2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport debut at the Chicago Auto Show
“The Atlas was the first modern Volkswagen designed, engineered and produced specifically for American buyers, and since its debut it has grown into a major player in the US market,” said Pablo Di Si, Volkswagen President and CEO of America. “The refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport continue to build on that success, with a sleek new interior and a sophisticated turbocharged engine that enhances both performance and the driving experience.”
While the refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport retain the same fundamentals of their successful predecessors, each vehicle’s spacious interior receives a major upgrade for the 2024 model year. Quality materials are used throughout, including a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dashboard and center console. Front row door panels and trim flow seamlessly into the dashboard, creating a premium cockpit; The door treatment is also mirrored in the second row. Available ambient lighting with 30 pairs of color choices with innovative backlit dash decal featuring the model name to highlight the new design. Top-of-the-line models feature diamond-pattern quilted leather seats.
The comfort functions are also given a boost. A heated steering wheel with shift paddles, ventilated front seats and a height-adjustable front passenger seat are now standard equipment, as is Climatronic® automatic climate control and voice control. The center console is redesigned with a storage compartment underneath. Leather seating surfaces and heated rear seats are now available one trim level lower than previous models.
Improved technology in the refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport offers a more connected experience. A floating 12-inch infotainment display is an elegant eye-catcher in the redesigned cockpit, and drivers of every trim level benefit from the 10.25-inch, fully configurable Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro. Connecting devices is easier than ever with standard wireless App-Connect, wireless charging, and six USB-C ports (eight available) with 45-watt fast charging.
IQ.DRIVE® driver assistance technology with practice-oriented semi-automatic is now also standard. On the Autobahn, IQ.DRIVE offers lane centering and a capacitive steering wheel to make driving easier. In the city, IQ.DRIVE helps alert you to surprising obstacles ahead and keeps an eye on your surroundings to make driving safer. A head-up display and predictive adaptive cruise control are also available.
Externally, the 2024 model year brings a new front-end design and greater differentiation between Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. On both cars, a wide chrome four-bar grille is framed by LED headlights with the new standard Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS). On all but base trims, the daytime running lights (DRLs) wrap around the headlights and continue into an illuminated light bar that sits atop an illuminated VW logo, giving the vehicle an unmistakably premium look. A new front apron with integrated air intakes completes the front end treatment. Atlas Cross Sport models feature gloss black grille detailing and a gloss black “X” design element that extends across the lower bezel, similar to Taos.
At the rear, both models add a larger spoiler that lengthens the vehicles’ overall roofline and gives them a slimmer side profile. All trim except the base mirrors the front lighting signature in the rear, with an illuminated light bar and VW logo sitting between the LED taillights. Atlas Cross Sport models have a more aggressive rear diffuser than the previous generation, further differentiating the two models.
All trim gets new wheel designs ranging from 18 to 20 inches, available with machined alloy and black finishes. R-line® completes the mission with a gloss black grille, 21-inch aluminum alloy wheels and signature R-line badging.
For 2024, the Atlas family is powered exclusively by a four-cylinder, turbocharged, direct-injected TSI® engine producing 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. The new engine offers similar performance to the outgoing VR6, more torque – available over a wider rev range, improving drivability and acceleration – and is said to deliver better fuel economy. Towing capacity remains the same at 5,000 pounds. An eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive are standard; Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive is available for the entire model range.
More details, specifications and pricing will be announced ahead of launch early in Q3.