| Pros | Cons | ||
| ✓ Updated styling | ☓ OK (but not fantastic) driving experience | ||
| ✓ Much better interior | ☓ Still has some fussy haptic sliders, wonky infotainment controls | ||
| ✓ Comfortable, quiet ride | ☓ Underwhelming fuel economy | ||
| ✓ 5,000-pound towing capacity |
2024 Volkswagen Atlas Overview: Evolution over a huge generational shift
Over the past decade, VW’s sales profile in the U.S. has dramatically shifted away from passenger cars, like virtually every other automaker in the industry. The German automaker faced a problem back then, though: The Touareg was far too expensive, and the Tiguan too small for true family duty. Enter the U.S.-focused Atlas, built for American families right here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Identifying a gap in the market for a larger five-seater crossover, Volkswagen launched the Atlas Cross Sport for the 2020 model year. Now, both it and its three-row sibling see major updates that aim to sort issues with the original design and generally keep it competitive among a vast range of competition from every other mainstream brand.
Keep in mind, though, that we’re not looking at an all-new second-generation Atlas. Instead, both cars see another substantial facelift, though this time around VW went even further by updating the interior as well as the 2.0-liter EA888 engine (more on both topics below).
One major change for 2024: The Atlas no longer uses the long-running 3.6-liter VR6 engine. That’s out with this new model year, as is the old 2.0-liter turbocharged mill. This engine, though it is the same displacement as the outgoing unit, is technically the EA888 Evo4 — a variant of the same engine used in the Mk8 GTI and Golf R.
Volkswagen flew Nathan and I out to eastern New York to drive the updated Atlas and we wanted to answer our most burning question: Are these changes really enough? Can the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport justify price tags ranging between $38,065 and $53,805? While that is more or less what any midsize crossover costs these days, that’s still a decent chunk of change for anyone shopping a family hauler, so it better be good.
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas gets a more distinctive face
On the styling front, I think Volkswagen did a solid job, as far as refreshes go. The change you’ll immediately notice is the front grille, which extends out to the reshaped, dual-lens headlights. The higher end models, like this Atlas Cross Sport SEL we tested, also gets an illuminated badge as well as a light bar stretching across the top of the grille. Couple those to the C-shaped running lights and revised lower fascia, and the new Atlas exudes more presence on the road. That does help it stand out a bit more among the midsize SUV crowd.
While the backlit badge and the light bar don’t come on the standard SE trim, you do get adaptive LED headlights and heated side mirrors as standard equipment on the 2024 models.
In profile, the seven-seater 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and five-seater Atlas Cross Sport don’t look dramatically different than they did before. The main difference, as is the way with these coupe-fied SUVs, is the sloping roofline as you head toward the rear. Around back, both models get a new light bar that extends the entire width of the car, with LEDs linking each side through VW’s updated, streamlined badge logo.
So far, so satisfactory — until you reach the lower parts of the rear bumper. You see those chrome accents around what look like exhaust outlets? It may look like the revamped Atlas has nice, beefy pipes, but they’re entirely fake. Not just that, but it’s egregiously obvious how fake they are. Though there are actually dual pipes underneath, the fact that VW still does this is one of Nathan’s pet peeves, and I’m 100% with him on that one.
Stepping up the interior feel and ambience
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas brings in a host of interior changes to complement the exterior tweaks. Again, it’s not a revolution from the outgoing model. As far as the general layout goes, most of the switchgear will be familiar to those shopping VW’s midsize SUV after the past few years. That said, the company did focus on making the interior a nicer place to be, and it certainly is an improvement.
First up, let’s talk screens. All Atlas models get a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster as well as a 12-inch center instrument cluster. Each model regardless of trim also gets App-Connect, enabling Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the range, and wireless charging. The three-row Atlas gets up to eight USB-C ports throughout the cabin, while the five-seater Cross Sport gets up to six, depending on the trim level (you lose two ports on the lower trims). Adding to the features list, the revamped Atlas also brings standard Climatronic climate control with three zones for the Atlas SUV and two for the Atlas Cross Sport, a heated steering wheel, a height-adjustable passenger seat and standard voice control. So, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas comes well-equipped, even if you stick with the base SE trim.
