2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#3 most-complained of 6 Atlas Cross Sport years
The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport has 106 NHTSA complaints, 11 recalls, and a Complaint Index of 60, ranking third-worst of 6 model years with a 'Caution' verdict. Electrical System issues account for 35% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 106
- Recalls
- 11
- incl. Do Not Drive
- Crashes / fires
- 3 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 19.5
- 17.5 city / 23 hwy
Top 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System37 (35%)
- Other24 (23%)
- Airbags23 (22%)
- Brakes19 (18%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras16 (15%)
- Engine14 (13%)
- Steering8 (8%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (7%)
- Fuel System4 (4%)
- Structure & Body4 (4%)
What owners report
- Owners report an engine compartment fire and explosion after a low-speed crash, with the vehicle fully engulfed by the time the fire department arrived.
- Airbags on both sides reportedly deployed after minor contact with a curb or after a tire suddenly went flat, even at very low speed.
- Some drivers describe the vehicle braking hard on its own or the lane-assist system steering toward roadside obstacles like construction barrels.
- Owners report unexplained sudden acceleration in a parking lot that continued even after braking, resulting in a collision.
- Steering wheels reportedly creak and click when turning, even while stopped, with dealers pointing to the steering rack or sway bar links.
- Brake system fault messages reportedly appear at a complete stop, falsely detecting an open door and triggering the parking brake and engine shutoff.
2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport recalls
11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V464000Jun 20, 2024Airbags271,330 vehicles
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.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 23V215000Mar 29, 2023Airbags143,053 vehicles
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.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 22V815000Oct 31, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires296,044 vehicles
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."
Risk: 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 AudiÂs customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
See all 11 recalls for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport →
2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17.5 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 19.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,325
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2020 compared with other Atlas Cross Sport years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport reliable?
- Compared to other Atlas Cross Sport model years, 2020 ranks third-worst of six years with a Complaint Index of 60 and a 'Caution' verdict, based on NHTSA complaints and recalls.
- What are the most common problems with the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport?
- NHTSA data shows Electrical System complaints lead at 35% of all reports, followed by Airbags at 22% and Brakes at 18%.
- Does the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport, including one do-not-drive recall covering a steering knuckle that may have been damaged during production.
- How does the 2020 model compare to other Atlas Cross Sport years?
- The 2021 model has the worst Complaint Index at 100 with an 'Avoid' verdict, while 2023 and 2025 score best at 0 and 20. The 2020 model's Complaint Index of 60 places it third-worst overall.
- What is the median mileage for reported failures in the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 8,327.5 miles for the 2020 model year overall.