First Spin: 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport | The Day by day Drive
By Sue Mead
I went to camp! It was an ideal summer season retreat to attend Volkswagen’s “Camp Atlas,” which was designed to showcase these up to date midsize SUVs in VW’s lineup. As a substitute of a tent or cabin, my lodging was a luxurious Airstream trailer at AutoCamp, which is nestled into the forests of the Catskills close to Woodstock, New York. In fact, there was a night camp fireplace and even s’mores.
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2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport
Throughout my two-day camp keep, my job was to drive the 2 redesigned variations of the “adventure-ready” 2023 VW Atlas alongside a group of roadways that snaked by streams and thru the mountains of upstate New York.
Atlas is essential to VW. It’s the first modern-day Volkswagen designed, engineered, and manufactured particularly for American consumers, evolving from the CrossBlue idea that was revealed in October 2016. Atlas was first seen in 2017; becoming a member of its larger 3-row sibling, the 2-row Atlas Cross Sport got here to market in 2020. In the present day, these sport utility automobiles are Volkswagen of America’s top-selling and most-profitable nameplates, with gross sales of greater than 500,000 thus far. Of notice, 83 % of VW’s gross sales right now are SUVs, whereas 91 % have been vehicles in 2013.
The beginning MSRP for the 2023 Atlas is $37,725, and $36,715 for the Atlas Cross Sport; each are available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations.
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Atlas is on the market in 4 trim ranges, plus two variations of the brand new, special-edition, Peak trim. Atlas Cross Sport is available in 5 trim ranges.
Inbuilt Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Atlas duo is predicted to be on sale within the fall of 2023. These midsizers symbolize six % of the U.S. market share for sport utes, and compete with the Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, amongst others.
What’s new? Jim Burch, product supervisor for the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, says that VW’s intent was to “proceed to construct on the profitable mix of spaciousness, practicality and classy design with a sublime new inside, eye-catching exterior adjustments, and a new-generation turbocharged engine.”
Vital inside upgrades refresh the cabin with extra premium supplies, new know-how, and extra consolation and comfort options. The upscale cockpit design is punctuated by a floating infotainment display, a redesigned middle console, commonplace three-zone local weather management, and an obtainable Fender-brand premium audio system. There are interesting soft-touch surfaces and obtainable quilted leather-based seats with an aesthetic diamond sample. Plus, the inside could be accented with 30-color ambient lighting and a backlit sprint. Commonplace cabin options embody a heated steering wheel, ventilated entrance seats, leather-based seating surfaces, and voice management. Heated rear seats can be found.
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Bumping up the know-how expertise are new screens on each trim stage, with a 12-inch middle show in addition to a ten.25-inch totally configurable instrument panel. Obtainable are head-up show, wi-fi charging, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a splash cam. House owners will even get pleasure from a bevy of USB-C ports.
Exterior adjustments embody a transfer to LED headlights, adaptive entrance lighting, entrance and rear mild bars, and obtainable illuminated entrance logos.
entrance and light-weight bars, with LED rear lighting that has a brand new mild strip design and a rear diffuser together with 18-inch wheels.
Additionally new is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine rated at 269 horsepower; it’s mated it to an eight-speed computerized transmission. Each the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are EPA rated at a mixed 23 mpg. Atlas’s obtainable 3.6-liter V6 has been dropped for 2024.
On the street, each the Atlas and Cross Sport profit from the brand new engine’s low-end torque, although there’s ample energy obtainable throughout a broad vary of driving situations.
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The Cross Sport feels barely extra maneuverable than the bigger Atlas–it’s considerably lighter–however each steer with accuracy and deal with twisty roads with a level of sportiness. Sturdy, firm-feeling brakes add to the athleticism.
Of notice: consumers can match three automobile seats throughout the second row of the Atlas and maintain them in place with a tumble-forward characteristic to entry the third row with good accessibility.
The usual safety-equipment record is complete. Volkswagen’s IQ.Drive driver-assistance suite consists of all of the anticipated gear, together with lane-keep help, rear-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise management the works in stop-and-go visitors.
The special-edition Atlas Peak mannequin has extra rugged styling parts than lesser trim ranges, and derives its basic look from the Atlas Base Camp idea revealed in 2019.
Commonplace on the Peak is AWD, 18-inch black alloy wheels with aggressive all-terrain tires, black and silver physique cladding, and black-out exterior particulars. Colours obtainable solely on the Peak are Avocado Inexperienced and Pure Gray. The Peak begins at $46,555.
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2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport Gallery
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