2024 Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-line Review

2024 Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-line Review
By Thom Cannell
Senior Editor
Michigan Bureau
The Auto Channel

Bullet Points: Volkswagen 2024 VW Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line. No attempt at completeness, simply comments on one week’s driving experience—balanced against hundreds of written comparisons.

After a 1,000-plus mile road trip with Volkswagen’s Atlas Cross Sport from mid-Michigan to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, we know this expressive vehicle slightly better. We could not fully explore its Advanced Driver Assistance, iQ.DRIVE which can semi-automate highway or in-town driving, nor (fortunately) did I trial its ability to warn of surprise obstacles (bikes, cars, pedestrians). This, plus “Front Assist (Forward Collision Warning and Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring); Active Side Assist (Blind Spot Monitor); Rear Traffic Alert; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop & Go; Lane Assist (Lane Keeping System); and Emergency Assist (semi-automated vehicle assistance in a medical emergency,) is standard on every Atlas model.

The 5-passenger Atlas Cross Sport and sibling 7-passenger Atlas are designed, engineered and built in Chattanooga, Tennessee retaining its signature muscular styling, updated in 2024’s major redesign. Atlas Cross Sport offers five trim levels with an MSRP starting at $36,715 for front wheel drive. This year all are powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and 4Motion all-wheel drive—which we had—available.

2024 Atlas exteriors have refreshed front and rear styling, now with standard LED headlights like those built into our R-Line’s gloss-black grille. Familiar brawny wheel wells make Atlas distinct within the SUV cohort. This year all Atlas adopt all-LED lighting: high-beam, low-beam, DRL and taillights. As our return trip lasted late into the night, automatic high beams with 900-lumen low beams made the highway bright, safe and driving relaxed.

Our SEL Premium R-Line, which the EPA deems mid-sized, felt like a full-sized SUV from the driver’s seat, requiring a healthy step up into its chalk and black leather trimmed interior. The refreshed dash, console and seats have been remarkably upgraded after a 2021 refresh. Dash and center console use soft-touch materials driver and passenger seats are more comfortable as well as heated and ventilated, uncommon luxury features.

Like a majority of new vehicles, the dash is dominated by screens featuring nearly bewildering choices. Frankly, we were time constrained and barely scraped the surface of everything this Wards 10 Best Interior & UX (user interface and experience) winner had to offer. A single large red button moved us through menus on the floating 12-inch infotainment display. Though clear, we continue to enjoy buttons to control many functions for instinctive, eyes-free actuation. For instance, on the steering wheel, other than smart cruise and audio functions, we could change the driver information views.

The audio system (SEL Premium R-Line trims feature a 12-speaker Harmon-Kardon® audio system with a 400-watt, 12-channel amplifier) was a joy. We used Apple CarPlay and Apple Music, Pandora and podcasts to make traveling through Chicago’s miserable traffic more bearable. The wireless connection was both painless and rapid. For device power—mostly 45-watt rapid device charging—four USB-C ports (six available) were scattered about the cabin.

The driver’s 10.5-inch display had a near-overwhelming series of viewing options off four basic views. We could configure our mater appearance style with a variety of navigation, driving data, phone information, driver assistance and other information.

Driving home across Michigan’s upper peninsula challenged the new EA888 2.0-liter engine now powering every Atlas. It delivered plenty of passing power on US 2 (269 horsepower, 273 lb-ft torque, regular fuel) a big increase over the outgoing I-4 and more torque than the old V-6. Once across the Mackinaw bridge, speed limits increased to 75 mph on I-75, an opportunity to try Volkswagen’s IQ.DRIVE ADAS system (advanced driver assistance). Its lane centering felt smooth, none of the jerky response some systems deliver and did require hands, lightly, on the wheel. It’s a solid Level 2+ system and reduced driver fatigue.

Here’s the Bullet Points for our 2024 Aurora Red Metallic, SEL Premium R-Line. At $53, 190 including $395 paint option and $1,350 destination charge and, considering the many features, price seems in line with competitors with entry models (FWD MSRP $36,985 and $38,885 for the SE AWD) less costly and including many standard features.

The Good:

Though not mentioned, the 2024 Atlas Cross Sport feels slightly less Euro-taut, an increase in ride compliance appreciated on Chicago’s third-world highways.
As always, Atlas is comfortable to drive, making drivers arrive relaxed after day-long drives.
An IIHS Top Safety + award winner in 2024 and 2023, safety is assured.
IQ.DRIVE is a well-designed and comprehensive driver assistance package for drivers and those sharing the roads with it.
Premium audio system to alleviate long-drive tedium.
Plenty of power for everything: USB-C, 12V and 120-volt.
New engine provided two-lane passing power while nearing EPA
combined economy rating of 25 mpg. A lighter foot and less passing would have made a difference.
Our standard HUD (head up display) was clear and precise, delivering relevant information.

Room For Improvement

Sunroof controls, a sliding capacitive device, was touchy; a toggle would be less so.
We would appreciate a one-touch Home button, rather than tapping through several screens. As most reviewers have said about all new vehicles, controlling everything within the infotainment system, versus knobs and buttons, isn’t optimum.