2018 VW Atlas review from Family Wheels
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- After a long reign, the VW Touareg is getting mothballed after this year. And instead, a much larger next generation SUV is entering the company's fold - the Atlas! We spend a week in it to find out if it's truly the ultimate family ride. (As a side note, I forgot to mention our decibel reader test. At 100 kms/hr, the Atlas delivered a solid 61 dB)
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Thanks. That was one of the most even reviews of this car I have seen. I have never seen a car be so polarizing in its reviews. Reviewers seem to love it or hate it.
Impressive review thank you!
I'm impressed by this vehicle, has good usable space, 3rd row and trunk.
LMAO Love ur wife's T-shirt! My neighbor works at VW in Courtney here and brought one home on the weekend, sadly with my size 6'4" and bigger frame 260 lbs its tight. But it is a massive Durango size SUV with a 12 l/100 klms here on the island mpg. I looked at the lower model with a sticker of $47,800 which was good looking but reminded me of all the other VW styles. If I had to pick I guess it would be the Tahoe or Durango over it. Great review Paul and thanks. From Van Isle.
Great review, I'm loving the new Atlas!!
Excellent review but I am looking for the captain seats. I am actually tilting to the Traverse because of this feature. We are coming from a 2015 Sienna. The center isle is very important to me.
Very nice looking vehicle....great review by the way....
Great review. I don't really care to much for the interior or the gas mileage. But I have a family and the size of this vehicle seems better than the competitors. The ability to not have to take out the car seat is a huge selling point for me
So get a minivan...
Some odd comments from the reviewer. Small temperature gauge?? Really? As far as engine goes, actually the 2.0T is excellent for this vehicle. It has much more torque available at lower rpm, and much better fuel economy. Unfortunately the lack of AWD is the disadvantage.
1. Good point about the timeless look.
2. Its crazy how more and more car companies are marketing stripped down trims of cars that most won't buy.
thanks for the review. I have my Execline on order and have included the same interior as in the model that you drove. Looking forward to my Atlas. One thing you didn't mention was the six year bumper to bumper warranty which is best in class.
Robert Ell is this six yrs bumper 2 bumper warranty available in Canada?
Yes, it is included in Canada
When did they change that...up until a few months ago VW Canada said they would not match the VW US move to 6 yr bumper to bumper......one of the reasons VW was taken off my list.
Ummm, according to the VW Canada brochure for the Atlas, it only comes with a 4 year/80000km warranty. Not the warranty that the US gets...
deltatux you are correct, I was confused by the US advertising
Paul, any plans to review the 2018 Tiguan? BTW, love the reviews!
Liam Taylor I hope to some time in the next couple months, Liam. Thanks for the note.
reviewers never take in consideration the power to weight ratio, this suv may seem underpowered but they forget it has a very advanced platform that its incredibly light for the size, it has a great power to weight ratio
I'm curious on the next design of this car. The 2L 4 cyl engine is not actually that bad.
LOVE IT!! ONE AWESOME RIG! When In Doubt.. Get an ATLAS!
It's looks so modern & solidly built.
AGREED!!
Can you compare this to the Q7 in the categories of passenger space and cargo space? As well as the “autopilot”/accident avoidance features? Thanks
So to a point it ok to get the captain chairs because grocery bags won't be flying because u don't have to put down the third row like a minivan.
Atlas is on top of my shopping list. But I am still struggling on decision making between atlas, pilot, and explore. Are you able to do a comparison between those 3? Or give some suggestions? Love ur review, thanks!
Yeah, I have a suggestion. Get the Atlas, and you'll be somewhat unique...you might see another one once in a week. Get an Explorer or Pilot, and you'll see 10 every day driving to the corner 7-Eleven.
the Atlas and Pilot are top safety picks, the Explorer is not, which eliminates it in my book. Between the two the atlas has more practical space, and better driving dynamics. The pilot has Hondas perceived reliability, but the 9speed has been having issues. It really comes down to what you like the look of, and what feels good. Go test those two.
I have driven all 3 and liked Atlas the best. Ford has fit and finish issue and I hated that there was no place for my left foot other than a weird carpeted bulge. Th Pilot is great but I could not live with the infotainment system - slow and relies too much on touchscreen instead of knobs. Also the Pilot is really generic looking especially after just a couple of years on the market - and it seems minivan like (not that there is anything wrong with that). I don’t like the price of the top trim Atlas but when you start looking around for a vehicle with similar features, size, and comfort you start to get into luxury brands and even higher prices.
