A nip and tuck to the Atlas’ profile will get you the extra athletic wanting Cross Sport mannequin.
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The Volkswagen Atlas is an enormous, three-row beast of an SUV with its vast physique and horizontal design components. The 2020 VW Atlas Cross Sport is just barely much less so. The new variant shrinks the SUV’s physique barely and tweaks the roofline for a sportier profile and extra athletic curb attraction, permitting it to raised do battle with the brand new Passport — itself a scaled-down model of the Atlas’ closest nemesis, the Honda Pilot.
LikeNew profile appears to be like higher, does not value a lot spaceEven fundamental cabin tech checks all the fitting boxesComfortable trip over tough surfaces
Don’t LikeFuel economic system is simply OKLots of physique motion at increased speeds
The Cross Sport lowers the Atlas’ roofline to 67.8 inches (down 2.3) and shortens the SUV’s general size to 195.5 inches (5.2 much less). The consequence, together with a little bit of a nipping and tucking of the profile, is a way more muscular and athletic tackle the usual Atlas’ stiff, brick-like aesthetic.The barely shorter size visually pushes the rear wheels out to the car’s corners, giving the Cross Sport a extra aggressive-looking stance, whereas the decrease roofline and exaggerated wheel arches make the Atlas seem decrease and leaner. Personally, I feel the Cross Sport appears to be like the way in which the Atlas ought to have all alongside.
Sculpting its sheetmetal saves this Atlas variant about 200 kilos, relying on the trim degree, however the extra svelte form does not assist as a lot with aerodynamics and effectivity as I’d hoped. The Cross Sport nonetheless has the identical 0.34 drag coefficient as its extra squared-off sibling and largely the identical gasoline effectivity throughout the spectrum of engine choices. At finest, I’m speaking 21 miles per gallon metropolis, 24 mpg freeway and 22 mpg mixed for the front-wheel-drive four-cylinder. At the opposite finish of the spectrum is the all-wheel-drive V6, at 16 mpg metropolis, 22 mpg freeway and 19 mpg mixed.The underpinnings have not modified. The Cross Sport sits on the identical 117.3-inch wheelbase with 8 inches of floor clearance and retains its vast boi standing at 78.4 inches throughout. I’ve at all times thought it bizarre that the Atlas classifies as a midsize SUV regardless of its imposing curbside stature.
The Cross Sport V6 4Matic beneficial properties one mixed mpg regardless of unchanged metropolis and freeway estimates, so there have to be some small aerodynamic benefit being rounded off.
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Of course, the tidier exterior design prices the Cross Sport a little bit of inside quantity, however not as a lot sensible house as you may assume. By the numbers, there’s 40.3 cubic ft behind the second row and 77.8 cubic ft with the seats folded flat. That’s a lack of 15.2 and 19 cubes, respectively, in comparison with the bigger Atlas, nevertheless it’s all misplaced house close to the ceiling. The Cross Sport nonetheless does a incredible job swallowing up cumbersome objects — together with a 52-inch vast leisure heart — with room to spare.
Taller drivers and passengers could discover the lack of about 2 inches of headroom on each of the Cross Sport’s rows (39.4 inches entrance, 37.8 inches rear) and there isn’t any lacking the shortage of a 3rd row possibility. There’s simply no room for it within the Cross Sport’s shorter chassis. Soft trip, relaxed efficiencyThe Cross Sport appears to be like extra athletic, nevertheless it’s no extra agile than earlier than. The SUV’s trip is simply as smooth as the usual mannequin and simply as comfort-focused. Despite the diminished curb weight, the Cross Sport feels large with numb steering that lacks a lot of the car-like nimbleness of its rivals round city.On the freeway, the Atlas’ obscure steering and smooth suspension makes the SUV really feel nearly truck-ish. I continuously should make small steering corrections to make up for bumps, dips or crosswinds nudging the Cross Sport back and forth. There’s plenty of vertical and lateral physique motion at pace over my native (and really uneven) highways, that means the SUV by no means actually feels settled. It is not so fiddly as to really feel unsafe or scary, however the Atlas requires only a bit extra psychological power to maintain centered inside its lane than, say, our long-term Honda Passport — that is not precisely what I imply after I say I need an attractive drive.With such a large physique, there usually is not a lot wiggle room between the lane markers.
