Model year guide

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 13 on record.

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport at a glance

Safety recalls6
Owner complaints19
Combined20–23 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport recalls 6

Suspension NHTSA Campaign #25V434000 · manufacturer #42HX · 30/06/2025

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.

Fix: 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.

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger NHTSA Campaign #24V464000 · manufacturer #69PZ · 20/06/2024

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.

Fix: 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 Volkswa…

Suspension:critical Fasteners NHTSA Campaign #22V807000 · manufacturer #42M2 · 26/10/2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Volkswagen Atlas FL and 2022-2023 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The driver-side rear trailing arm bolts may not have been tightened properly, allowing them to loosen and fall out.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver side rear trailing arm bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 25, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42M2.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical NHTSA Campaign #22V753000 · manufacturer #VW: 13i4, Audi: 13i5 · 07/10/2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this …

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings NHTSA Campaign #22V718000 · manufacturer #47T2 · 26/09/2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023 model year Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. Certain brake lines may leak at the threaded connections.

Fix: Dealers will replace the affected brake lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 23, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47T2.

Air Bags:side/window NHTSA Campaign #22V152000 · manufacturer #97GF · 28/03/2022

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.

Fix: 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.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 11 Oct 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Exterior Lighting
Confirm all headlights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights work, with no moisture inside the housings.
Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport MPG & running costs

Combined20–23 mpg
City20 mpg
Highway25 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,125
EPA size classSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
TransmissionAutomatic (S8)
Forced inductionTurbocharged
Engine start-stopYes
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$3,625 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$15,625
Fuel only$15,625
Per mile$0.21

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport vehicles on record

Other Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport model years

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport — frequently asked questions

Does the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport?

Across all 19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are engine, air bags, service brakes.

What gas mileage does the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport get?

The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has U.S. EPA estimates of 20–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.