2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Review

The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is a midsize two-row SUV based on the well-liked three-row Atlas. Volkswagen has acted quickly to bring the Cross Sport to market, making the most of the buzz that surrounds its first foray into the five-passenger midsize marketplace.

Volkswagen hasn't strayed far from the successful formula of the regular Atlas. The Atlas Cross Sport sits on the same chassis, utilizes the same wheelbase and powertrain options, and is available with essentially the same options and trim levels. This overlap should be attractive to buyers who like everything the Atlas has to offer but have no need for the third row of seats. If you're into analogies, the Atlas Cross Sport is to the Atlas as the Honda Passport is to the Pilot.

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. The Cross Sport features the sloping roofline common to the current crop of SUV coupes. 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.

Sadly, there's no boost in power — something we feel the Atlas could really benefit from. But the (slightly) smaller and lower Cross Sport could offer a little more zip from the same engines.

The Atlas Cross Sport competes with a who's who of the midsize SUV segment. Our top pick right now is the Honda Passport, which goes for more of a rough-and-tumble vibe than the cut-down Atlas.

Then there's the standard fare, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Ford Edge, which are long-established names and strong on value and practicality. Others such as the Subaru Outback, Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Grand Cherokee offer more than a little bit of off-road prowess. And, of course, the all-new Chevrolet Blazer can match the Cross Sport for style even if it's arguably lacking a bit of substance.

So far, we've only driven the Atlas Cross Sport on well-maintained roads at highway speeds. But based on this admittedly limited scenario, the Cross Sport seems like a confident cruiser, just like its three-row Atlas stablemate.

We did drive over a few ruts and spots with cracked pavement. The Cross Sport shrugged them off with nearly unnoticeable body motions. Even more impressive was that our test vehicle featured 20-inch wheels shod in winter rubber. More often than not, this combo would make for a slightly brittle ride quality, but the Atlas is well tuned to soften undue motions.

We're less impressed by the optional V6 engine. With 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, the V6 is less powerful than rivals and doesn't post enviable acceleration numbers in the standard Atlas. It's the same deal in the Cross Sport. Hit the gas and this SUV reacts more sluggishly than we'd expect.

On our drive, we also got the chance to drive the standard turbocharged four-cylinder. Though the engine is down on power (235 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque), its acceleration feels pretty much the same as the V6's. We don't have the instrumented performance figures to prove it, but we wouldn't be surprised if the two engines produced similar 0-60 mph times. With that in mind, and considering the V6's extra cost and increased fuel consumption, we don't see much benefit to choosing the six-cylinder. Unless you have to tow, that is, since the Towing package is only available on V6 models.

The Atlas is one of the largest vehicles in its class, and while the Cross Sport is several inches shorter overall, the wheelbase hasn't changed at all. That means passengers enjoy a wealth of legroom all around. Since the Cross Sport doesn't have a third-row seat, VW took the opportunity to actually move the second-row seat back slightly and give passengers a little extra space. Even with the front seat slid all the way back, our 6-foot-4 editor still had a gap between his knees and the seatback.

Headroom is more of a mixed bag. Compared to the standard Atlas, the Cross Sport has a lower roof, which can impede on headroom. This isn't an issue on models without the sunroof. Even with the back seat fully upright, our tall editor's hair didn't brush against the ceiling.

Trims with the panoramic sunroof (optional on the SE with Technology package and standard on SEL models and above) are a different story. Even with the seatback fully reclined, our tall passenger had to scrunch his head to avoid butting against the headliner. Occupants shorter than 6 feet shouldn't really have a problem either way, so when choosing between trims, consider who will likely sit in the back.

Volkswagen is using the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport to update the driving aids and technology in its portfolio. It's the first VW vehicle to offer both dynamic road sign display and Traffic Jam Assist. The former reads speed-limit signs and issues alerts if your speed exceeds the limit by a certain mph.

The latter makes Volkswagen's adaptive cruise control capable of operating down to a full stop and inching along at low speeds without any driver input. In a short demonstration, we found that this system worked smoothly and without any jarring movements. Both features are available when the Cross Sport is equipped with the factory navigation system.

The Atlas Cross Sport also promises to be the most mobile-savvy Volkswagen to date. It debuts the next generation and faster version of VW's Car-Net connectivity network. A full range of tech features are accessible through a smartphone app — from monthly vehicle health reports and help finding a parking space to remote engine start and locking/unlocking — for five years at no charge. Car-Net is set to roll out to other 2020 vehicles in the VW lineup.

For $99 per year, buyers can unlock an additional Safe & Secure package, which includes emergency assistance, automatic crash notification and stolen vehicle location assistance. Owners can also activate a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot for up to four connected devices through Verizon, with more carriers to come.

Peer-to-peer car sharing, on-demand fuel delivery, connection to smart home devices, and partnerships with content providers are also on the horizon. It's a comprehensive package, but we'll wait and see if buyers rush to activate Car-Net before declaring it a win for VW.