- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 16
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 25V081000high
Drivetrain issue
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The transmission may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Consequence
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38CX.
- 25V100000high
Engine issue
ENGINE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine cover may have been improperly installed after vehicle service, allowing it to come loose and contact hot engine surfaces.
Consequence
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will remove the engine cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10X5.
- 25V334000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to become distorted when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91SB.
- 25V434000high
Brake system issue
SERVICE BRAKES
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.
Consequence
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2025 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
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 13 comparable 2025 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
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
20
City
26
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,650
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 392 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport ranks 13th of 14 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2025 — 7.5 MPG short of the 30.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the thirstiest vehicles in 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 $2,650, $650 more than the $2,000 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,250, a $3,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 392 grams per mile — about 5.9 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
16 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 16
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- OTHER6
- ENGINE6
- ELECTRICAL2
- BRAKES1
- FUEL SYSTEM1
Normal Range
16 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, newest first.
- Recall
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
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
20
City
26
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,650
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Recall
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.