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2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
11
on record
MPG
22
combined

Do not drive until repaired

1 active "park it" recall — NHTSA advises against driving this vehicle until the remedy is complete.

Vehicle Summary

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

11 recalls
100 complaints
22 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 11 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 3 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 100 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
11
Owner complaints
100
Complaints citing a crash
3

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

11 Recalls on Record

1 of these is high-severity. Some may require you to stop driving the vehicle until repaired.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

11 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 21V892000high

    Visibility issue

    VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.

    Consequence

    A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V504000high

    Lighting issue

    EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sports and 2021 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Consequence

    A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V505000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEATS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.

    Consequence

    In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V712000critical Do not drive

    Steering issue

    STEERING

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.

    Consequence

    A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V702000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    TIRES:SIDEWALL

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.

    Consequence

    Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V026000high

    Steering issue

    STEERING

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.

    Consequence

    A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V086000high

    Incorrect or missing label

    EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Consequence

    Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V152000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.

    Consequence

    A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V815000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

    Consequence

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V215000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.

    Consequence

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V464000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.

    Consequence

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    4 / 5
    Passenger
    4 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    15.1%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
No
Lane departure warning
No

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 8 comparable 2020 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 15.1% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash
2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Side crash crash test
Side crash
2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Side pole crash test
Side pole

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

21

City

24

Hwy

22

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$2,800
Tailpipe CO₂
401 g/mi

How this compares

At 22 MPG combined, the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport ranks 7th of 9 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2020 — 3 MPG short of the 25 MPG median for that group.

That places it in the lower third of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.

EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,800, within $0 of the $2,800 typical for the class — roughly $14,000 over five years.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 401 grams per mile — about 6 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

100 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

100
Total
3
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries

Most reported components

  • AIR BAGS19
  • OTHER18
  • ELECTRICAL16
  • BRAKES16
  • ENGINE11

Notable Issues

100 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves injuries. 3 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)19
miscellaneous issues18
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)16

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 24V464000

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 23V215000

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 22V815000

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

  4. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE21008

    Fuel Injector Leak

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V152000

    A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

  6. Recall

    Recall 22V086000

    Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 21V892000

    A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.

  8. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation PE21008

    Fuel Injector Leak

  9. Recall

    Recall 21V026000

    A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  10. Do not drive

    Do-not-drive recall 20V712000

    A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  11. Recall

    Recall 20V702000

    Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.

  12. Recall

    Recall 20V504000

    A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  13. Recall

    Recall 20V505000

    In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Drive type
Front-Wheel Drive
Engine
2L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Automatic (S8)
Seats
0

Fuel economy

21

City

24

Hwy

22

Comb

Annual cost
$2,800
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 24V464000

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 23V215000

    A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 22V815000

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

  4. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation PE21008

    Fuel Injector Leak

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V152000

    A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.