The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is a family-friendly midsize SUV with three rows of seating. It remains the largest vehicle Volkswagen sells in the U.S. The Atlas has pleasant handling, many standard features, a starting price that’s lower than several rivals, and its boxy shape makes for a roomy cabin and lots of cargo space. But the infotainment system is clunky and other rivals have peppier handling and more upscale interiors.
Base Price: $50,435
As Tested: $51,785
Horsepower: 269
Mileage: 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway/20 mpg combined
Like other midsize SUVs, the Atlas takes a backseat to the top competitors, the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, which boast nicer cabins and more features and tech at similar price points.
The Atlas was introduced for the 2018 model year. It was designed for the American market and not sold in Europe. It got refreshed in 2021 and gets another refresh for 2024. Updates include a new standard powertrain, some exterior styling tweaks, nicer materials in the cabin, and more standard features and tech including an updated infotainment system with a bigger screen. The Peak Edition trim also debuts for 2024. This trim features some exclusive interior and exterior details, including body cladding elements, unique wheels, all-terrain tires, and blacked-out exterior details.
The Atlas also comes in a two-row configuration called the Atlas Cross Sport. That will be reviewed separately.
The 2024 Atlas comes in six trims: SE, SE with Technology, Peak Edition SE with Technology, SEL, Peak Edition SEL, and SEL Premium R-Line. Starting prices range from $37,725 to $52,455. Front-wheel drive is standard on the SE and SE with Technology trims, and available on these trims for an additional $1,900. All-wheel drive is standard on the other trims.
There’s room for six or seven passengers, depending on whether you get captain’s chairs in the second row.
The 2024 Atlas is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic.
The Atlas is very easy to drive, which is what you want in a family hauler. It’s not sporty but it gets the job done in getting the family from point A to point B. Acceleration is decent – there’s just a touch of turbo lag – and there’s enough power for daily driving situations, including merging and passing at highway speeds, if you don’t expect a nearly instantaneous response. The eight-speed shifts smoothly and quickly. Steering is light, especially at slow speeds, but picks up a bit at higher speeds. The ride is smooth over most driving surfaces. All in all, the Atlas is capable but not exciting to drive.
Fuel economy is about average for a midsize SUV. EPA ratings for my AWD tester are 18 mpg city and 24 mpg city with a combined rating of 20. I got 20 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving. Front-wheel drive models do a bit better at 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg combined.
When properly equipped, the Atlas can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
The cabin is roomy with an airy feel. Materials have been upgraded with many soft-touch surfaces that look and feel nice. But the interior isn’t as upscale as a Palisade or Telluride. On the plus side, there’s lots of space. Taller adults will have good leg- and headroom in the first two rows, and even average-size adults can fit in the third row – a rarity among three-row crossovers. Front and second row seats are supportive and comfortable. Things aren’t as cushy in the third row, but again, it’s spacious enough for adults.
Standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror, tri-zone automatic climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, manually adjustable front passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel with shift paddles, 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with 12-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, wireless device charging, six USB ports, voice recognition, Amazon Alexa, Wi-Fi hot spot, adaptive headlights with automatic high beams, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
Available features include remote start, surround-view camera system, head-up display, real leather upholstery, memory settings for driver’s seat, power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated second-row outboard seats, 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, navigation, more USB ports, rear sunshades, 30-color ambient LED interior lighting, a 115-volt power outlet, universal garage door opener, power folding mirrors, and a panoramic sunroof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist (stop-and-go adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist), blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear-seat alert.
Available driver assistance technologies include traffic-sign recognition, low-speed reverse automatic emergency braking, front and rear parking sensors, and park assist.
The infotainment system looks great with its large 12-inch touchscreen and sharp graphics. But it’s not intuitive. Menus are cumbersome and there are finicky capacitive touch controls but few physical buttons or knobs. It can be challenging to make quick changes in audio or climate settings while driving.
The Atlas has plentiful cargo space with 20.6 cubes behind the third row, 55.5 cubes with the third row folded, and a ginormous 96.8 cubes with the second and third rows folded. A manual liftgate is standard and a hands-free power liftgate is available.
The good:
Easy to drive
Smooth ride
Comfortable and spacious cabin
Room for adults in all three rows
Lots of cargo space
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Meh handling
Cumbersome infotainment system
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $50,435. The destination charge is $1,350, bringing the grand total to $51,785.
Bottom line:
The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is a capable and roomy midsize SUV. The Atlas comes well-equipped with many standard features, its cavernous cabin can comfortably fit adults in all three rows with plenty of room for cargo, and it’s reasonably priced. Drawbacks are meh handling, a clunky infotainment system, and a cabin that’s not as upscale as the class leaders. Still, the Atlas is worth a look for anyone shopping for a three-row crossover.