You don’t seem to like much about this suv. If you want something exciting then get a sports car. That’s the problem with drivers today, they’re constantly in a hurry. That’s what results in accidents. I love the fact that it has such safety features that make people stop and take time to think about their actions. I have one and I absolutely LOVE it.
Wish this included dual cooling, and a means to close the vent
Routan? In Europe, it's actually Touran (well it's not totally the same, of course - there was that Chrysler thing going on with Routan).
Also, i've seen some unveiling teasing of the 2018 Touareg. I wonder if that means that Touareg is hugely popular where I live, while it's not the case in NA. I personally don't "get" Touareg for its price, while this Atlas seems amazing for basically being a minivan with all the cons of a standard SUV. It even seems that they have those "captain" seats as an option just to make that minivan fact obvious :)
Hi Paul
Great review. I was wondering if you could help me out, my wife and I are expecting our first child and are looking into minivans. Sadly, very few minivans have been imported in the last few years to Iceland so I am looking outside of the country for cars which in turn gives me a lot more options.
I was wondering if you could recommend a few brands for me? I am looking for a minivan with good space as we live in the countryside which means very big shopping trips, plus space for kid stuff. Most of these cars do not have AWD so that can be forfeited, but we have ice and snow for many months over the year and I need a very safe car, and if you have any information about cars that are not heavy on repairs, currently the next auto-repair place is 30 km away, the next one after that a 100 km.
Keep putting up those videos :)
Thanks for writing... importing is tough because you may not have parts readily available or mechanics who are used to working on them. So for that reason, I would suggest something that is known to be reliable like the Honda Odyssey. If you want AWD, your only choice is the Sienna - which is also reliable. I would stay away from the Chrysler Pacifica and the Dodge Grand Caravan because they may require more work down the road. Hope that helps!
Proper comparison would have been the Traverse. Not a CX-9 but good review thanks
Vw does some odd things with power ratings. I wouldn't be surprised if the 2.0T wasn't any slower than the v6. The issue is no 4motion with that engine. VW should is obviously trying not to have atlas better the q7 as in that car the 2.0t makes 252hp and 273lb.ft. They should drop the vr6 as its not competitive and use the 2.0t with higher tune. It's one of the best 4 cyl turbo engines in the world.
This is an interesting point of view. Thanks for bringing it up!
Do the Mitsubishi Outlander! Been seeing a lot here in Quebec.
Thanks for this review. You pull no punches. If you're in the market for a mid-size SUV, this is one to be considered. Most will probably get the Mazda CX-9 or Explorer. The Ford has the best engine, but its interior is weird and terrible. The Mazda drives like a dream, the interior is good but has some weirdness. I am curious about towing performance of the Atlas. The interior space looks amazing #clowncar. I can't wait to drive the Atlas and see for myself!
I hate those stupid plastic materials in the interior. For so much money they should improve the quality for the higher trims. I love this review
I'll take quality hard plastic, over soft material any day. Easy to clean and will last.
D Jay T i understand
It starts at 30k what else do you want??
Considering buying this used with 60k KM (37k miles). Does anyone own and comment on long term enjoyment? We're a family of three (soon to be four) and tend to haul a decent amount of stuff around on the weekends (skis, bikes, golf clubs, duffel bags / coolers for the cottage, etc).
Doesn’t cut it
How tall and heavy is your dog? Trying to see if my dog would have enough room in the cargo space.
Our dog weighs 80 lbs. Not sure of her height. But she's quite tall.
no highway db test? I love that segment :(
I forgot to mention it! But we did do the test. The Atlas was solid at 61 dB at 100 kms/hr (that's 60 MPH)
It kind of looks like the ford escape I believe, yeah it's that boxy look with lots of folds and straight edges.
Also, perforated seating material in a family vehicle meant to haul kids around, not a good choice. Food and whatever other messes your kids manage to drag in will ruin those seats quick.
Cobb I've been talking about perforated seats since day 1. Worst fad in cars right now for Family cars.
Dirt is definitely a concern, but those perforations are about more than looks. They help with air flow and keep the seats cooler and less sticky in the heat.
A big and comfortable car, if rather average in every other category. I guess for the family man who has another smaller car for commuting, the Atlas will likely be a big seller in SUV happy Canada. A pity the 3.0 V6 TDI will never be made; it would have made for a killer combination of fuel efficiency, torque & usability.
i think that might be a bit unfair to say since the tech, safety results and the very stif and light platform are quite outstanding
Indeed IIHS scores released today earned it the Top Safety Pick+. Definitely a sensible family car for the family man. I won't call it light however; the thing is bigger than a Pilot or Highlander, and almost on par with the Durango which is pretty much a bus.
for the huge size it has, it is a light car :)
agreed the TDI would have been amazing, it might make a come back, tbh honest it wasn't even the consumers who were upset about the emissions, it was about the Gov lining their pockets. VW has a 3.0 turbo gas engine, but I imagine we wont ever see that becuase they dont want to take sales from audi or porsche
It seems like Volkswagen is the only automaker that doesn't know how to do dual-tone upholstery right. It always looks weird in their cars.
