By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(March 13, 2018) The Atlas is the Volkswagen’s first large, three-row seven-passenger SUV. It’s big — very big — and was designed for the needs of the modern American market. Atlas was styled in Wolfsburg Germany, with a bit of help from VW’s Santa Monica, Calif., design studio. Atlas is built exclusively in Chattanooga, Tenn.

In a very competitive market that includes popular SUVs like Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Toyota Highlander and others, Atlas has the most interior room in its class, with a maximum cargo space of 97 cubic feet behind the front seats.

The second row — with your choice of a sliding bench or captain’s chairs — offers passenger room that is nothing short of astonishing. The seats also tilt forward, with a single lever pull. Even with a child-safety seat installed, entry and exit from the very roomy third-row of seats is easy. Most average sized adults will find it comfortable back there. Large rear doors with a low sill only add to the ease of ingress and egress.

There are two engine choices for the Atlas. The base engine is a 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder that delivers 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The other is a larger 3.6-liter V-6 borrowed from its Passat sibling that’s good for 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque.

Atlas comes in a choice of five distinct trim levels: S, SE, SE w/technology, SEL and SEL Premium. There’s no hybrid or plug-in hybrid, but VW says it’s always a possibility. However, there’s nothing to announce now.

For the purposes of this review, I tested the Atlas V6 SEL Premium with 4MOTION (VW speak for all-wheel drive), which is only available with the V-6 engine. It’s bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and is loaded with standard equipment including a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, overhead-view camera, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring, lane-keeping assistance which will nudge you back in to your lane, self-parking assist that takes over steering to guide you into parallel and perpendicular spaces, and a host of other advanced technology features. All this goodness came in at a price nearly reaching $50,000, including destination charges.

If you’ve ever been in Volkswagen Passat, Golf, and Touareg or for that matter any German vehicle, you’ll be more than impressed with the design, look, feel and quality materials inside the Atlas. Thankfully, Atlas is devoid of the ugly shiny-reflective chrome trim, high-gloss wood, and the overused “piano black” plastic trim used by most auto manufacturers.

Rather, finishes are brushed metal, matte finished faux wood veneers and plastics where applied. We weren’t necessarily impressed with all the hard plastics on the lower dashboard and lower door trim. One major disappointment is the lack of an integrated WiFi hotspot for the Atlas.

All operating controls are supremely intuitive and easy to use. Seat comfort is above average, visibility fore and aft excellent thanks to thin A, B and C pillars. Our top-spec SEL Premium uses a Digital Cockpit, replacing the analog speedometer and tachometer with a full, 12.3-inch screen, similar to Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. The layout is a bit different than the Audi system but the adjustable digital dial, large map previews, and other graphics are the same. It all handles the various multimedia settings, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s responsive and straightforward.

Our test SEL Premium also came equipped with a Fender Premium Audio system with 12 speakers and 480W of sound. There are ample cubby bins for phones and sunglasses, cupholders galore, and even a 12-liter bin located between the front seats, under the center armrest.

On the road, the Atlas’s acceleration, handling, ride and comfort were perfectly acceptable and will more than satisfy most drivers and occupants. The suspension absorbs bumps and suppresses road noise. I’d say the driving dynamics easily surpass even the most popular competitors in its class. 

Overall, Atlas should make the “must test drive” list of anyone shopping for family friendly, larger three-row SUVs. It offers excellent value, loads of standard features, particularly for safety and driver assistance. While Atlas was late to the party, we think it quickly has moved to the top of the class.

Vital Stats
Base Price: $30,750 - $48,740
Price as Tested: $49,415
Engine: 2.0-Liter 4-cylinder or 3.6-Liter V6
Horsepower: 4-cyl – 235 hp or V6 – 276 hp
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel Economy: 17-MPG City – 23-MPG Highway (V6 4MOTION)
                           22-MPG City – 26-MPG Highway (2.0-L 4-Cyl)
Seating: Up to seven

Crash Test Results: Overall 5 out of 5 stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and 2018 Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Competes With:
Chevrolet Traverse
Dodge Durango
Ford Explorer
Honda Pilot
Mazda CX-9
Nissan Pathfinder
Toyota Highlander

Fab Features
Extra large interior — even in the third row
Impressive safety features and crash test results
Excellent driving dynamics