2018 Volkswagen Atlas

Exterior

As we expected, the new Atlas draws a ton of DNA from the CrossBlue Concept, but that’s not necessarily a good thing as that means its excessively similar to the Audi Q7 and the Skoda Kodiaq. So much so, in fact, that the Atlas could have passed as a facelifted version of the Kodiaq or Q7 (Minus the lack of an Audi Grille.)

Up front, we see that the grille from the CrossBlue carried over into this production model, albeit with a few minor changes. For one, the grille is actually rectangular in shape and rests perfectly between both headlight and blinker assemblies. It’s painfully clear that the headlights from the Crossblue are used on the Atlas, however, just below them is another lens that is presumably for the running lights and turn signals. Down below the air dam on the Atlas is shaped the same as the CrossBlue, however, it is much taller on this production model. As such, there is no opening above the air dam. Where there would normally be corner air vents sit a pair of last year’s fog lights, outlined in gray to accent the black coloration of the lower fascia. The hood on the Atlas it identical to that of the CrossBlue and the Q7, so there’s certainly no originality there.

As we expected, the new Atlas draws a ton of DNA from the CrossBlue Concept, but that’s not necessarily a good thing as that means its excessively similar to the Audi Q7 and the Skoda Kodiaq.

Moving over to the side profile, you’ll notice the same general design found on the Q7 and Kodiaq. There’s that weird body insert on the lower doors that rests above the side skirts. The fender flares are more pronounced on the Atlas compared to the Q7 and Kodiaq and are connected by that bodyline right in the middle of the vehicle. To be honest, it looks like engineers took this area of the Kodiaq, flipped it upside down, and applied it to the Atlas. There’s also another body line that connects the front and the rear that is also integrated into the waistline. There is at least a little breath of fresh air here, though as the bottom edge of the rear quarter glass swoops upward to come to a point as opposed to remaining straight as we see on the other models that come from the VW umbrella.

Around back, the Atlas takes on a bit of its own identity, but it’s still pretty similar to other offerings from the VW umbrella of companies. The taillights offer one of the most unique lens layouts we’ve seen recently, which is nice. The reviews lights are accented by a chrome strip that runs the width of the rear hatch to create a visual link between the two. The little rear overhang on the top of the hatch is reminiscent of the Kodiaq. Down below, the black cladding surrounds the entire bottom of the rear fascia while the rectangular exhaust pipes are surrounded by a gray insert that matches the insert used around the front fog lights. Fortunately, for VW, this design works, however, one could write it off as badge engineering at its best. But, before we give full judgment, we’ll take a look at everything else on offer from the new Atlas.

Competitive Dimensions

So, here’s the deal. The new Atlas is 198.3-inches long, 77.9-inches wide, and 69.6 inches high. This officially makes it larger than any other VW offered here in the states (VW is really hoping to impress all of us size-obsessed, gas guzzling Americans, huh?) Compared to the Touareg, the Atlas is 9.53 inches longer, 1.53 inches wider, and 2.32 inches taller, but how does it compete with the competition?

Interior

The interior of the Atlas is pretty upscale and features a number of handy features. To start off, we’ve got a sporty steering wheel that has a mild flat bottom to it, along with thumb buttons on the side spokes. Ahead of the steering wheel sits VW’s digital cockpit – a setup that is remarkably similar to the Audi Virtual cockpit. A small storage compartment sits in the center of the dash on the very top. Down below you’ll find a large infotainment display. Volkswagen’s Car-Net system is available as an option and includes the availability of phone connectivity via Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or MirrorLink. A Fender Premium audio system can also be opted for, which includes a 480-Watt amplifier and 12 speakers. Volkswagen claims this is the most sophisticated audio system available in a VW to date.

The interior of the Atlas is pretty upscale, but to a trained eye, it’s pretty clear that it’s quite similar to that of the Skoda Kodiaq.