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Two engines can be found to Atlas Cross Sport consumers: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter V6, every mated to an eight-speed computerized transmission. Either will be had in front-wheel drive configuration or, optionally, Volkswagen’s 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.My instance’s V6 engine brings 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque to the occasion. Compared to the two.0T, it is received 41 additional ponies, however solely 8 extra pound-feet. In observe, the V6 does not really feel that rather more potent on the highway than the I4, probably due partly to the automated transmission’s comfort-tuned programming considerably dulling responsiveness in favor of smoothness and economic system.Tech and securityThe Cross Sport options an similar record of ordinary and non-obligatory driver assist tech because the bigger Atlas. There’s a superb loadout of options together with adaptive cruise management that works nicely in stop-and-go visitors, computerized emergency brake help, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring and computerized excessive beams. My instance additionally options lane-keeping help and lane-departure alerts which can be unobtrusive and useful. However, it does not do nearly as good a job holding the middle line as Honda’s lane-keeping tech or Toyota’s now-standard Lane Tracing Assist, leaving the Atlas wandering considerably between the markers.The Atlas’ normal 8-inch show is residence to smartphone connectivity and a refreshingly easy interface.
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VW’s cabin tech continues to be among the many finest within the class, principally due to its neatly chosen options and relative simplicity. There’s not a lot to the menu construction, so it by no means actually will get awkward.My instance’s upgraded 8-inch show performs host to straightforward Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and is properly positioned only a brief attain from the motive force’s seat. The non-obligatory navigation software program will get me the place I have to go with out problem and works nicely with the voice recognition that Volkswagen’s working lately. If you feel deja-vu from my earlier Atlas evaluate, that is as a result of this is identical setup you will discover within the dashboards of almost each new VW within the automaker’s lineup, and that is not a foul factor.Only the top-level SEL trim presents VW’s Digital Cockpit instrument cluster, which is a disgrace. The full-screen instrument cluster appears to be like nice. It’s not as flashy or highly effective as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard, however VW’s setup continues to be very customizable and price contemplating.
2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: Slightly smaller, a lot better wanting
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Competition and worthThe 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport begins at $31,565 for the bottom 2.0T S mannequin, together with a $1,020 vacation spot cost — that is precisely a $1,000 financial savings over the bigger, three-row mannequin — and tops out on the $50,815 V6 SEL Premium R-Line with 4Motion all-wheel drive. The mid-tier SE trim is the candy spot, getting you a lot of the creature comforts and security tech, priced fairly between $34,965 and the $43,260 as-tested worth of this V6 SE with Technology, R-Line and 4Motion upgrades, in addition to premium Aurora Red Chroma Metallic paint and a panoramic sunroof.The Atlas Cross Sport rides comfortably, boasts a strong mixture of options and tech and retains a lot of the usual Atlas’ spacious cargo and passenger capability regardless of its extra svelte form. It’s additionally shocking simply how a lot better the reshaped rear finish appears to be like. However, the Atlas Cross Sport is not my favourite trip on this class. I’d like a tighter trip to go together with the Cross Sporty appears to be like — or at the very least the choice for a sportier R-Line suspension to go together with the badges and bumpers. For now, the Atlas Cross Sport’s main competitors is the Honda Passport which will get the nod from me because of its comparably sturdy tech and extra car-like dealing with. It’s simply extra nice and fewer mentally taxing to drive. Toyota’s upcoming Venza may even show to be an fascinating cross-shop, relying on the place the devoted hybrid mannequin’s worth and effectivity lands.