2020 Volkswagen Atlas Review

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Review - It is fitting that the all-new Volkswagen Atlas takes its name from the Greek god tasked with keeping the sky from falling on people. Coming off the widely publicized diesel-emissions rumor, VW needs a psychological win. Despite the media as well as consumer kerfuffle, sales for the people's brand are really up until now in 2017, however that is mainly as a result of the arrival of the Golf Alltrack, a boomlet that at some point can fizzle. For this reason the demand for the Atlas to prop up the brand name.

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Review

Riding on the exact same flexible style that underpins the Golf, the Tennessee-built Atlas is a medium-large three-row SUV that loads a major gap in VW's profile. Not considering that the Routan-- a rebadged Dodge Grand Caravan that VW last marketed in 2013-- has actually there been a Volkswagen with more than five seatbelts. Purchasers have actually been required to look in other places for their family-hauling needs.

Substantial by VW criteria, the Atlas's external measurements skew toward the burly end of the segment. Total length is within an inch of the Ford Explorer as well as the Nissan Pathfinder, however the VW has a longer wheelbase and makes outstanding use of its footprint. Seven travelers, or six if customers choose the late-availability second-row captain's chairs, have 153 cubic feet of area to share. That matches the Honda Pilot's indoor quantity and eclipses that of the 10Best-winning Mazda CX-9 by 18 cubes, although it's timid of the Explorer's 155. With butts in all the seats, the Atlas has 21 cubic feet of cargo space, while the majority of rivals remain in the teens.

Moving all that mass-- up to an approximated 4550 pounds-- is a task born by a couple of engines: VW's common EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and a normally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6. In this application, the turbo four makes 235 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque as well as comes just with front-wheel drive. The narrow-angle V-6 benefits 276 horse power and is readily available with either front- or VW's 4MOTION all-wheel drive. We didn't have the opportunity to own the four-cylinder, although it should not be awfully pokey around town due to the fact that its torque top is just 8 lb-ft reluctant of the V-6's and also shows up 1150 rpm reduced, at 1600 rpm. We expect the V-6 Atlas to hit 60 mph in about 7.6 secs, which is a little quicker compared to the more expensive and also smaller Touareg yet well behind the Honda Pilot.

The good news is, the Atlas does not feel as large as it is. It owns smaller-- although not as small as a CX-9. Solid-mounted front as well as rear subframes communicate chassis habits, although the guiding is all but mute. The all-wheel-drive Atlas has a dial selector for the obvious settings: Snow, Offroad, Custom-made Offroad, and Onroad-- the last offering four sub-modes including Eco, Regular, Sport, as well as Person. When changing among them, the most visible distinction is the steering in Sporting activity setting, which ups the heft. Still, we really did not find the Sporting activity steering also hefty on our drive with Texas Hill Country's winding two-lanes, and also there is no wandering on-center. Brake feel, something commonly overlooked in this course, is solid, too, with prompt pedal reaction and an instinctive relationship in between initiative and also stopping pressure.

The flight flirts with buttery status on the common 18-inch wheels. The leading trim degree rolls on 20s, which don't decrease the ride top quality but do contribute to a noticeable boost in tire noise. The front seats are developed for long-haul comfort, with adequate thigh, lumbar, and shoulder assistance. The 60/40 split-folding second row slides fore and aft, as well as it additionally folds up forward, despite having a child seat set up to allow third-row accessibility. When in the wayback, grownups will certainly find a lot of area and an appropriate seat elevation; the rearmost row is lacking only in headroom, so taller travelers have to slouch a little bit.

The base S version starts at $31,425 and also features LED fronts lights, 18-inch wheels, and also Apple CarPlay as well as Android Vehicle. Stepping up to SE trim brings faux-leather seats, blind-spot tracking, proximity access as well as push-button beginning, additional USB ports, warmed pole positions, and also an 8.0-inch touchscreen (up from 6.5) with satellite radio. Include $1400 for the six-cylinder S. There is likewise a V6 S Launch model, which will be limited to a few thousand units; it obtains the upsized infomercial user interface and a breathtaking sunroof otherwise reserved for SEL trims.

The SEL starts at $40,085, or $41,815 for the V-6. Those wanting to tow greater than 2000 extra pounds will need the SEL V-6, which has a manufacturing facility hitch as well as a 5000-pound towing capacity. VW additionally ups the radiator follower's electric motor from 600 to 850 watts as well as drops the reduced grille shutters to ensure air is constantly travelling through the heat exchangers. All SELs include driver-assist functions such as flexible cruise ship control, lane-keeping assist, forward-collision warning, and park aid (just about the latter are available as an option on the SE). The SEL Costs-- V-6, AWD only-- brings genuine natural leather, cooled down pole positions and heated second-row seats, a 12-speaker Fender audio system, and 20-inch wheels, along with VW's version of Audi's electronic Virtual Cabin, called Digital Show below. The electronic collection features similar as its Audi counterpart, yet the map view isn't really fairly as striking-- read: large-- and the controls are on the best steering-wheel spoke, not the left.

The Atlas struts into dealers this June, totally capable of carrying the duty of delivering family members and all their things as well as a large piece of VW's future in The U.S.A.. Like its name, this VW is strong sufficient to deal with heavy training.

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