Stepping up through the trims largely adds more interior creature comforts, ranging from genuine leather seats (rather than leatherette on the base models), heated second-row seats, 30-color ambient lighting, adaptive cruise control and an head-up display.
More importantly than what you get on the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, though, as how the automaker actually presents all those features. The old Atlas came fairly well equipped as well, but there were serious downsides if you sprang for VW’s midsize option over the competition. Frankly, the older models sport a dark and drab interior with few bright or interesting color options. The company dramatically improved that outlook with this new model, thanks to wood or copper fiber interior accents (the latter of which is on this Cross Sport), as well as interior colors light Shetland (white perforated leather) on the Atlas and Cinnamon or Chalk on the Cross Sport.
It’s far less boring, but there are still some gripes worth mentioning…
Overall, VW presents a far more pleasant and feature-rich interior this time around. The company is even starting to make good on its promise to remove its frustrating capactive touch buttons that aim to look cool, but just didn’t give you the tactile feedback of proper buttons. This time, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport do get proper buttons on the steering wheel to control the digital cluster, driving systems and media playback.
That change in philosophy evidently came too late to pivot away from haptic controls on the center stack, though. So you do still get touch sliders for the temperature and climate beneath the infotainment screen. Worse still, the Atlas brings over the four “button” setup from the Mk8 GTI, the Golf R and the ID.4 (among others) to access broader climate control features, the driver assist systems, the drive modes and the park assist system. With enough time and experience, you can get used to it, but it’s inconvenient and can be downright annoying to access some features while you’re on the move.
The MIB3 infotainment system itself isn’t much better. Recent updates have made it a little snappier to use, but some options you’ll want to access are still buried beneath menu after menu of touchscreen frustration, starting with the fact that the home button (the blue square shown above) is not obvious to first-time users.
If you’ve looked at the Mk8 GTI/Golf R or the ID.4, you’ll know this problem well. Rather than put an easily accessible sidebar out on the edge of the screen, like Toyota does with its new infotainment system, you have to press, swipe and scroll your way to whichever feature you want. VW is aware that folks aren’t really huge fans of its system so we will see an update at some point, but the about-face comes a bit too far along in this Atlas’ development cycle to avoid falling victim to its pitfalls like the ID.4 did.
What level of practicality do you need?
As before, the key difference between the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport pertains to how much seating capacity and cargo volume you need. The five-seater model offers great rear legroom (40.4 inches) above the Tiguan, while you do still get 77.6 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the seats folded, despite the change in the roofline. When the rear bench is in place, that space drops to 40.3 cubic feet.
The three-row Atlas, on the other hand, trades some second row seating capacity to accommodate the extra two occupants. Legroom on the second row is still decent, at 37.6 inches, while the back seats offer up to 33.7 inches depending on how the second row is adjusted/reclined. The headroom and legroom are decent enough to actually seat adults on the third row — another plus point for VW — though you won’t necessarily want to sit in the back if you’re a larger individual on a 1,000-mile road trip.
Performance is an acceptable compromise
Beyond the styling and interior updates, another notable change for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas lineup is the engine. Yes, “the” as in only one. VW dropped the 3.6-liter VR6 and brought in an updated variant of the 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged engine. Called the “Evo4”, it’s a unit that’s also in the GTI and Golf R, though it manages a different output level here. In the latest Atlas, you get 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, which is a healthy bump on the old four-pot while more or less matching the V6. Against the former range-topping powertrain, you get a bit less horsepower, but better torque.
