2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

How does the Atlas Cross Sport drive? The Atlas Cross Sport is a pleasant-driving midsize SUV. Its surprisingly agile handling and accurate steering belie the size of this large people-mover. At our test track, it accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. It's not going to blow anyone's doors off, but it finally feels like it has the right amount of power given its considerable mass.

The rest of the Cross Sport's driving experience is agreeable. The steering is light and easy to manage, and combined with the car's spritely engine, it makes this SUV feel smaller than it is. We do think the transmission's shifting isn't as smooth as we'd like for daily driving, especially when moving off the line. But beyond that, the Atlas Cross Sport is quite pleasant to drive thanks to the engine's power and its composed handling.

How comfortable is the Atlas Cross Sport? The Atlas Cross Sport trades a bit of comfort for its agility. It isn't rough-riding, but there are cushier SUVs in this class. On the other hand, it does feel more buttoned-down at higher cruising speeds. The front seats are decently comfortable but don't have a whole lot of extra adjustability or bolstering. The rear seatbacks recline a generous amount, which can help your rear passengers get comfortable on long trips.

The climate control system works effectively but is dual-zone only, so the rear passengers can't control what comes out of their vents. Wind and road noise on the highway is minimal, so you and your passengers can hold a conversation without much trouble.

How’s the interior? The Atlas Cross Sport features an excellent step-in height with wide squared-off doors that make climbing in and out effortless. Once inside, you'll be impressed by the roomy interior. Dimensionally, the Honda Passport and Cross Sport interior are pretty comparable, but the VW feels roomier despite its slightly coupe-like rear roofline.

There's plenty of seat and steering-wheel adjustment range to suit a wide variety of drivers. The view outward is pretty expansive all around. The big side mirrors are good for giving you a clear view back, but their bulky housings can obstruct your vision a little when you need to make a turn. The rear window is a bit smaller than the one in the regular Atlas.

And while we love those aspects of the interior, the rest of it falls flat. The tech user interface may look sophisticated but it is a pain to use. The touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel are distracting to use while driving. Additionally, there is an abuse of cheap-feeling piano black plastic everywhere, and the physical climate controls are touch-sensitive pads and sliders that are annoying at best and impossible to use accurately at their worst.

How’s the storage? Cargo space behind the rear seats is a big 40.3 cubic feet, which is just shy of the Honda Passport's 41.2 cubic feet. We love all the space. But it lacks any helpful means for securing bags or cargo, and consequently this wide and flat area can end up being a roller derby for your groceries. Cargo liftover height is also a bit high. The 60/40-split folding seats lie mostly flat. The seatback releases are only accessible from the rear seating area and not from the cargo area.

The cupholders up front can accommodate 32-ounce bottles, and they have a good anti-tip design so smaller drinks won't go flopping around. The overall storage isn't quite as clever as the Honda's, but it's better than most others. Got small kids? There's plenty of space for any child safety seat, though the anchors are surprisingly difficult to access behind the slits in the seatback.

Is the Atlas Cross Sport a good value? The front of the cabin looks upscale in certain areas thanks to trim such as faux wood trim and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift. But other areas have really cheap-looking textured black plastic. It's not nearly as luxury-looking inside as the 2025 or 2026 Honda Passport. The Atlas Cross Sport is also a bit more expensive than many of its rivals. But VW does provide two years/20,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance, something most manufacturers in this class don't offer. The warranty is four years/50,000 miles for both basic and powertrain coverage.