlas SUV, ditched the third-row seating and added a more rakish roofline. It seats five but otherwise has the same general interior and engine lineup as the regular Atlas.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$211/mo  for Atlas Cross Sport S

　　Atlas Cross Sport S

　　S 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $30,545 MSRPS 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $32,445 MSRPSE 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $33,945 MSRPSE 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $35,845 MSRPSE w/Technology 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $35,945 MSRPSE w/Technology 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $37,345 MSRPSE w/Technology 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $37,845 MSRPSE w/Technology 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) (Most Popular) - $39,245 MSRPSE w/Technology R-Line 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $37,345 MSRPSE w/Technology R-Line 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $38,745 MSRPSE w/Technology R-Line 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $39,245 MSRPSE w/Technology R-Line 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $40,645 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $39,545 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $41,345 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $41,445 MSRPSEL 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $43,245 MSRPSEL R-Line 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $41,245 MSRPSEL R-Line 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $43,045 MSRPSEL R-Line 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $43,145 MSRPSEL R-Line 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $44,945 MSRPSEL Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $46,295 MSRPSEL Premium 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $48,095 MSRPSEL Premium R-Line 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 03/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $47,995 MSRPSEL Premium R-Line 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $49,795 MSRP

　　vs

　　$229/mo

　　Avg. Large SUV

　　The key differences between the Atlas and the Cross Sport, other than the lack of a third row, are design and overall length — the Cross Sport is 2.8 inches shorter. Rear passengers lose a bit of headroom, and the sloping rear hatch steals away some cargo capacity, but the Cross Sport retains most of the Atlas' practicality. It competes against other midsize five-passenger SUVs such as the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe and Subaru Outback.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.9

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Atlas Cross Sport drive? The Cross Sport is a pleasant-driving midsize SUV. Its surprisingly agile handling and accurate steering belie the size of this large people-mover. Our test model had the V6 engine. It's responsive and it seems pretty strong at low speeds but starts to get winded at highway speeds. In our testing, our Cross Sport needed 8.4 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, which is more than a second slower than the Honda Passport. Braking performance in the Cross Sport, however, is smooth and confident.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the Atlas Cross Sport? The Atlas Cross Sport trades a bit of comfort for its agility. It isn't rough-riding, but there are cushier SUVs in this class. On the other hand, it does feel more buttoned-down at higher cruise speeds. The front seats are decently comfortable but don't have a whole lot of extra adjustability or bolstering. The rear seatbacks recline a generous amount, which can help your rear passengers get comfortable on long trips.

　　The climate control system works effectively but is dual-zone only, so the rear passengers can't control what comes out of their vents. Wind and road noise on the highway is low, and you and your passengers can hold a conversation without too much trouble.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? This is where the Atlas Cross Sport rises above the fold. A perfect step-in height with wide squared-off doors makes climbing in and out effortless. Once inside, you'll be impressed by the roomy interior. Dimensionally, the Honda Passport and Cross Sport are pretty comparable, but the Atlas feels just incrementally roomier despite its slightly coupe-like rear roofline.

　　Upfront, the user interface looks a bit more sophisticated than most of the other class offerings yet remains pretty simple to use. Even the instrument cluster menu is simple to navigate and functionally useful. There's plenty of seat and steering-wheel adjustment range to suit a wide variety of drivers. The view outward is pretty expansive all around. The big side mirrors are good for giving you a clear view back, but their bulky housings can obstruct your vision a little when you need to make a turn. The rear window is a bit smaller than the one in the regular Atlas.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? The base audio system in our midtrim SE w/Technology Atlas produced decent sound quality. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration comes standard. There are two USB ports up front and two more charge-only USB ports in back for rear passengers. The Cross Sport's native voice controls are basic but work as long as you follow the VW's syntax prompts.

　　The Atlas Cross Sport comes with many advanced driving aids. Most work quite well, from the well-tuned adaptive cruise control that can slow to a complete stop to useful front and rear parking sensors. But we found the blind-spot monitoring system overly conservative, warning us of vehicles that were outside the impact zone.

　　

Storage

8.0/10

　　How’s the storage? Cargo space behind the rear seats is a big 40.3 cubic feet, which is just shy of the Honda Passport's 41.2 cubic feet. We love all the space. But it lacks any helpful means for securing bags or cargo, and consequently this wide and flat area can end up being a roller derby for your groceries. Cargo liftover height is also a bit high. The 60/40-split folding seats lie mostly flat. The seatback releases are only accessible from the rear seating area and not from the cargo area.

