- Everything new with the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport
- Great standard features, with one glaring issue
- Are the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport good SUVs?
For the 2024 model year the Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross are both getting a refresh. For those lucky enough to have already sat behind the wheel of one of these reinvented models, they seem to be fantastic vehicles.
However, some automotive media outlets have found one minor potential issue with the brand-new 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. Here is everything you need to know about the classy, new 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models.
2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Sport | VW Media
Everything new with the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport
The 2024 VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport were unveiled to the public at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show. Many attendees were impressed with just how much care went into reinventing the Atlas lineup.
In the past, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport were seen as affordable SUVs with American-adjacent dimensions and European-like styling. Sadly, this combination of ideas did not translate to an exciting vehicle.
The new Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport will be produced with a new 2.0L turbo four-cylinder engine with 269 horsepower. This engine will replace the disappointing 3.6L V6 engine that many Atlas owners disliked in the past due to its low power and rough fuel economy.
The Atlas Cross Sport will be available with black upholstery and faux carbon fiber trim to accentuate the Cross Sport’s focus on being the sportier model of the two. The regular Atlas model will be available with leather upholstery and other minor interior upgrades. All this makes this vehicle feel more in line with a luxury SUV than an affordable, family-hauling SUV.
Great standard features, with one glaring issue
According to Cars.com, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport will be offered a brand new line of standard features, including heated and ventilated front seats with a heated steering wheel. New standard technology features are offered too, including a huge 12-inch infotainment screen. This makes the previous Atlas’ 6.5-inch standard screen look comical in comparison.
However, Cars.com reports that this center touchscreen is doing too much. Physical buttons for the climate control system are gone. The climate system is totally controlled with this center infotainment screen. To use the climate control system, drivers must reach over to the infotainment screen and use a set of virtual sliders to adjust the AC.
This practice may sound normal on paper, but in practice, this touchscreen had a slight delay. The lack of physical buttons also makes these controls very difficult to use while driving due to the lack of feedback. If a touch screen fails to work correctly, drivers will not have any way to control their vehicle’s climate control system.
Are the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport good SUVs?
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According to what we have found, the redesigned Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models for 2024 look like they will be excellent SUVs. Of course, using a climate control system integrated into the infotainment system does have a learning curve. To be fair, it does cause some concern for the reliability of the system in the long run, but the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport otherwise looks like incredible vehicles for 2024.
Keyword: Keep an Eye on a Potential Pain-Point for the 2024 VW Atlas and Atlas Cross