Volkswagen now selling Chattanooga-made Atlas in over 30 nations, eyeing five-seat Cross Sport SUV for export

Prototypes of the five-seat Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport are being assembled at the automaker's Chattanooga plant. Like the seven-seat Atlas, the Cross Sport is expected to be exported to other countries. / Contributed rendering by Volkswagen Prototypes of the five-seat Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport are being assembled at the automaker's Chattanooga plant. Like the seven-seat Atlas, the Cross Sport is expected to be exported to other countries. / Contributed rendering by Volkswagen

By Mike Pare February 7, 2019 3 min read

Fast fact

By 2025, every second VW sold throughout the world will probably be an SUV, according to the automaker.

The Chattanooga-made Volkswagen Atlas SUV is now sold in over 30 countries around the world, and VW expects to export the soon-to-be-assembled five-seat Atlas Cross Sport, an official said.

But no decision has been made on whether to export the electric SUV slated to be assembled by 2022 at a new $800 million facility to be built next to the existing Chattanooga plant, according to Volkswagen.

Volkswagen Group of America spokesman Mike Tolbert said exporting is anticipated for the Atlas Cross Sport, the follow-up to the seven-seat Atlas that hit the market in 2017.

“But a final decision on locations has yet to be made” about where the Cross Sport would be exported, he said.