The Volkswagen Atlas hasn’t been around for too long, so Volkswagen’s not in any rush to stage a major overhaul. Now, with the reveal of its five-seater cousin, the Atlas Cross Sport, the company released some design sketches showing a similar styling treatment for its three-row flagship crossover. While the overall design remains pretty much the same in profile, the front and rear ends have both been freshened up to take on a more athletic appearance, rather than the boxier design the Atlas has now.
Up front, the headlight assembly and grille is pretty much identical to the Atlas Cross Sport, but there are a few minor tweaks. In these sketches, at least, the fog light design is different on this Atlas, while the lower half of the lower grille and surround has a more rugged appearance with the faux bull bar look. Around the back, the rear bumper also sees some minor changes.
Under the hood it’s likely we’ll see a refreshed Volkswagen Atlas carry on with the powertrains it already has. On the lower end, you can get a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. On the upper models, you get a 3.6-liter VR6 with 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, while both engines mate up to an eight-speed automatic transmission. However, the 2.0-liter model may also get VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system, rather than leaving it strictly as an option for the larger-engined versions.
Keeping with the styling, the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas should also get the R-Line Package like its Cross Sport sibling. That means a more aggressive bumper design and blacked out accents, as well as larger available wheels.
The Atlas Cross Sport launches next March, so this updated Atlas should follow shortly thereafter. We’ll likely see the updated version in the coming months around the Chicago Auto Show, with a launch sometime in the summer of 2020. Stay tuned for more updates!
