Reliable Auto DB

2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport over 2 years — 12 per year. It is too early to rank against other Atlas Cross Sport years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Back-over prevention, software, Service brakes, and Camera.

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

23

Per year

12

Recalls

5

Years on the road

2

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (12 of 23), then Powertrain (7) and Engine (5).

Next to 2024 and 2026

The 2024 Atlas Cross Sport has 96 complaints, 32 per year, and the 2026 has 0 complaints, 0 per year.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (5)

Recall back-over prevention, software 2026-07-22 · NHTSA campaign 26V473000
Summary Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling 2024-2026 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may experience a low-voltage electrical event that affects display screen functions. As a result, the rearview camera image may fail to display as intended.
Remedy Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 28, 2026.
Recall Service brakes 2025-06-30 · NHTSA campaign 25V434000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2025-05-21 · NHTSA campaign 25V334000
Summary 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."
Remedy 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.
Recall Engine 2025-02-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V100000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2025-02-12 · NHTSA campaign 25V081000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (23 total)

Electrical system
12
Powertrain
7
Engine
5
Forward collision avoidance
3
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Back-over prevention
1
Exterior lighting
1
Seats
1
Service brakes
1
Speed control
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 3 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

72025162026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Hi, I have been an owner of 2025 Atlas Cross Sport Premium R line for over 8 months now. Since June 2026 I have 2 incidents of cracked front windshield. All VW manufactured glass for Atlas CS are made paper thin and…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-24
  • "I keep having issues with the entertainment screen where it stops working. When this happens there are multiple issues: I can not control the temperature and my gps shows I’m in a different town causing my heads up…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-09-19
  • "I am reporting a serious safety defect involving my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SE, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle repeatedly experienced shaking, hesitation, warning lights, loss of power, and engine shutdowns. On…"
    Powertrain, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-18
  • "The rear taillight lens on my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport cracked without an impact or collision. Water has entered the taillight assembly through the crack, creating condensation/water inside the lamp and a…"
    Exterior lighting, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-09-11
  • "The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the autonomous braking system was negatively affected by roadway passing underneath the highway. The system mistakenly…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-08-31

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2020–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-30 (2.0L and 3.6L per engineoildb) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 245/60R18, 255/50R20, 265/45R21 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 22V-152 covers certain 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles among other Atlas models: door wiring harness contacts may corrode and delay driver or passenger front side air bag deployment in a side impact. Dealers secure or replace front door harnesses showing a fault code. Recall 26V-473 covers certain 2024-2026 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles: a low-voltage electrical event may keep the rearview camera image from displaying; dealers update rearview camera software. Recall 25V-835 covers certain 2026 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles among other VW models: incorrect wheel bolts may have been installed; owners are advised not to drive until repaired and dealers inspect and replace bolts as needed.

Compare

Previous year 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport See every Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport reliable?

Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport over 2 years — 12 per year. It is too early to rank against other Atlas Cross Sport years: a year is compared here only after 3 years on the road. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Back-over prevention, software, Service brakes, and Camera.

What are common problems with a 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (12 of 23), then Powertrain (7) and Engine (5).

Is the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2024 Atlas Cross Sport has 96 complaints, 32 per year, and the 2026 has 0 complaints, 0 per year.

Has the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport been recalled?

The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has 5 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?

Owners have filed 23 complaints about the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport with NHTSA.

What oil does a Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport take?

Common US listings use 0W-30 for the 2.0L and 3.6L (about 6.0 qt with filter).

Does recall 22V-152 affect the Atlas Cross Sport?

Yes for certain 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport (among other Atlas models): corroded door wiring contacts may delay side air bag deployment; dealers repair the harness.

What generation is the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?

1st generation, model year 2020 onward in the US.