Volkswagen's Atlas Cross Sport Two-Row SUV Is Almost Here

From Car and Driver

• Spy photos of the upcoming 2020 Atlas Cross Sport SUV show that it's nearly ready for prime time.

• Based on the three-row Atlas SUV, the Cross Sport is expected to be a two-row offering to compete with the likes of the Honda Passport and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

• A Volkswagen spokesperson told C/D in April that the SUV should debut in the third quarter of 2019.

Volkswagen's two-row mid-size SUV has been teased for quite a while, and now it appears to be nearly ready to break cover. As seen in these spy photos where it's covered in a camouflage wrap, the upcoming 2020 Atlas Cross Sport appears production ready save for the missing center caps on its wheels. The Cross Sport has been on our radar since 2015, when the Cross Coupe GTE concept was shown at the 2015 Detroit auto show. Since then, Volkswagen has introduced the production three-row Atlas and teased us again with the Atlas Cross Sport concept in 2018.

We saw a potential production model back in April in the form of the China-market Teramont X that debuted at the Shanghai auto show. From the look of things, the North American iteration will sport a unique lower bumper design, different wheels, and slightly different headlamps, but overall it's much the same package as the Teramont X. When pressed for details, Volkswagen spokesman Mark Gillies told C/D in April that the North American version will probably make its debut in the third quarter of 2019.

Calling the Cross Sport a coupe-SUV is a bit of a stretch, especially since the production model in the spy photos lacks the dramatically sloping roofline that's found on the Mercedes-Benz GLE coupe and the BMW X6. Instead, the forward-canted rear window adds a slight sporting flavor without going full fastback.

We've had good things to say about the three-row Atlas since its launch as a 2018 model. We've also welcomed a long-term test vehicle into our fleet and named it the victor in a recent matchup with the Subaru Ascent. If the Atlas is anything to go on, the Cross Sport should be a formidable opponent to other two-row mid-size SUVs such as the Honda Passport, the Chevrolet Blazer, the Ford Edge, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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