2022 Volkswagen Atlas vs Atlas Cross Sport

July 25th, 2022 by

SUV and crossover vehicles have increased in popularity in the United States due to their ability to operate equally well in both urban areas and off-road. Volkswagen has a popular line of SUVs, including the Atlas and its little sibling, the Atlas Cross Sport. Like the other vehicles in Volkswagen’s lineup, these cars offer exceptional value, great reliability, and a wide range of updated features.

If you’re looking for your family’s next SUV, you may be wondering which of these two vehicles would best fit your needs. At Volkswagen of Streetsboro, we want to make the car-buying process as easy as possible. Therefore, we’ve put together a comparison of the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. Keep reading to learn more about these two vehicles and how they differ.

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas vs. Atlas Cross Sport

The Volkswagen Atlas is an award-winning, full-size SUV that made its debut in 2018. Volkswagen expanded its offerings in 2020 by adding the Atlas Cross Sport, a midsize crossover that offers many of the Atlas’ features in a more compact package. Below, we explain how these two vehicles differ to help you determine which vehicle is the perfect fit for you.

Safety Features

Volkswagen has a reputation for safety, and the 2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport demonstrate why. Both vehicles have similar safety features and have earned five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Whether you take your Atlas on road trips or simply need a vehicle to get around town, Volkswagen provides peace of mind. The following are some of the basic safety features that are featured in both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport:

  • A rigid safety cage to protect you during collisions.
  • An intelligent crash response system that can automatically unlock the doors, turn off the fuel pump, and turn on the hazard lights.
  • A tire pressure monitoring system.
  • An automatic post-collision braking system that slows your car down after an impact.
  • A rear-view camera system.
  • Six stabilizing systems that help your car maintain traction and improve stopping power.

The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are also available with Volkswagens’ IQ.Drive package, which offers the following features:

  • Adaptive cruise control.
  • Active blind-spot monitoring.
  • Rear traffic alert.
  • Front assist.
  • Automatic emergency braking.
  • Lane assist.

Comfort

Both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are designed to provide extreme comfort for both drivers and passengers. While each model offers a roomy interior with ample head and leg room, the Atlas adds a third row of seats for a total capacity of seven passengers. This contrasts with the five-passenger capacity of the smaller Cross Sport.

Additionally, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport offer various perks to make your ride more enjoyable. Heated front seats and a 10-way, power-adjustable driver’s seat are standard in both vehicles. The Premium R-Line trim for both SUVs adds heated rear seats, ventilated front seats, and high-quality leather upholstery.

The main difference between the two vehicles’ comfort offerings is that the Atlas comes with a standard, dual-zone climate control system in the base trim, while the Cross Sport only includes this feature for its upper-level trims. Additionally, the Atlas’ SEL  trim adds a three-zone automatic climate control system. This is unavailable for the Atlas Cross Sport, which features just two seating zones.

Technology

For 2022, Volkswagen has removed all the stops and equipped both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport with a range of cutting-edge technologies. Both vehicles feature the standard 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, which includes navigation and dynamic route guidance, and the Volkswagen digital cockpit, which displays vital information for drivers. R-Line trims in both vehicles are available with a premium audio system from Fender.

The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport feature the same range of available connectivity and remote features, including:

  • Keyless access.
  • Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Remote start.
  • Wireless charging.
  • Volkswagen Car-Net Safe & Secure.
  • Volkswagen Car-Net Hotspot.
  • Apple CarPlay connectivity.
  • Android Auto connectivity.

Performance

As SUVs, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are designed to perform well in the city, on the highway, and on the trail. This performance is powered by the same powertrain in both vehicles. The standard engine in the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport is a 2.0-L 4-cylinder engine that offers 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft  of torque. This can be upgraded to a 3.6-L V6, which would increase the power to 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque.

Both engine configurations are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that allows drivers to switch manually using Tiptronic mode. Both Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport R-Line trims come as standard with 4Motion AWD capability, which replaces the standard rear-wheel-drive layout.

Pricing

Both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport feature the same lineup of five trims: the SE, the SE with Technology, the SEL, the SEL R-Line, and the SEL Premium R-Line. While average prices for the Cross Sport are slightly lower, what you pay for your vehicle will depend on which trim best suits your needs. Below is a comparison of the starting MSRPs for each trim:

  • SE: $34,335 for Atlas, $33,635 for Atlas Cross Sport.
  • SE with Technology: $38,505 for Atlas, $37,805 for Atlas Cross Sport.
  • SEL: $44,105 for Atlas, $43,405 for Atlas Cross Sport.
  • SEL R-Line: $47,255 for Atlas, $44,805 for Atlas Cross Sport.
  • SEL Premium R-Line: $51,505 for Atlas, $50,805 for Atlas Cross Sport.

Cargo Space

The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport both offer ample cargo space for whatever you need to carry. Since the Atlas Cross Sport only has two rows of seating, it offers extra standard cargo space for a total area of 40.3 cubic feet. This contrasts with the Atlas’ 20.6 cubic feet of storage behind the third row. With its back row folded, the Atlas Cross Sport’s cargo space increases to 77.8 cubic feet, while the Atlas offers a whopping 96.8 cubic feet with both back rows folded.

Hopefully, our comparison of the 2022 Atlas and 2022 Atlas Cross Sport has helped you decide which vehicle is most suitable for you and your family. If you live in the Streetsboro, OH area and are interested in an Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport, we’d love to see you at Volkswagen of Streetsboro.

We have an extensive inventory of Volkswagens, and our experienced staff would love to help you find your next vehicle. Before you come in, feel free to give us a call. We can answer any questions that you have about our offerings, financing, or service department. We wish you the best of luck in your search for a new car, and we hope to see you soon at Volkswagen of Streetsboro.

Posted in Model Features