Used 2022 Volkswagen Atlas

The 3-row Atlas is the biggest SUV in the Volkswagen lineup, and it’s one of the more family-friendly choices in its segment. It has one of the roomiest third rows in its class with adult-size legroom, plus plenty of cargo space. Further adding to its family car credentials is a generous list of standard safety features. It gets good safety ratings, and it has an average reliability record, but some class leaders have the Atlas beaten in these categories.

If you don’t need that third row of seats and you like the idea of a sleek, sporty SUV, consider the 2-row Atlas Cross Sport, which we review separately. The Cross Sport model has a sloping rear roofline and a more affordable price tag than the 3-row Atlas.

Since the Atlas just got a mid-cycle refresh for the 2021 model year, the 2022 model is essentially unchanged. There’s been a bit of reshuffling in the model range, including a new SEL R-Line Black trim. Also, a digital gauge cluster now comes standard on all models.

In a crowded field of midsize 3-row SUVs, the Volkswagen Atlas mainly competes with the ones with remarkably roomy interiors for families looking for practicality and value. Its chief rivals include the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, and Kia Telluride, which all have roomy interiors and similar price tags. All of the above are worth a test drive for anyone looking for a good, spacious family SUV.

There’s nothing extraordinary about the engines available in the Volkswagen Atlas. The base 4-cylinder turbo engine makes adequate power for getting around town, but it tends to run out of breath if the Atlas is fully loaded with passengers in all three rows of seats. If you are hauling many passengers regularly, you’re going to want to upgrade to the more muscular V6. However, even the V6 isn’t particularly thrilling.

Although the engines are underwhelming, the handling is pretty agile for an SUV this size. This segment isn’t generally known for taut driving dynamics, but the European pedigree of the Atlas is apparent on a winding road.

We like the smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission that comes standard on every Atlas. The available 4Motion all-wheel-drive system adds Snow and Off-Road drive modes. Snow mode is handy if you live in a snowy climate and off-road mode does its job, but the Atlas isn’t a serious off-roader.

The Volkswagen Atlas is an SUV with a very roomy 3-row interior with seating for up to seven. The third row is spacious and easy to access, even with the standard bench seat in the second row, which can fold and slide forward with child seats installed. The third row gets easier to access in the 6-seat configuration with second-row captain’s chairs.

The cargo area is also quite roomy, even when all three rows of seats are in place. The Atlas has 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which increases to 96.8 cubic feet when all of the back seats are folded down. Those numbers are among the best in class for cargo space.

The interior quality of the Atlas is okay, but there are some subpar materials in the lower trims. Like any SUV, the quality of the interior improves as you work your way up the model range. The range-topping SEL Premium R-Line model does its best impression of its Audi cousin with features like leather seating in the first two rows, heated and ventilated front seats, and more.

The Volkswagen Atlas uses a pretty traditional German design philosophy, which is to say its styling is conservative yet stylish. It just got a facelift for the 2021 model year with restyled front and rear ends and sharp-looking LED headlights and taillights that come standard. The R-Line models have a sportier look with distinct bumpers, badging, and wheels.

The size of the Volkswagen Atlas is about average for its class. Its dimensions are roughly the same as the Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder, and Honda Pilot.

ROOMY INTERIOR
The Atlas is one of the most family-friendly midsize SUVs in its class, with a roomy third row of seats and plenty of cargo space, too.

DIGITAL COCKPIT
The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrument cluster now comes standard on every trim. It’s an 8-inch screen in the lower trims and a more feature-rich 10.25-inch screen in the upper trims.

The Volkswagen Atlas has a decent list of standard features. The standard powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 with an 8-speed automatic transmission (with Sport mode) and front-wheel drive. Standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, dual-zone climate control, 60/40 split folding second-row seats, 50/50 split folding third-row seats, heated front seats, V-Tex leatherette seats, and an 8-inch digital gauge cluster.

The standard infotainment system is a user-friendly 6.5-inch screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Standard safety tech features in the Atlas include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring.

The SE with Technology model adds several tech features, including adaptive cruise control, an 8-inch infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, more USB ports, remote start, parking sensors, a wireless charging pad, a hands-free power liftgate, and 3-zone automatic climate control. This is where the V6 engine becomes optional.

The mid-range SEL model adds some excellent features, including standard all-wheel drive. Other features added at this level include the IQ.DRIVE safety tech suite, which adds Travel Assist semi-autonomous driving assistance, lane-keeping assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. SEL also adds adaptive front lighting, upgraded LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, memory mirrors and driver’s seat, ambient interior lighting, navigation, dynamic road sign display, high-beam assist, and Digital Cockpit Pro with a 10.25-inch screen.

The SEL R-Line model is primarily an appearance package for the SEL trim and has a standard V6 and standard AWD. There’s a new SEL R-Line Black model available for 2022, which is really just a darker appearance package and only costs $550 more than the SEL R-Line trim.

The range-topping SEL Premium R-Line approaches luxury SUV territory. It has the same standard V6 and AWD system as the SEL R-Line. It adds leather seats in the first and second rows, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, 21-inch alloy wheels, power-folding mirrors, Fender premium audio, a 360-degree camera, and parking assist.

A popular option available for all but the base SE trim is second-row captain’s chairs, a $695 upgrade.

The standard engine in the Volkswagen Atlas is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. This engine is just okay in terms of both performance and fuel economy. It’s worth noting that many SUVs in this class, including the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, and Chevy Traverse, all come standard with a V6.

Every Atlas with “R-Line” in its name comes standard with a 3.6-liter V6. The performance is only slightly improved over the 4-cylinder, and the fuel economy is worse. This V6 is optional in the SE with Technology and SEL trims.

All Atlas models use an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional. The 4-cylinder engine has a maximum towing capacity of up to 2,000 pounds, and the V6 tows up to 5,000 pounds.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
235 horsepower @ 4,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/25 mpg (FWD), 20/24 mpg (AWD)

3.6-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
266 lb-ft of torque @ 2,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 mpg (FWD), 17/23 mpg (AWD)