2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

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2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

/10

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Original MSRP

$34,930–$52,100

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Features We Love

I really loved how the Atlas Cross Sport gave me the practicality of the regular Atlas while feeling a little sportier and easier to drive every day. Even with two rear-facing car seats, it still felt functional, roomy, and super mom-friendly without being oversized.

Two full sets of LATCH anchors: I have lower anchors on both outboard seats, so installing rear-facing seats is really easy
Top tether anchors across the bench: I love that all three rear seats have tether anchors because it gives families way more flexibility for forward-facing setups
Actually comfortable for three across: I can comfortably sit between my two rear-facing car seats, which is honestly impressive for a five-passenger SUV
Great rear-facing clearance: Even at six feet tall, I still had about 4–5 inches of room between my seat and my son’s rear-facing car seat
Huge trunk space: I could fit my Uppababy Vista stroller easily and still had room left over for all the random mom stuff in my trunk
Easy size for everyday mom life: It’s much easier to park and maneuver than a big three-row SUV, but I never felt like I was sacrificing space for my kids or gear

Car Mom Review

The Exterior

The Atlas Cross Sport Feels Much Sportier Than The Regular Atlas

The biggest difference between the Atlas and the Atlas Cross Sport is that this is strictly a five-passenger SUV, and I honestly think that gives it a much sleeker look. The body lines are sportier, less boxy, and a little more elevated than the regular Atlas.

I also really liked the size of the Cross Sport. It still feels substantial on the road, but it’s shorter and easier to maneuver than a traditional three-row SUV, which makes parking and everyday driving way easier.

More athletic styling: The sloped roofline and aggressive curves make it feel much sportier than the regular Atlas
Looks more expensive than it is: Volkswagen did a really nice job with the exterior details and chrome accents
LED headlights stand out: I love the wraparound headlights and bold front grille
Shorter overall length: It’s easier to park and maneuver than bigger family SUVs
Still feels family-friendly: Even without a third row, it still feels roomy and practical for everyday mom life

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Sportier than the regular Atlas

First Row

The first row of the Atlas Cross Sport feels really functional and easy to use, which is something I always appreciate as a mom. Nothing feels overly complicated, and everything is laid out in a way that makes sense for everyday driving.

The Tech Feels Easy To Use While Driving

Volkswagen did a great job balancing tech with simplicity here. The infotainment system feels clean and user-friendly, and wireless Apple CarPlay makes it really easy to jump into navigation, music, or calls without dealing with cords.

Digital dash feels elevated: The customizable display makes the car feel more expensive than it is
Wireless Apple CarPlay available: One of my favorite features for everyday driving
Climate controls stay straightforward: Easy to adjust quickly while driving
Great visibility up front: The size still feels manageable and easy to park

The Storage Is Excellent For Mom Life

Volkswagen absolutely nailed the storage in this car. The cupholders are huge, the center console is massive, and there are cubbies everywhere for all the random things moms carry around daily.

Huge cupholders: Easily fit large water bottles
Massive center console: Plenty of room for everyday essentials
Wireless charging pad: Convenient spot to throw your phone
Deep side cubbies: Great for snacks, water bottles, and kid stuff

The Panoramic Sunroof Makes The Cabin Feel Open

The panoramic sunroof adds so much natural light and makes the whole cabin feel bigger. My kids especially loved looking up through it from the second row.

Second Row

The second row is one of the biggest reasons I think the Atlas Cross Sport works so well for families with one or two kids. Even with two rear-facing car seats installed, I still had excellent space, easy installs, and enough room to comfortably sit between the seats.

Two Lower Anchor Positions And Three Top Tether Anchors Keep Installs Flexible

There are two sets of lower anchors on the outboard seats and top tether anchors across all three second-row seating positions. All of the headrests are removable too, which helps get a cleaner car seat fit.

Lower anchors on both outboard seats: Easy access for rear-facing and forward-facing installs
Top tether anchors across the bench: All three seats have tether anchors
Wide second row: I could comfortably fit between two rear-facing car seats
Removable headrests: Helpful for getting a better install with certain seats

Rear-Facing Space Works Well For Taller Parents

I had my driver’s seat set for myself at six feet tall with a rear-facing seat behind me, and I still had about four to five inches of clearance. The doors also open wide, which makes loading kids in and out much easier.

Third Row

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Functional second row for families

Trunk

The trunk space in the Atlas Cross Sport is honestly one of the biggest reasons I think this SUV works so well for families. Since there’s no third row, you get a huge cargo area that actually feels usable for strollers, groceries, sports gear, and all the random mom stuff that ends up living in your car.

The Two-Row Setup Gives You A Huge Everyday Trunk

I fit my Uppababy Vista stroller back there easily and still had plenty of room left over. That’s something I notice immediately in two-row SUVs because so many of them still end up feeling tight once you add a large stroller.

With 40.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, the Atlas Cross Sport gives families more usable storage than a lot of sporty midsize SUVs. It also feels much more open than many three-row SUVs where the trunk disappears once the third row is up.

Wide cargo opening: Easy for loading strollers, groceries, and larger gear
No third row stealing space: The full trunk stays usable all the time
Underfloor storage included: Helpful for keeping emergency items tucked away
Cargo cover included: Nice for hiding valuables or keeping the trunk looking clean

It Feels More Practical Than A Lot Of Sporty SUVs

A lot of sporty midsize SUVs sacrifice cargo space for styling, but I never felt like that was the case here. The Atlas Cross Sport still gives you the sleeker exterior design while keeping the practicality families actually need day to day.

Safety

The 2022 Atlas Cross Sport Received Good Ratings In Multiple IIHS Crash Tests

The 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport received Good ratings from the IIHS in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint crashworthiness evaluations.

Driver And Front Passenger Seatbelts Include Pretensioners

The driver and front passenger seats are equipped with seatbelt pretensioners designed to help tighten the seatbelts during certain collision scenarios.

IQ.DRIVE Brings More Driver Assistance Features Standard

For 2022, Volkswagen expanded the availability of IQ.DRIVE driver assistance technology across the Atlas Cross Sport lineup. Available and standard features include:

Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking
Blind Spot Monitor
Rear Traffic Alert
Adaptive Cruise Control
Lane Assist
Emergency Assist
Park Distance Control
Overhead View Camera System

Car Seat Setup

The Atlas Cross Sport Has Two Full LATCH Positions And Three Top Tether Anchors

The Atlas Cross Sport has two full sets of lower anchors in the outboard second-row seats, plus top tether anchors in all three second-row seating positions. That means you can install a forward-facing seat in any position across the bench.

Driver side seat: Lower anchors + top tether anchor
Middle seat: Top tether anchor only
Passenger side seat: Lower anchors + top tether anchor

I also appreciated that all of the second-row headrests are removable, which helps get a cleaner fit with certain car seats.

Two Rear-Facing Seats Still Leave Plenty Of Room

I had two rear-facing car seats installed and still had about four to five inches of space between my driver’s seat and the rear-facing seat behind me, even at six feet tall.

The second row also feels surprisingly wide. I could comfortably sit between my two rear-facing seats, which is not something I can say about every midsize SUV.

The Second Row Feels Functional For Everyday Family Life

The doors open wide, the seat height feels manageable for loading kids in and out, and there are thoughtful little details throughout the second row like rear vents, deep side cubbies, cup holders, and a phone ledge for parents while buckling kids in.