4 Things I Love About the VW Atlas Cross Sport, and 1 Thing Missing

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Volkswagen’s sportiest SUV will get a major infusion of style, power and technology when the 2027 Atlas Cross Sport hits the road early next year.

Nearly 5.5 inches shorter than the family-hauling six- or seven-seat Atlas that goes on sale this fall, the midsize Cross Sport has two rows of seats, a lower roof and more sharply raked front and rear windows for a dramatically different appearance.

Other features include more power, improved electronics and a clean, modern interior design trimmed in appealing materials.

Prices and fuel economy will be revealed closer to the start of sales. VW expects the Cross Sport to account for about 40% of Atlas sales.

There were things I liked, and one thing I’d change, about the upcoming Atlas Cross Sport.

Four Standout Features

Inventive, Classy Interior

Wood dashboard trim is standard. Got that? Standard. Name another mainstream vehicle you can say that about.

The low-gloss wood wraps around a car-width panel that includes the instrument cluster, a touch screen and a passenger-side glass panel dotted with points of light in the color of your choice. (There are 10 choices on the base model and 30 in higher trims.)

Those pinpoints of light continue into the doors — front and rear — where they peek through perforations in the panels between the armrest and window.

The base model comes with VW’s leatherette synthetic upholstery. Not one, but two leather options — Varenna and Nappa — are available on upper trims.

A Unique Profile

Everything from the beltline — the line along the bottom of the side windows — is new. VW took two inches out of the height of the side windows and angled the windshield back more to emphasize style over the three-row Atlas’ family-oriented design.

The roofline is 2.1 inches lower, and the roof is slightly wider. The rear-angled A-pillar, rear spoiler and sharply angled hatchback all contribute to a stylish exterior sculpted to challenge competitors like the Honda Passport and five-passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Cross Sport is 5.4 inches shorter than the Atlas.

Power and Fuel Economy

A 282-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is standard. The engine produces 258 pound-feet of torque and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

VW promises improved fuel economy despite the 13-horsepower bump in power from the current Cross Sport.

VW appears to have resolved an issue that plagued this engine in the smaller Tiguan Turbo earlier this year.

The Cross Sport can tow 5,000 pounds.

Painted Lower Cladding

You may not know what body-color lower cladding is, but I bet you like it when you see it.

The plastic cladding runs below the doors, between the wheels. It protects the metal body from stones and reduces noise. Both are good things, but painting the cladding to match every exterior color takes time and money not every automaker is willing to spend.

That’s why many vehicles have a strip of black plastic running below the doors, from wheel well to wheel well. Meh.

VW went to the extra effort and expense to paint the Cross Sport’s cladding to match every body color. That pays off in a cleaner, more elegant look.

The Missing Hybrid

VW designed and specced the Atlas Cross Sport to meet American expectations, but we won’t see a hybrid until the SUV’s midcycle update — in three or four years.

That’s an eternity when you compete with vehicles like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sportage, all of which have hybrids now. Nissan has promised a radically new Rogue hybrid later this year, and Mazda has promised a hybrid CX-5 for next year.

2027 VW Atlas Cross Sport Key Facts

• Built in Chattanooga, Tennessee
• On sale in the first quarter of 2027
• Seats five
• Front- or all-wheel drive
• 5.4 inches shorter, with a 2.1-inch-lower roof than the three-row VW Atlas
• 282 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque
• Eight-speed automatic transmission
• Standard wood trim on the dashboard
• Standard power tailgate
• Standard rear-window shades
• More cargo space than the Atlas
• 12.9- or 15-inch touchscreen

Reporting by Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.