VW has just unveiled the refreshed 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show. Boasting revised front and rear fascias, a thoroughly reworked interior, and an updated powertrain lineup, the 2024 Atlas will continue to serve as a rival to the Chevy Traverse.
The biggest revelation for the mid-cycle refresh of the German crossover was the overhauled interior. The entire cockpit has been adorned in premium materials, including a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dash and center console. The driver- and passenger-door trimmings seamlessly merge into the dash panel, which is mirrored in the second row. The available ambient lighting allows owners to choose between 30 color colors, while the range-topping trims feature diamond-pattern, quilted leather seats.
This reworked interior is complimented by a bevy of enhanced technology features. This includes a 12-inch floating infotainment display and a standard 10.25-inch fully configurable Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro driver instrument cluster. VW’s IQ.DRIVE hands-on semi-automatic driver assistance feature, a competitor to the GM Super Cruise driver assistance technology, is also equipped as standard affair.
On the outside, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross both feature new front and rear fascias. Both German crossovers receive a wide chrome four-bar grille that is framed by LED headlights with the standard adaptive front lighting system, as well as daytime running lights that wrap around the headlights and integrated air intakes. At the rear, both models feature a larger spoiler, while all but base trims receive an illuminated lightbar and VW logo.
As for rollers, all trim levels receive new wheel designs ranging from 18 to 20 inches, with machined alloy and black finishes available.
In regards to powertrain specifications, the 3.6L VR6 gasoline engine was been dropped from the lineup. As such, the only powerplant available is a reworked turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine that now produces 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Notably, this is quite comparable to the outgoing VR6, which developed 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet. An eight-speed automatic transmission and FWD are standard – with AWD available as an option – while towing capacity remains at 5,000 pounds.
“The Atlas was the first modern Volkswagen designed, engineered and produced specifically for American buyers, and since its debut, it has become a major player in the U.S. market,” said president and CEO of Volkswagen of America Pablo Di Si. “The refreshed Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport continue to build on that success, with an elegant new interior and a sophisticated turbocharged engine that improves both performance and the driving experience.”
More details, including start of production (SORP) and pricing, have yet to be announced.
As previously mentioned, the Chevy Traverse serves as a direct competitor to the current Volkswagen Atlas. Although refreshed for the 2022 model year, a next-generation Traverse is expected for 2024, with GM President Mark Reuss hinting that the upcoming third gen is scheduled to launch during the 2023 calendar year. GM Authority exclusively reported that production of the new Traverse is scheduled to start in December, while a new Activ trim level may be added to the crossover’s trim level lineup.
That being said, it is expected that the next-gen Traverse will continue to ride on the GM C1 platform, and will be the one of three next-gen, full-size crossovers from GM.
As a reminder, the current 2023 Chevy Traverse is powered by the naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 LFY gasoline engine, rated at 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, and is mated to the GM nine-speed automatic transmission. Production takes place at the GM Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan.
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Comments
imo the interior of the next gen / refreshed traverse will be better (i forgot which one it was), however i can’t speak on materials yet. either way i’d assume vw takes the cake on interior materials since gm loves to chop down on their mainstream vehicles .
I think auto manufacturers are going in the wrong direction with these new turbo engines. These turbos have to be replaced at some point in the cars life, long before the rest of the car is ready to be sent to the salvage yard. Currently, you see the motors outlasting the rest of the vehicle because it’s relatively cheap to work on naturally aspirated engines and even rebuilding them isn’t too bad. However, having to replace a turbo on a motor will set you back $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the make/model, and that’s before any work on the actual motor itself. I know this first-hand because several years ago I bought a 2008 BMW 335i in mint condition for $10,000 with 90,000 miles from a retired executive. I couldn’t believe how well it had been maintained and how clean it was; no cosmetic issues whatsoever and everything worked. Well, fast-forward a year and about 8,000 miles of mostly highway driving. I start getting reduced power messages and all kinds of lights on my dash are going off. I tow it to the dealer and sure enough, the turbo needs to be replaced for a whopping $8,500!!! When they replace the turbo they have to replace a whole bunch of other stuff like sensors, belts, hoses, throttle cables, cooling components, etc. that get you there, but still, when it was all said and done, replacing the turbo was going to be almost as expensive as what I paid for the car; I would be in $18,500 on a car that was worth $10,000, all because of the turbo. You can buy a brand new motor for most cars for less than $5,000 but if it has a turbo, you’re in trouble. I think most people won’t sink that kind of money into that repair and will do what I opted to do which was sell it to a mechanic for $5,000 and minimize my losses. Lesson learned, I’m staying away from cars with a turbo if at all possible! If it does have a turbo, I’m getting out of it before 80,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first. The same is going to be the problem with these electric vehicles, replacing the batteries will cost more than the car is worth most times; I’ve already seen it happen several times, it’s even been on the local news.
I have a 2021 Traverse RS and considered it to be a perfect family vehicle. We use to to haul around our 5 grandkids and I can’t say enough good things about it. So far the 9 speed tranny has given us any problems. I will not buy a vehicle that has anything smaller than a V6 engine. These tiny 4s with a turbo have to build up to much pressure which leads to problems with seals and leaks