WHEN THE LOVE FOR LIL’ BUG WENT BUST: Americans learned to love their Volkswagens sized Mammoth.
REASON FOR RE-DRIVE: Enter the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. A 3-Row full size American made for American tastes crossover sport utility vehicle more assertive cues and new emblem to ensure it remains a close number two on VW’s U.S. charts [after Tiguan].
Driving Hits:
- Deep lungs & silky sound of single overhead bent VR-6 engine
- 8-speed torque converter automatic transaxle
- Useful ground clearance
- 465 miles highway range
- Observed fuel economy +23% vs. 4Motion all-wheel drive model
- Rides rigid MQB platform
- Heaping helping of compliance
- Eager braking
- 20″ alloy wheels
- Firmly weighted helm
- Well insulated against external sounds
Driving Misses:
- Touchy throttle
- Transaxle releases low gears early on
- 21 mpg fuel economy = -13% vs. base 2.0 turbo-4
- Steering dilly dallies to inputs
- Motorway lane wander
- Body dive on braking
- 255/50-20 Goodyear Assurance tires afford quiet at a slight cost to grip
- Lacks all-terrain capability with all-season highway rubber
What It Has Got:
- From $31,675 (incl. destination) for a front-drive 8-speed tiptronic automatic 2021 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T S FWD. The tested 2020 VW Atlas 3.6 SEL FWD pumps the bottom line up to $43,315, but saving $1900 by foregoing all-wheel drive.
- As mammoth as a crossover SUV gets
- 3 Row seating for up to eight occupants
- Row 3 access = easy peasy
- Row 3 seating = two average sized adults roomy
- Decent front seat bolstering
- Immense cargo carrying
- 60:40 split 2nd Row, 50:50 split flat folding seat backs
- Sub cargo floor storage
- Universally comprehensible switchgear with bits of Bauhaus distinction
- Above par standard feature set
- Heated mirrors, front seats, headlamp washers
- Keyless comfort entry, ignition
- Cruise control
- Power windows full express x 4
- Bluetooth wireless communications and music stream
- 6.5″-inch touch LCD infotainment display
- 6 speaker audio
- Inductive wireless device charging (SE trim and up)
- Android Auto, AppleCar Play and MirrorLink phone projection
- Wi-Fi
- Good safety features & grades
- IIHS Roof, side, driver small frontal overlap, occupant protection ratings = GOOD
- Driver assist tech enhanced on lower trims
- Forward Collision avoidance w/ pedestrian & cyclist detection braking, blind spot & rear cross traffic warning
- Available adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, park distance warning, surround camera, and auto high beams (on higher trims)
- Forward Collision avoidance w/ pedestrian & cyclist detection braking, blind spot & rear cross traffic warning
- 4 year / 50,000 miles bumper to bumper warranty includes 2 years maintenance
What It Has Not (or Not Preferred):
- Lack of distinctive cabin finish in $40k vehicle
- Corded rather than remote cable 3rd Row seat back release
- No cargo bay remote 2nd Row seat back release
- Short door pockets
- 2nd Row seat heating only on top SEL Premium trim
- Low cabin material contrast and excessive hard surfaces
- Instrument panel illumination only adjustable via infotainment when parked
- Digital Cockpit only on higher trims
- Level 2 Driver autonomy only on SEL and SEL Premium trims
- Lane departure warning too sensitive and barely nudges to correct
- Traffic jam assist renders obsolete alerts
- 2 years / 22k miles shorter warranty from 2019 MY
NEW for 2021 Volkswagen Atlas:
- Mid-cycle refresh coincides with introduction of 2-Row VW Atlas Cross Sport
- Exterior updates include:
- More prominent “U” front bumper cover cradles new 3 chrome bar w/ dark chain-link grille the latter neatly tying bezeling for new twin segmented LED headlamp housings. Large piano black lower front corner duct bezels are split by a lower air dam intake under and outerscored in body color.
- New split letter “VW” front and aft badge
Standout Cool Features on tested 2021 Atlas SEL FWD:
- Digital Cockpit configurable LCD instrument cluster w/ navigation map
- Road sign display
- 8.0″ Discover LCD HDD navigation infotainment display w/ proximity gesture settings menu
- Panorama tilt and slide power moonroof
- Proximity release power liftgate
- 3-zone, including 2nd Row climate control
- 115 VAC x 1 power outlet – Row 2
- 10-way + 3 position / 8-way power adjust driver’s / front passenger seats
- 2nd Row door sunshades
- Heated steering
- Rain sensing windshield wipers
ROADBLAZING.COM’s SUMMATION:
2021 Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL front-drive = People’s Car maker finally figured out what sunbelt Yanks want in their large sized family vehicle, gulping far fewer gallons without all-wheel drive.
SEE ROADBLAZING.COM’s COMPLETE REVIEW AND GALLERY OF THE 2018.5 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS V6 SEL 4MOTION BELOW