While we don’t have exact dimensions for the interior quite yet, VW says there’s ample room for seven adults and their luggage. The middle rows fold downward to allow for easy access to the third-row seats. BW says that the second row can fold even with child seats installed, however, we have yet to see how and early sketches of the design don’t lend any assistance in understanding how this is possible either. The seats themselves are very inviting with the center of the cushions and the backrests perforated in nature, likely allowing for heating and ventilation – something we would expect for an SUV that will probably command a small fortune before the transfer of ownership takes place.

Drivetrain

Originally thought to borrow drivetrain options from the Q7, the Atlas will first be offered with one of two different engines. On the four-cylinder front, there’s a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, direct injected, four-banger that delivers 238 horsepower. For those with a bit a hunger for power, there’s also a 3.6-liter VR6 that delivers some 280 horsepower. VW has yet to announce specs for torque, towing capacity or the like, but the good news is that models equipped with the 3.6-liter can be equipped with 4Motion all-wheel drive. That system has a driving mode selection that will cater to the needs of various driving and road conditions. More information and full specs will be available closer to the Atlas’ official launch in spring of 2017. Shifting duties are handled by an eight-speed automatic transmission regardless of what engine choice you go for.

Pricing

The Atlas is available in three primary trim levels. The entry-level S trim starts out at $30,500 and climbs to as much as $35,300. The SE starts out at $33,590 and climbs to as much as $38,890. The range-topping SEL trim starts out at $39,160 and tops out at $48,490 for the SEL Premium. This puts the entry-level model at almost $5,000 more than the entry-level Tiguan and $19,000 less than the entry-level Touareg.

Competition

Nissan Armada

The Nissan Armada entered its second generation for the 2017 model year, so it’s nice and fresh in terms of competing with the likes of the Volkswagen Atlas. The one major benefit over the Atlas is that the Armada can actually seat eight passengers. Sharing its platform with the Infiniti QX80, the Armada is no longer based on the Titan pickup and is actually a huge leap forward for Nissan in this regard. It’s largely comfortable, has a good portfolio of active safety features, and is strong that ever thanks to its ladder-style frame and body structure. Unlike the Atlas, however, the Armada has a serious powerhouse under the hood thanks to a new 5.6-liter V-8 (not to be confused with the 5.6-liter from the previous generation) that delivers a cool 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. Pricing starts out at $44,900 but can go for as much as $60,490 for the range-topping Platinum trim level.

Read our full review on the Nissan Armada here.

Ford Expedition

The current Ford Expedition has actually been on the market since 2007 with minor changes taking place each model year. For now, there’re no plans that we know of to usher in a new-gen model anytime soon, but with the current generation approaching 10-years old, I wouldn’t expect this generation to stick around for very much longer. Available in a total of eight trim levels, there is a model that’s just right for about anybody. It does offer seating for up to eight, but is only offered with one engine – a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 that delivers 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Shifting duties are handled by a six-speed automatic. Pricing starts out at $46,225 for the entry-level XLT model and climbs to as much as $65,957 for the Platinum EL model.

Read our full review on the Ford Expedition here.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt about it that it’s a good move for VW to expand its SUV offering, but there’s still a lot about the Atlas that’s still up in the air. Its size makes it the largest SUV offering from VW, which would indicate that it should be more expensive than the current Touareg. However, the Touareg is already priced rather high and actually competes on the price front with Models like the Expedition and the Armada. It doesn’t make sense for VW to have two SUVs with the same focal price point, so something is going to change at some point. This model could be priced to slot between the Tiguan and Touareg, but that would likely make the Touareg obsolete as customers will clearly go for the larger, cheaper option. If it prices it close to the Touareg, it will have to drop the price on the Touareg for that to make any sense at all. If the Atlas simply comes at a higher price than the Touareg, then VW is really reaching, and I don’t see the Atlas being a success at all. Hopefully, VW’s incredible need to make some money won’t cause it to be greedy and put too high of a price on this new SUV. But, only time will tell.