The Detroit Bureau Heaps Praise on 2024 Atlas Cross Sport

If you scan the Bud Brown Volkswagen lot you will find 2023 and 2024 Atlas Cross Sports parked together. You may not detect much difference between them, but a closer look reveals quite extensive changes for the 2024 model. These changes received enthusiastic approval from The Detroit Bureau’s Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Paul A. Eisenstein. After discussing VW’s start in the crossover game, which led to the Atlas, Eisenstein gets down to the business of discussing the Atlas Cross Sport, with a shorter body than the Atlas and no 3rd-row seat, but sharing the same wheelbase and other dimensions.

Most obvious is the drivetrain change to a single 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that replaces the previous pair of inline-4 and VR6 engines. It represents a significant increase in power over the previous base engine, and while it is 7 horsepower less than the VR6, as Eisenstein puts it, “with 28% more torque you’ll likely not miss it.” He goes on to point out that the new engine will do 0 to 60 in a “reasonably peppy 7.5 seconds”,   and that “Towing capacity is rated at a fairly beefy 5,000 pounds, and all versions but that base SE come with a standard tow hitch.”

Out from under the hood and into the cabin is the second most obvious change for both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport.  In Eisenstein’s words:” It’s essentially an all-new cabin, the horizontal orientation helping to accent this already broad cabin. The overall feel is more luxurious and, in the R model I drove, VW added welcome details, starting with padding on the sides of the center console. Overall, there are more soft-touch surfaces and, on upper trims, wood accents, and quilted leather seats.” Anchored in the center of the new dash design is a 12.5-inch center touchscreen which is accompanied by a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster for the driver. Double vents on each end of the dash help distribute air widely from the standard automatic climate control system. The electronic shifter opens up space both above and below where there is storage for plenty of easily reachable items. As night falls, the interior comes alive with a 30-color ambient lighting system. 

On the road, Eisenstein immediately noticed the difference between the Atlas and the smaller Cross Sport. “It’s lighter, of course, and that was readily apparent flogging the SUV around the narrow, windy mountain roads cutting through the Catskills…it was quite tossable and seldom seemed to get upset, even on the well-worn and infrequently repaired roads that cut through New York’s backcountry.”  Regarding the ride, he adds: “One of the more impressive aspects of the 2024 Atlas Cross Sport was the near-silent interior. Even on the roughest road surfaces, there was little noise. And that 8-speed automatic made things all the more pleasant on a long drive as shifts are almost imperceptible.”

If you don’t need a third row but still appreciate plenty of space and capability, the Atlas should be on your shortlist. Your next move should be to check out the Atlas Cross Sport yourself here at Bud Brown Volkswagen, home of the Bud Brown Advantage Lifetime Limited Warranty.  Take in the new interior and give the new drivetrain a spin.  If your impressions are like those of The Detroit Bureau, you may want to talk to our Finance Center and see about adding the Atlas Cross Sport to your vehicle lot.