VolkswagenAtlas Cross Sport2023Overview/volkswagen/atlas-cross-sport/2023/base/

2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2023 Atlas Cross Sport.

The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport sits at the bottom of the model's complaint curve across the 20202026 coverage window, with only 16 owner complaints registered compared with the 157 logged for the 2021 model year. Air bags represent the top complaint area for this year, and the vehicle carries six recalls. That makes the 2023 model the least-troubled point in the Atlas Cross Sport's tracked reliability history, a useful baseline for evaluating the rest of the generation.

Model year2026202520242023202220212020

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque88.0 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 03H115441. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tire size255/50R20 105TOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter03H115441 alt 03H198070
Engine air filter3QF129620
Spark plug06K905601K alt 03H905600A
Front wiper blades3CM998002
Serpentine belt022145933AP alt 06L903137A
ThermostatWHT000863 alt 03H121113E
Cabin air filter5Q0819669

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.8 in
Overall width78 in
Overall height68.9 in
Wheelbase117.3 in
Curb weight4442 lb
Track (front / rear)67.7 / 67.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Atlas Cross Sport of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.4–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2022 SEL R-Line 4MOTION
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2022SEL R-Line 4MOTION 2.0L Turbo I-47.40 sec15.70 sec235 hpAWD
2024SEL Premium R-Line 4MOTION 2.0L Turbo I-47.70 sec15.90 sec269 hpAWD
2020SE V6 R-Line 3.6L V67.50 sec15.70 sec276 hpFWD
2020SEL V6 R-Line 4MOTION 3.6L V67.90 sec16.00 sec276 hpAWD
2020S 4MOTION 2.0L Turbo I-48.10 sec16.30 sec235 hpAWD
2020SEL V6 R-Line 4MOTION 3.6L V68.40 sec16.30 sec276 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 88.0 ft-lbs.

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts88.0 ft-lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 80,000 mi; coolant every 20,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 20,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miBattery (inspect) · Body Water Drains (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Instrument Cluster Warning Indicator (inspect) · Sunroof Assembly (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Instrument Cluster Warning Indicator (inspect) · Sunroof Assembly (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 80,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport shows a marked decline in consumer complaints compared with the preceding model years, falling to 16 complaints from 70 in 2022 and 157 in 2021. Recall activity also decreased slightly to six recalls in 2023, down from seven in 2022 and well below the peak of fourteen in 2021, while no federal investigations were recorded for that year. Technical service bulletins continued their downward trend, with 312 issued in 2023 versus 411 in 2022 and 554 in 2021. The most frequent complaint areas were air‑bag related (5 reports), followed by unspecified issues and isolated brake‑related concerns, with only one crash‑related complaint and no fire complaints. Post‑2023, complaints rose again in 2024 before dropping to low levels in 2025 and 2026, indicating that 2023 sits at a trough in the complaint arc. Taken together, the low complaint count, modest recall level, and absence of investigations suggest that the 2023 model year is a favorable choice for a used purchase.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
312
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
16
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 16 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags5
Unknown Or Other2
Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance1
Service Brakes,Engine1
Electrical System,Engine1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Electrical System,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

22V152000Air Bags:Side/WindowReported 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… 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…

22V718000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 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. Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 312 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TT 10-18-02_22026-06-18EngineLubricating engine components before reassembly.
TT 13-20-01_32026-06-18EngineInstruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
Customer email_91UB2026-06-15Unknown Or OtherYour vehicle is currently eligible for the 91UB software update designed to:
Dealer 91UB2026-06-15Unknown Or OtherThis OTA update addresses a potential issue with special characters being broadcast over…
V6919012010479_172026-06-11Air BagsInquiries

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Atlas Cross Sport. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2023 Atlas Cross Sport have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.