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Volkswagen unveiled the 2024 Atlas SUV and updated Atlas Cross Sport at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show.
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The five- and seven-seat crossovers get styling changes, including an updated exterior, new rims and a sleeker interior.
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Gone is the optional 3.6-liter V6. In its place is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 269 horsepower, which will be the only engine available.
Volkswagen's three-row Atlas SUV has already been updated. It debuted in the 2018 model year and received a slight facelift in 2021 to match the two-row look of the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport model. But this time, Volkswagen designers used a hand much heavier when updating the company's largest SUV.
Check eligibility. Both the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport have a more modern look with an updated grille, C-shaped headlights and full-width taillights. All but the base models feature an illuminated VW logo on the front and a light strip running across the top of the grille. New wheel designs – 18- and 21-inch sizes – adorn all four corners of the SUV, and a large rear spoiler has been added to help give the Atlas a more curved roofline.
But bigger changes await inside, as Volkswagen has improved the passenger experience with better materials and additional comfort features. The dashboard and center console are wrapped in synthetic leather, and the wide plastic or wood trim continues on the door panels. A new ambient lighting system was added to the options list along with a new dashboard.
The 12.0-inch infotainment screen is larger across the range and all models feature a 10.3-inch digital screen; The front display is optional. The infotainment system includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and all Atlases have a wireless smartphone charging box and at least six USB-C ports for fast charging.
Air conditioning voice control
A heated steering wheel, ventilated and heated front seats and a height-adjustable passenger seat became standard. And the automatic climate control is voice-activated, a feature that's great Super Bowl business fodder, but has proven cumbersome and annoying in other cars with similar features.
While previous models were available with either a 235-hp turbocharged engine or a 276-hp 3.6-liter V6, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport find themselves with just one engine: a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-seater of 269 horsepower. . . Front all-wheel drive remains standard, and all-wheel drive is optional on all models.
While the EPA has yet to weigh in on the flat-turbo's fuel efficiency, Volkswagen says it should be an improvement over the outgoing model. The load capacity does not change, the Atlas can carry up to 5,000 kilos.
For sale at the end of the year
Volkswagen says the 2024 Atlas and Cross Sport will go on sale in Q3 2023, but pricing has yet to be announced. Considering the upgrades, we're expecting a slight increase in base price over the 2023 Atlas Cross Sport's starting price of $35,755. The same goes for the three-row Atlas, which is expected to start at just over $36,455 for the 2023 model.
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