2027 Volkswagen Atlas

The Atlas does many things well. First and foremost, its handsome interior punches far above its class, looking more premium than its price suggests. Finishes like open pore wood and brushed chrome add understated elegance. The more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine does well both at speed and at the gas pump, offering best-in-class fuel economy for a nonhybrid. The 2027 Volkswagen Atlas proves both an easy driver and easy on the eyes.

As 2027 marks the beginning of its second generation, the Volkswagen Atlas is all-new — save for the chassis. It gets a more powerful engine that bumps up the horsepower thanks to a larger turbo and other engine components. The interior gets a redesign fit for royalty. With expensive-looking materials, you might think you were driving in an Audi, VW’s sister premium brand. The exterior gets a fresh double illuminated lighting signature that feels singular and modern. From that to the tailgate lighting design, everything is brand new.

The EA888 evo5 Turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gives drivers 13 more horsepower over the departing model’s powertrain. That means a total 282 horses. For a 3-row SUV the power feels adequate. Its 258 lb-ft of torque gets you going nicely, too. The engine mates to a capable 8-speed automatic transmission that finds gears smoothly, though we did experience an informally clocked 2.5-seconds of turbo lag when mashing our foot to the floor. At speed, the Atlas feels peppy enough despite that delay.

The suspension does a great job offering driver and passengers a comfortable ride. However, you do still feel the weight of the SUV, especially around turns. Lateral movement, the top-heavy swaying feeling, becomes a factor when you’re driving in a spirited fashion on a curvy road.

Inside the cabin the VW Atlas truly shines. Materials including open poor wood and brushed chrome meet occupants where they most want them. If there are practical, hard plastics they are well concealed. Seats are covered in a leatherette that gives a lux and durable impression of leather; however, you can get Nappa leather on the top trim. Supportive and comfortable, your front seats will come standard with heating and ventilation. The cabin feels quiet and serene and visibility is clear and unobstructed. Overall, the Atlas provides a comfortable conveyance for a commute.

Second-row passengers are not forsaken. Heating and ventilation are optional for those seats. New air vents have been designed into the B-pillars that provide excellent circulation. Sunshades come standard across all trims – a luxury normally an option even on higher priced brands. That second row also gets 14-degrees of recline. You can option your Atlas as a 7- or 6-passenger vehicle depending on whether you get the bench seat or second-row Captain’s chairs.

The in-vehicle technology impresses with a 12.9-inch touchscreen coming standard but a 15-inch screen available on all but the base model. All Atlases come with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that’s both clear and customizable.

The overall shape and mien of the Atlas do not change, but there are enough new embellishments that elevate it. The front grille gets a new double-illuminated lighting signature with an illuminated badge on all but the base model that looks modern and fresh. The sheet metal doesn’t get complicated creases, as expected from Volkswagen, but you do get illuminated door handles and a new lighting element in the rear that extends the width of the SUV. Dynamic turn signals and 3D taillights leave an impression on other drivers.

You can get wheels up to 21 inches for those looking to bling out their ride. While the Atlas does come with all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option, it only gets 6.5-inches of ground clearance, so off-roading wouldn’t be recommended.

Dual Qi2 Wireless Chargers

We love it when you get two wireless chargers up front and even more when they’re magnetic, so your phones don’t slosh around while driving. We’re really in love when they’re 15W and charge quickly.

Interior space

It’s named the Atlas, and when it comes to interior cargo space it lives up to it. With 21.2 cu-ft behind the third row (that’s great), 55.9 cubes behind the second row, and a capacious 95.4 cu-ft behind the first row you can fit a lot of a lot of things.

Driver Experience Dial

A new dial in the center console not only controls volume, but also with a quick press, it changes your drive modes and the 10 ambient lighting signatures in the Atlas. After a few seconds it returns to a volume dial without you having to think about it. And we like that VW makes the ambient lighting easy to access instead of burying it under layers on a screen.

2.0-liter Turbocharged 4-cylinder 282 hp/258 lb-ft torque

8-speed automatic

FWD: 22 city/29 hwy/25 combined; AWD 20 city/27 hwy/23 combined