2018-2023 Volkswagen Atlas – Review, Specs, Pricing, Features, Videos and More
| Price | $34,355 - $51,505 |
| Engine | 2.0-liter turbo 6-cylinder / 3.6-liter 6-cylinder |
| Power | 235 hp / 276 lb-ft. |
| Torque | 258 lb-ft. / 266 lb-ft. |
| Drivetrain | FWD / AWD |
Volkswagen’s large three-row SUV was a competitive offering in the crowded mid-size SUV segment. Few other car-based three-row SUVs offer a third-row seat that’s as useable as in the Atlas.
Unlike many competitors, the Altas featured a choice of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a more powerful V6. Of course, it could be had with front-wheel, or all-wheel drive.
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Nissan Pathfinder vs Volkswagen Atlas Comparison
There’s a whole lot of crossover between these two crossovers.
Both the Nissan Pathfinder and Volkswagen Atlas come with three rows. There’s a large, naturally-aspirated V6 under each nose, sending power to all four wheels. In the case of these two specific examples, they’re also both red, with twin-five-spoke wheels. They’re both the respective range-toppers of their lineup, too.
That’s what makes this comparison so interesting. Managing editor Mike Schlee and I spent a week with these two mid-sized SUVs, determined to figure where their respective strengths lie, especially as relatively left-field choices in a crowded segment. Is one the clear choice for families? Let’s find out.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas Review: A Passing Grade
If Volkswagen could embody an actor, it would probably be Aaron Eckhart.
Eckhart’s a respectable actor with a decent career and appreciated performances, but yet nothing truly special since well, Thank You for Smoking, which was his Golf GTI. He had a series of good roles over the years. No Reservations and The Dark Knight were clearly Touaregs while Olympus Has Fallen was the Jetta at best. This brings us to the 2021 Atlas, a mid-size three-row SUV built in America for Americans.
But among the plethora of options in the mid-size SUV market, where every manufacturer is vying for its own niche, the Atlas stands as the most American looking non-American SUV. Surely it is no I, Frankenstein but does it stand apart enough to be TYFS—or is it another Olympus Has Fallen?
Competitors
Detailed Specs
| Price | $34,355 - $51,505 |
| Engine | 2.0-liter turbo 6-cylinder / 3.6-liter 6-cylinder |
| Power | 235 hp / 276 lb-ft. |
| Torque | 258 lb-ft. / 266 lb-ft. |
| Drivetrain | FWD / AWD |
| Transmission | 8AT |
| Fuel Economy (city/hwy) | 17-21 mpg / 23-25 mpg |
| Cargo Capacity | 20.6 cu ft. |
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