Revealed at the 2016 LA Auto Show for the 2017 model year, the Atlas replaced the far more premium Touareg in Volkswagen's North American lineup. Refreshed at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, the front-biased Atlas received yet another facelift in February 2023 for model year 2024.
Given the second redesign, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety was much obliged to crash the 2024 model to see whether it's as safe as mid-size crossovers can be. When it comes to crashworthiness, the three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport both passed all four tests with flying colors. These are the updated side impact, original moderate overlap front, driver-side small overlap front, and the passenger-side small overlap front crash tests.
The largest Volkswagen passenger vehicles on sale in the United States at the moment of reporting also secured top honors for headlight performance. Two headlight variations need to be mentioned. SEL trims come with LED projector-style low and high beams. The SE and SE w/ Technology Package both feature LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams. Another difference between said variations would be high-beam assist, which is exclusive to the fancier lights that equip the SEL trims.
Although the three-row Atlas is a family-oriented vehicle, Volkswagen didn't pay too much attention to the design of the LATCH system. Rated marginal by the nonprofit organization, the LATCH system was found to feature lower anchors located too deep in the seats. The IIHS also noted that plenty of force is required to attach a child seat.
The Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport were also tested for crash avoidance and mitigation, with the IIHS interested in how the automatic emergency system operates in a variety of scenarios. Rather than superior, the AEB was rated advanced in both the vehicle-to-pedestrian daytime scenario and the vehicle-to-pedestrian nighttime scenario.
Photo: Volkswagen
All in all, a very impressive performance for such a value-oriented crossover that also happens to be manufactured in the United States of America. Coming from the Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport both lost their V6 (technically VR6) engine for the 2024 model year. The naturally-aspirated lump was replaced by a slightly punchier 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, which belts out an estimated 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) at full chatter.
More stressed than the recently discontinued sixer, the Atlas-specific EA888 was recalled in August 2023 for potentially damaged connecting rods. The rods eventually get damaged because of contaminated bearings, which leads to increased particle occurrence in the oil circuit. Excessive wear and play leads to catastrophic damage to the block, therefore increasing the risk of a fire due to the oil.
The EA888 four-cylinder turbo first saw duty back in 2007. Considering the recall above, it does make the Wolfsburg-based automaker look a bit silly. The naturally-aspirated V6 in the family-sized Honda Pilot and two-row Passport, on the other hand, is plenty reliable.
Speaking of which, the Japanese manufacturer wants $37,090 and $41,900 for the aforementioned crossovers, excluding the destination freight charge. Over at Volkswagen, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport are currently available to configure states at $37,725 and $36,715. Indeed, and as opposed to Honda's crossovers, the two-row derivative is more affordable than the three-row sibling.
#IIHSNews | The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport earn IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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