The quality of leather felt rather sub-standard, too
Really? VW has been doing two tone forever, I feel like they actually get it right.
That orange color is rad though.
Plastic is plastic. It’s all pretty cheap regardless and they use it in luxury car just as much. It may feel different but you really are just paying less for the same quality.
I think there are some pretty significant differences with plastics, Dan. Perhaps most importantly, we've found the harder plastics to scratch much more easily.
Used to be a VW fun for years. But with the price tag, I'd put my money to Ford or Mazda for the engine and styles. Thanks VW but no. Great review. Thanks.
the Mazda is considerably smaller, and the Ford is not as Safe. If the Mazda is even an option, you'd be better severed comparing it the new Tiguan.
Nice review. I love the usable 3rd row but that interior is awful
We priced it all out, in the end we couldn't spend 50k plus on another mediocre family hauler. So we got a sline 2013 audi for less and it's just amazing at everything. front and rear parking cams, full leather, v6 333hp with towing, sunroof, winter package all the tech. Honda/VW/Nissan need to up their game if they are pricing their top of the line weak engines at 55,000$$.
you bought a 4 year old vehicle, and are comparing it to the price of a new car?
yes because it has better stuff in it than the "new car". I don't know why anyone would pay 50k for an atlas that doesn't even match features in 4 year old vehicle.
Does your Audi have apple car play?
Dated styling, poor interior without the virtual cockpit, and crazy high price. In my opinion the CX9 beats This but wished it had Apple carplay. I think if you are all about tech, in this segment, the Atlas is your only option.
Blake Swan CX-9 for looks and drive, Atlas for space and usability. Mazda doesn't come with ventilated seats at over 50k or pano roof. I think the sweet spot in the atlas line is either trendline with $900 convenience pack or comfortline. Those trims are priced very well.
Blake Swan it does have apple car play
The mazda is much smaller, it would compete better against the new Tiguan. Styling is subjective, but I think the Atlas and CX9 are currently the best looking options rn
I could be wrong but did you forget to say "give it the beans" ???
I guess I did!
Paul, this new VW Atlas models are all overpriced with top trim up to $56000 CAD in Calgary dealers. I would rather choose CX-9 top trim with $6K less with better reliability.
I think I'd choose the CX-9 over the Atlas, too. But you do get more space in the VW.
How reliable is the Atlas? How does it compare to the Highlander?
Highlander would win all day in terms of reliability over this car. It's widely considered one of the most reliable cars on the road.
Family Wheels Figures. I went to a Volkswagen dealership and it had almost noone there
Just looks cheap to me. I don't know what it is
American VW is incredibly bland. They should've used the Golf R tune of EA888 2.0 with 292 hp instead of the V-6.
That Would Be... AWESOME!!
Good review, but this thing looks like something from the 90's.
really?? i thought it looked pretty modern
I love
My parents liked the look of the Atlas. Interestingly they hate the CX-9 & Pilot. I guess to each their own...
I kind of feel like thats a good thing. It looks like an SUV is supposed to look.
I'd rather have this look than the current Lexus RX-350 :-)
Lol who touches their cars inside? All I touch is steering wheel and handrest plus screen. I could give a less Fck about real wood that is less than 1 mm thick.
Come on! That's a minivan...
Jesus, the exterior of that thing looks dated. Straight outta 1998. There are much, much better options from almost every other manufacturer. I can't imagine someone choosing this over a Mazda CX-9.
Dave Poirier I actually like it better than the Pilot's.
This interior is actually gorgeous, professional and will age well. The CX9 is also nice, but this is much bigger, and has more usable than the cx9. tbh the atlas competes more with the Pilot, Traverse, and enclave.
Dave In Canada disagree. I love the looks of this vehicle much more than the generic crap churned by japan or korea. Looks like a grand Cherokee front and an audi q7 back. To each his own.
Nice review, as always. This is another watered down North American only VW product like the lousy Jetta and Passat compared to the rest of the world models. VW is heading in the wrong direction for North American products. No thanks, I'll look at the MDX or Lincoln MKX instead.
MDX AND MKX Would compete more against the Audi Q7
No thanks to American cars. I have seen their uneven lines from both exterior and interior work. Such shoddy work e.g. Chrysler 300.