Thanks to the new four-cylinder, VW says the new Atlas is roughly half a second faster to 60 mph than the old VR6. In low-RPM driving conditions, the revised powerplant also makes 28% better torque at 1,550 RPM. That helps make the decision to stick with a smaller displacement option not feel like a penalty, where you wish you had the meaty feel of the two extra cylinders. Fortunately, the automaker also retained the Atlas’ 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity (when equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive), so you don’t lose any actual capability from the old model.
As before, all 2024 Volkswagen Atlas models use an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is the default on the lower trims, while 4Motion all-wheel drive is available across the range and standard on higher-end versions from the SEL on up.
Even with the 2.0-liter’s bump in performance, fuel economy remains more or less the same for the 2024 models. Most trims apart from the Peak Edition (more on that below) also beat out the V6, as you would expect, though not by much. Atlas SE and Cross Sport models manage 19 City / 26 Highway / 22 Combined mpg, while the three-row Atlas SEL drops to 19/25/21 and the Peak Edition gets 18/24/20 mpg. For reference, the old 2.0T managed 20/24/22 mpg and the 3.6-liter VR6 pulled off 18/23/20 mpg.
It feels solid, if not seriously sporty
After getting behind the wheel, Volkswagen’s decision to boost the four-pot feels like a smart move. The engine feels torquey low down, as the numbers suggest, though there is still a slight delay if you try to hustle the car along. The 8-speed transmission smoothly moves through the ratios, which makes the Atlas a relaxed road trip machine.
While VW is keen to give the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport more presence, what this SUV is not is sporty. It’s perfectly solid-feeling and composed as Nathan and I drove through the windy roads of New York’s Catskill region, but there’s no GTI performance version in the mix here. The 2.0T you do get, for its part, doesn’t put out Golf R levels of power or something to compete with the likes of six-cylinder SUVs in the current three-row market like the Mazda CX-90 or Ford Explorer ST.
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas felt perfectly agreeable to drive before, and it still does. Since its underpinnings beyond the engine itself largely remain the same, this update doesn’t offer a transformative driving experience. For almost everyone’s practical needs, though, VW’s midsizer shouldn’t see you wrong, with the added bonus that it can still tow a reasonable amount.
Though I drove the Atlas Cross Sport specifically for TFLcar’s written review, Nathan did review the three-row model in our review video. That is coming up this weekend (so check back for that update!).
Verdict: So, are VW’s updates to the 2024 Atlas enough?
On the whole, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas offers a well-equipped, handsome looking package without changing up the fundamental experience too much from what we knew before. This car shows that the company is making an effort to listen to its customers, and this updated version is a far, far better model than what we originally saw six years ago.
While there’s no out-and-out performance version, the Atlas Peak Edition (available only on the three-row version) does offer a more ruggedized model akin to the old car’s Basecamp accessory package. Opt for the SE or SEL Peak Edition, and you’ll get gloss-black wheels, special Peak Badging and orange contrast stitching on the interior, and meatier all-terrain tires. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to actually drive this trim. The only Peak Edition on display at VW’s event was yoked to an Airstream trailer (and no, VW didn’t let anyone tow with it). We’ll redress that balance as soon as we get the car out in Colorado, and we’ll also put it through our slip test.
Despite the fact that I still don’t like the MIB3 infotainment system and the fuel economy against 2023 and older models is decidedly “meh”, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is still worth your time and consideration. The whole point of this car’s existence is to offer a midsize SUV tailored more to American tastes than the eye-wateringly expensive Touareg, and it nearly hits just the right notes to make it a strong option in most categories.
You can find more potent, dynamic or fuel efficient options in this class, but the Atlas’ strongest point is that it does pretty much everything well. The compromises make sense and this updated Atlas won’t throw you any curveballs. It’s still a thoroughly competent family hauler and one of VW’s best sellers — and most of these updates only help its case.
Pricing for the new Atlas Cross Sport starts at $38,065, while the three-row SE model starts off $1,010 higher. If you’re in the market, we published a full pricing breakdown right here.
