Refreshed 2024 VW Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport Are Sharper-Looking

• Volkswagen unveiled refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport 2024 SUVs at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show.
• The five- and seven-seater crossovers underwent a styling makeover that includes updated exterior designs, new wheels and a more upscale cabin.
• Gone is the optional 3.6-liter V6 engine. It will be replaced by a 269 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four, which will be the only powertrain available.

Volkswagen’s three-row Atlas SUV has previously been refreshed. It debuted for the 2018 model year and received a slight restyling for 2021 to align its appearance with the double-row Atlas Cross Sport bowed for the 2020 model year. But this time, VW’s designers have used a much heavier hand in updating the company’s largest SUV.

Check the fit. Both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport sport a more modern look with updated grilles, C-shaped headlights and full-width taillights. All but the base models come with an illuminated VW logo up front and a light bar that extends across the top of the grille. New wheel designs – ranging in size from 18 to 21 inches – grace all four corners of the SUV, and a larger rear spoiler has been added to give the Atlas a more sweeping roofline.

Bigger changes await inside, however, where Volkswagen has improved the passenger experience with nicer materials and more convenience features. The dashboard and center console are upholstered in synthetic leather, and wide swaths of decorative plastic or wood trim extend to the door panels. A new ambient lighting system is added to the options sheet, including a cool backlit section of the dashboard.

A larger 12.0-inch infotainment display is standard across the range, and all models also come with a 10.3-inch digital instrument display. a head-up display is optional. The infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and all Atlases have a wireless smartphone charging pad and at least six fast-charging USB-C ports.

Climate control by voice

A heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats and a height-adjustable passenger seat are now standard. And the automatic climate control system is voice-activated, a feature that certainly makes for great commercial Super Bowl fodder but has proven finicky and frightening in other vehicles with similar functionality.

While previous models were available with either a 235hp Turbo Four or a 276hp 3.6-liter V-6, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are available with just one engine: a new 269hp 2nd generation engine .0-liter turbocharged four. Front-wheel drive is still standard, and all-wheel drive is optional on all trims.

While the EPA has yet to weigh the Turbo Four’s fuel efficiency, VW says it should be improved over the outgoing model. Towing capacity is unchanged and the Atlas is said to tow up to 5000 pounds.

On sale later in the year

Volkswagen says the beautiful 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport will go on sale in the third quarter of 2023, but hasn’t announced prices yet. Given the upgrades, we’d expect a slightly increased base price over the 2023 Atlas Cross Sport’s starting price of $35,755. Ditto for the three-row Atlas, which should start a little higher than the $36,455 of the 2023 model.

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