Survived a head on collision last week by a drunk driver and the Atlas likely saved my life. The safety features are incredible! Bought it for the awesome interior space (family of 6- all over 6 feet tall) but will likely get new one for the safety features
2 videos ago I literally saw someone ask you for a review of the 2021 Atlas like yesterday and here it is. This is why I love this channel unless that was just pure chance
WE tested all the top dogs for a month. Highlander, Telly, Palisade, Atlas. We started with a 20 Atlas and moved on to the Korean cousins and thought we were done with the Highlander. We then tried the 21 Atlas and yes it stickered for almost 52 but we were able to deal down to 43 for the SEL Premium in that same blue ( love it!!). The Atlas has been around for 4 years now and most kinks worked out. The Telly and Palisade are newer and you are paying sticker or more, no matter how good a negotiator you are. so 48 or 49 is that or more. I honestly liked the Atlas more after the second go around and it is the biggest.
We bought our Atlas SE V6 w Technology Package in January 2018 for 34k. After 4 years of ownership we didn't experience any problems. We have 3 kids and appreciate the space on every roadtrip. I only wished for a more modern powertrain like e.g. Hybrid. The 8 speed shifts perfectly smooth and the vehicle feels very safe. Just received a great offer to upgrade to a 2022 VW Atlas SE that we will buy.
2021 Atlas with Rline is one of the great 3rd row SUV. A Massive space, exterior & interior very simple but luxurious style. One of a kind. I personally recommend this vehicle😊
We bought the SE w/ tech rline. Love it so far. Not as decked out as that one but the 3rd row and cargo space combo seemed better than the other stuff we looked at.
"Better" IMO is just an opinion. In 2019, I reviewed and drove various brands. Telluride was one of them. After watching crash tests of the brands I looked at in same class and one Tahoe, I went with the Atlas. All had good and bad points, but in the end, the crash test hooked me.
Picked up SE R line 2WD with Captain chairs. My wife loves it. Racing Green is a fantastic color. Very very similar to Telluride we test drove the same day. It came down to looks for my wife.
We owned a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas, but we actually just traded it in for a Kia a few months back. The reasons: Our VW had trouble keeping oil, the tire pressure monitoring gauges were always faulty, the cost of even an oil change was ridiculous, the auto on/off feature was problematic, the cost of insurance was much higher, and the MPG was not fantastic. I already own a Forte GT Line, and had loved my experience with it, so it was an easy decision to trade in the VW.
I have a 2019 VW, have none of those issues, great gas mileage and overall the best car I’ve had to date overall satisfaction (X5, Charger SRT, challenger SRT, grand Cherokee, Wrangler, etc).
That sounds like a lemon to me. I have a 2018 Atlas and I have yet to experience any of the issues you mentioned. Just a side note, 38 000 miles and counting :)
Same here, I have an atlas and love it! But hey if you're a fan of korean engineering why buying an atlas in the first place... id never swich my vw for a kia.
I haven’t owned a VW since my fully loaded 1996 Jetta ... nice car at the time but geez it has too many quality issues and it was super expensive to maintain ..
it has a 360 camera btw. at 10:55 the button is at the lower right corner of the screen, next to the auto park button. It will parallel or perpendicular park itself. Don't forget the superior AWD system and the adaptive headlights that go up and down, left and right
Yet another fantastic and informative review from Joe! I saw this vehicle for the first time yesterday and loved the look. I looked for a review from Joe, but no dice. But then today happens, and “BOOM”, there it is! My girlfriend purchased a 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, and it’s an amazing ride! After watching Joe’s review of the Palisade, we just had to give it a test drive. Thanks for that , Joe! I was about to purchase the Calligraphy too, but will now test drive the Atlas first. Thank’s again, Joe! We both love the all the work you do to inform the consumer!
@@simon1125 it’s perfect. I’ve owned mine for over a year, 33,000 miles SE w Tech. Oil changes can be a bit expensive, I payed near $215 for my first oil change, but luckily I was able to add a additional deal onto my monthly for free standard maintenance.
