2027 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: What's New, What's Changing, and What Stays the Same

The 2027 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is an all-new, redesigned SUV, the two-row, five-seat companion to the three-row Atlas. It shares the Atlas's biggest upgrades for 2027, including a stronger 282-horsepower turbocharged engine, a reworked cabin with screens up to 15 inches, and a longer list of standard features, while keeping its signature lower, sportier, more coupe-like roofline. If you want the Atlas look and tech without the third row, this guide covers exactly what is new on the Cross Sport for 2027.

Update type | Full redesign (second generation) Engine | Turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder (282 horsepower, 258 lb.-ft. of torque) Transmission | 8-speed automatic Drive | Front-wheel drive standard; 4Motion all-wheel drive available Seating | Five passengers across two rows Max towing | 5,000 pounds with a factory hitch Launch | Early 2027 Starting price | To be announced (the 2026 model started at $38,300)

The Cross Sport gets the most powerful engine in its history, a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 282 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, up 13 horsepower from the 269-horsepower 2026 engine. It pairs with an 8-speed automatic, with front-wheel drive standard and 4Motion all-wheel drive available, and Volkswagen expects fuel economy to improve. Official EPA figures will give the final numbers, which we will add here once they are confirmed.

The body is new throughout, with stacked LED headlights, an illuminated VW badge on all but the base trim, and a tailgate that now sits flush with the rear bumper. The Cross Sport keeps its lower, more sloped roofline, which sets it apart from the taller three-row Atlas. Inside, the dashboard is cleaner and more upscale, and it restores more physical controls than the outgoing model, along with a new Driver Experience Dial on the console that controls volume, drive modes, and the Atmospheres ambient-lighting feature.

Every 2027 Cross Sport comes with a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro gauge cluster and at least a 12.9-inch central touchscreen. A large 15-inch infotainment display is standard on most of the lineup. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto carry over, and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system is available on the top trim.

Newly standard features include a power liftgate with Easy Open, rear sunshades, an auto-dimming driver-side mirror, dual hatch lights, and front and rear Park Distance Control. The front seats are 12-way power with 4-way lumbar support, and higher trims add a massage function.

This is the headline change. The 2027 Atlas Cross Sport is an all-new second generation, not a refresh. If you are cross-shopping a leftover previous-generation Cross Sport against the 2027, you are comparing two genuinely different vehicles.

Beyond the 13-horsepower bump, the bigger change day to day is the interior. The move to larger screens, the Digital Cockpit Pro, upgraded materials, and available massaging seats pushes the Cross Sport noticeably more upscale than before.

Volkswagen has not announced 2027 Atlas Cross Sport pricing yet, and says it will release full specifications and prices ahead of the early-2027 launch. For reference, the 2026 Cross Sport started at $38,300, and the redesigned model is widely expected to open a bit higher. We will post the official figures here as soon as Volkswagen publishes them.

The core idea carries over. The Cross Sport is still the two-row, five-seat version of the Atlas, built for buyers who want the Atlas's size and presence with a sportier shape and no third row. It still uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an 8-speed automatic, with front-wheel drive standard and 4Motion all-wheel drive available, and it still tows up to 5,000 pounds with a factory hitch. The Cross Sport is still assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Volkswagen's limited warranty continues at 4 years or 50,000 miles. A hybrid version is planned to arrive later in this generation.

The Cross Sport and the three-row Atlas share a platform, a powertrain, and most of their technology, so the real decision is seats versus style. The three-row Atlas seats seven and is the pick if you need the extra row or the cargo room behind it. The Cross Sport seats five, stands about two inches lower, and is roughly five inches shorter, with a sleeker, more coupe-like roofline. If you rarely use a third row and prefer the sportier look, the Cross Sport is the pick; if you need maximum seating, go with the Atlas.

Go with the 2027 if you want the newest design, the stronger engine, the bigger screens, and the more upscale interior. A leftover previous-generation Cross Sport can make sense if a discount outweighs the redesign, or if you find a specific vehicle at a price you like. Either way, we will work through the numbers with you, with no pressure. We make it EASY!

Kunes VW of Springfield has Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SUVs in stock, and 2027 models are added to this page as they arrive. Browse the live inventory below, then stop in for a test drive.

The 2027 Cross Sport is a full redesign with new styling, a stronger 282-horsepower turbo engine, bigger screens, a Digital Cockpit Pro, a new Driver Experience Dial, and more standard features.

Yes. It is an all-new second generation, not a refresh.

Volkswagen has not announced 2027 Cross Sport pricing yet. The 2026 model started at $38,300, and the redesigned model is expected to open a bit higher.

The Atlas is the three-row, seven-seat SUV. The Atlas Cross Sport is the two-row, five-seat version with a lower, sportier roofline. They share a platform and powertrain.

Up to 5,000 pounds with a factory-installed trailer hitch.

Call us at (888) 332-8497 or stop by Kunes VW of Springfield to test drive the Atlas Cross Sport, and we will let you know as 2027 models arrive.