　　The cupholders up front can accommodate 32-ounce bottles, and they have a good anti-tip design so smaller drinks won't go flopping around. The overall storage isn't quite as clever as Honda's, but it's better than most others. Got small kids? There's plenty of space for any child safety seat, though the anchors are surprisingly difficult to access behind the slits in the seatback. Unlike the Passport, there are only two sets of anchors.

　　The Atlas can tow a maximum of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, which is an average amount for a midsize crossover SUV.

　　

Fuel Economy

6.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the all-wheel-drive Atlas Cross Sport gets 19 mpg combined (16 city/22 highway), which is thirstier than most V6 competitors. Our test vehicle managed 22.1 mpg on our highway-heavy 115-mile evaluation route, so at least it seems the EPA's numbers are realistic. You can get a turbocharged four-cylinder in the Atlas, but its fuel economy is also subpar relative to rivals.

　　

Value

7.0/10

　　Is the Atlas Cross Sport a good value? The front of the cabin looks upscale in certain areas thanks to trim such as faux wood trim and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift. But other areas have really cheap-looking textured black plastic. It's not nearly as luxury-looking inside as something like the Honda Passport.

　　The Atlas Cross Sport is also a bit more expensive than many of its rivals. Some players such as the Honda Passport come standard with a V6 engine, while the Hyundai Santa Fe and Subaru Outback offer more features with their upgraded engines for the same price of the Cross Sport.

　　But VW does provide two years/20,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance, something most manufacturers in this class don't offer. The warranty coverage is four years/50,000 miles for both basic and powertrain coverage.

　　

Wildcard

8.5/10

　　Volkswagen set out to make a slightly sleeker but still chiseled mass of an SUV, and it achieved that with the Atlas Cross Sport. It makes the Honda Passport look a bit doofy and the Chevrolet Blazer overstyled. It's a happy balance between the two. Is the Atlas Cross Sport fun to drive? Not really, but it does handle and stick to the road better than anything in the class.

　　

Which Atlas Cross Sport does zzdcar recommend?

Our choice from the Atlas Cross Sport's significant range would be the SE with Technology. This midlevel trim will get you all of the Cross Sport's desirable features from the lower trim levels and adds on a few desirable extras, such as traffic-adaptive cruise control. Acceleration from the four-cylinder and V6 engines is similar, so there's little reason to pay more to get the V6.

　　

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport models

The 2020 Atlas Cross Sport is offered in a rather confusing array of trim levels. Essentially there are three main trim levels: S, SE and SEL. In addition to those, VW offers variants with the Technology, Premium and R-Line labels. Engine choices are either a 235-horsepower four-cylinder engine or a 276-hp V6. All-wheel drive (Volkswagen refers to it as 4Motion) is also an option. Feature highlights include:

　　S

　　Starts you off with:

　　18-inch wheels LED headlights and taillights Six-speaker sound system 6.5-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivityThe S also comes with these safety features:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot) Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while in reverse)SE

　　The SE adds a host of convenience features, including:

　　Keyless entry and ignition Simulated leather upholstery Heated front seats 8.0-inch touchscreen Power liftgateSE with Technology

　　Builds off the SE with:

　　Remote engine start 20-inch wheels Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Atlas and the car in front) Parking sensors Household-style power outlet in the second rowSEL

　　Adds a fair bit of standard equipment, including:

　　Adaptive headlights Heated steering wheel Digital instrument panel Navigation system Panoramic sunroofSEL Premium

　　Adds extra luxury features such as:

　　Power-folding mirrors Leather seating Heated and ventilated front seats Rear sunshades Upgraded audio systemR-Line trims

　　Adds styling changes:

　　Specific black-accented bumpers R-Line badging Stainless steel pedal covers SE with Technology gets unique 20-inch wheels SEL and SEL Premium receive special 21-inch wheels

　　

2020 Atlas Cross Sport Highlights

Trim: SSESE w/TechnologySE w/Technology R-LineSELSEL R-LineSEL PremiumSEL Premium R-LineS

　　

Base MSRP	$30,545
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$211/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	40.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles