Used 2023 Volkswagen Atlas

The midsize 3-row SUV segment is a crowded market, with almost every mainstream automaker having a dog in the fight. If you’re looking for true minivan-like practicality with a third row you can actually use, then the Volkswagen Atlas should be near the top of your shopping list. It has a spacious interior with lots of room for passengers and cargo. It also boasts user-friendly tech features like the standard Digital Cockpit and modern safety and infotainment tech. Some of its top rivals in family SUVs are the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Explorer, Kia Telluride, and Hyundai Palisade.

The Volkswagen Atlas comes with few surprises from behind the wheel. If you’re looking for comfort and predictability, that’s a good thing. This SUV provides a smooth and comfortable ride and car-like driving dynamics.

The Atlas has two engine options: a turbocharged 4-cylinder and a V6. The standard turbo engine is good for the daily commute and is the more efficient choice between the two. If you are towing regularly or have a full load of passengers often, you’ll appreciate the extra muscle from the V6. However, in normal driving conditions, there isn’t a huge difference between how these engines make the Atlas drive.

If you opt for the available 4Motion AWD system, you’ll also get the Active Control system. With Active Control, choose between Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad settings. There are four drive modes within the Onroad setting; Normal, Sport, Comfort, and a customizable Individual mode. Scrolling between the drive modes changes the driving character of the Atlas to suit your mood or the road conditions.

One of the strong suits of the Atlas is its roomy interior. It has generous space in all three rows of seats. If you have passengers in the way back regularly, they’ll be glad you went with the Atlas rather than some of its more cramped competitors.

As for the interior quality, it’s par for the course for this price point. Not cheap, not premium. It does get nicer in the upper trims with features like a heated steering wheel, a memory driver’s seat, and ambient lighting. The top SEL Premium R-Line trim includes leather seats, heated second-row seats, cooled front seats, and a Fender premium audio system.

The Atlas also benefits from a roomy cargo hold. It has 20.6 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seats, 55.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and a whopping 96.8 cubic feet with all of the rear seats folded down.

They’re all big boxes to some degree, but we think the Atlas stands out among its 3-row midsize SUV competitors. A lot of Volkswagen buyers are indeed looking for something a little different, and the boldly styled Atlas delivers.

1. Spacious 3-row seating
The interior of the Volkswagen Atlas has generous room in all three rows, plus a lot of cargo space to boot. This is one of the most family-friendly SUVs in its class.

2. IQ.DRIVE
The IQ.DRIVE system is standard on all SEL models, and it allows for semi-autonomous driving with your hands on the wheel. It combines features like adaptive cruise control, lane-centering, blind-spot monitoring, and more.

3. R-Line models
Atlas models with “R-Line” in the name come with a sporty appearance package making this SUV more of a head-turner. They have unique front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and sharp-looking wheels. As its name suggests, the SEL R-Line Black model has plenty of stylish black accents.

4. Volkswagen Digital Cockpit
The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit is a standard digital gauge cluster on the Atlas. All but the base trim get the more customizable Digital Cockpit Pro, which upgrades to a bigger screen with three views and full-screen navigation when so equipped.

5. Active Control
All AWD-equipped Atlas models come with the Active Control system. Active Control has four settings; Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad. This allows you to make the most of the AWD system and dial in the settings that are just right for any road condition.

6. Comprehensive infotainment system
The base Atlas has a 6.5-inch screen, but every other trim has a bigger 8-inch screen and more features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless device charging, enhanced voice recognition, and seven USB-C ports throughout the cabin.

The standard engine in the Atlas is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. It makes adequate power and torque for daily use by most drivers, and the fuel efficiency is about average for this class.

The optional V6 has more power, torque, and towing muscle than the standard turbo engine, with an expected tradeoff in fuel economy. The turbo engine is a better buy if you don’t do much towing.

All Atlas models use an 8-speed automatic transmission. With both engines, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional.

2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
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)