The Volkswagen Group blessed motorists with lots of iconic engines over the years. From the air-cooled boxer of the Volkswagen Beetle to the five-cylinder turbo of the Audi Quattro and V12 TDI of the Audi Q7, there are plenty of examples worth geeking out for. One that I'm especially fond of is the VR6, which premiered in road-going trim in 1991 in the Corrado.
VR comes from the German words for V-type engine and inline engine, whereas 6 designates the number of cylinders. Think of the VR6 as a V6 with an extremely narrow angle between its two cylinder banks. In the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, for example, we’re dealing with a 10.6-degree angle.
Why did Volkswagen engineer such a thing? Packaging reasons is the answer, with the VR6 being more compact than a V6, making it perfect for transverse applications like the mid-size utility vehicles.
Already facelift once, three years ago at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport have sadly lost the optional VR6 in favor of a 2.0-liter turbo. The four-cylinder lump is more powerful and torquier than before, torquier than the VR6 that Volkswagen advertises as a V6 engine.
The German automaker most likely discontinued the VR6 because it’s not as efficient as the 2.0L. But then again, a small turbo engine always works harder than a naturally-aspirated engine with a larger displacement.
Photo: Volkswagen
Volkswagen bumped up the peak output ratings to 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet (370 Nm) with premium gasoline, up from 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm). The VR6 makes 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet (361 Nm) on regular unleaded (87 octane).
Despite this somewhat expected downsizing, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport feature the same towing capacity as before. Both tow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) according to Volkswagen. As ever, an eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is front-wheel drive. AWD is either standard or optional, depending on the grade.
The 2024 refresh sees the three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport receive a much-improved front end, consisting of a four-bar grille framed by LED headlights. To further differentiate them from the first facelift, Volkswagen has also added an LED light bar and an illuminated Volkswagen logo. The base specification doesn’t get the light bar and illuminated logo.
Adaptive front lighting is now standard, and the redesigned front fascia boasts integrated air intakes. There are minor differences between the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, especially the gloss-black grille details and the X-shaped element that stretches across the lower fascia.
Photo: Volkswagen
The family-oriented body style and the five-seat Atlas Cross Sport flaunt a larger spoiler at the rear, which lengthens the overall roofline for a sleeker look from the side profile. Once again, all but the base trim mirrors the front lighting signature in the rear. The Atlas Cross Sport differs from the Atlas by means of a sportier diffuser.
Offered with alloy wheels ranging from 18 to 21 inches, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport sweeten the deal for 2024 with IQ.DRIVE hands-on semi-automatic driving assistance technology as standard. Other technological highlights include a head-up display and Adaptive Cruise Control, up to eight USB-C ports with 45-watt fast charging, a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
The interior can be specified with diamond-pattern quilted leather for the seats, plus ambient lighting with 30 color choices. Unfortunately for prospective customers, pricing information isn’t available at press time.
The 2024 models are going on sale in early Q3 2023, which means that VW will share the MSRPs sometime this summer. For future reference, the 2023 models are priced at $35,150 and $34,460 sans freight.
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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