The Volkswagen Atlas is a big, three-row beast of an SUV with its wide body and horizontal design elements. The 2020 VW Atlas Cross Sport is only slightly less so. The new variant shrinks the SUV's body slightly and tweaks the roofline for a sportier profile and more athletic curb appeal, allowing it to better do battle with the new Passport -- itself a scaled-down version of the Atlas' closest nemesis, the Honda Pilot.

The Cross Sport lowers the Atlas' roofline to 67.8 inches (down 2.3) and shortens the SUV's overall length to 195.5 inches (5.2 less). The result, along with a bit of a nipping and tucking of the profile, is a much more muscular and athletic take on the standard Atlas' stiff, brick-like aesthetic.

The slightly shorter length visually pushes the rear wheels out to the vehicle's corners, giving the Cross Sport a more aggressive-looking stance, while the lower roofline and exaggerated wheel arches make the Atlas appear lower and leaner. Personally, I think the Cross Sport looks the way the Atlas should have all along.