Yeah, started to have issues with mine and traded for a 2020 F-150 platinum and Again issues with it too… now my wife and I purchased a 2021 Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 and we are pretty happy. So far so good. Only time will tell…
Joe Raiti provides the best in-depth reviews online! In regards to all the comments about the "Selluride", I'm 6'4" and the seat doesn't go back far enough on the Kia - not enough legroom. No comparison - the Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport seems to be best in terms of legroom not to mention exterior styling is sharpest on market.
I really like the exterior look of the Atlas (but the Telluride's interior is nicer) and at a $50,000 price point you would expect a 360 degree camera. Also, something not mentioned here is the Atlas's poor gas mileage.
Hey Joe I’m up in Canada and our VWs are packaged a little differently but I’m sure this one had a 360 camera too; you just had to press that “menu” button when you shifted into reverse. Cheers
I love the look of my 2021 atlas Racine se r line exterior, but the the interior needs a lot of improvement for sure. The performance is very smooth. Overall I am happy with my decision.
@9:27 It does have a 360 camera. You can either hit the Menu on that screen while in reverse, or you can hit the dedicated 360 button on the console forward of the arm-rest.
I imagine someone has shared this already, but it does have the 360 degree camera, it just doesn’t come on automatically when the vehicle is put in reverse. In that scenario you have to hit the on screen “menu” button. It can also be triggered by the camera button near the mode selector.
Yes in some of the base trims that's where the actual key goes but it's actually a proximity sensor for the key in case the key's battery dies. You place the key there while pressing the the push start button to turn on the vehicle. Of course, this is for trims with a push to start ignition.
Is in my top of the list, to get one of this some day, hopefully next year, I'm also new to the channel,great content 👍👍,I drive Volkswagen 2018 Tiguan,love it 😀 but I need more room..thank you again for an excellent review on this magnificent piece of engineer....until next time.
Hey Joey R! Thanks for another great review, man. I think this refreshed VW Atlas is by far the best looking of these larger, 3 row SUV's. Masculine and strong, with an upscale look-handsome big boy, no doubt. Engine seems strong and good and I appreciate the simplicity and tech of the interior, but I think VW can sweat the details and up the fit and finish. Too black and plasticky and that is a problem. But the handsome and classic German styling and hot wheels make this so much more desirable than 90% of it's competitors. :) JV Johnny
I got a 2019. But I would suggest for any brand, find a forum and read. If you look at the Atlas forum, you might change your minds but people seem to nick pick. I've had mine since July 2019 (got it new of course), SEL P. It's got 10,053 miles on it because I've taken 4 road trips (last one was 2800 round trip, but I have a minivan and Jeep that's my daily driver. Anyway, I troll the Atlas forum and there's more negative then positive it seams. I've not had any of the issues people are reporting, yet. This is my 4th VW. My last one, 2013 Passat TDi got sold back to VW. Before that, two Jettas. It's a nice car, I've even towed a 8x12 U-Haul cargo trailer loaded with furniture and it did very well. But you will notice, not much talk about the sh1tty gas mileage. Really miss that 60 mpg on my TDi.
I love the Atlas for it's space, ride and logical controls. Great in the snow too when you throw on some winter tires. Only ZONK I'd give it would be the motor. It's smooth as butter and sounds good but it could use about 315HP and some more torque. It might even get better fuel economy because the bigger motor won't need to work as hard to produce power.
I work there and build these and know the "secrets" that go on behind closed doors. My wife and I still are getting a Cross Sport soon (SEL Premium R-line)
Just came here for the "right off the bat". Great reviews! I've always watched your reviews carefully to support my judgement about a choice of purchase. I'm still hooked onto the Palisade but recently I came across the Toyota Highlander XSE and things have fired up again.
This thing looks a bit Grand Cherokee to me from the 3/4 rear view, BUT that’s a great looking SUV. And that 3rd row is so surprising. At 5’11”, it’s the comfiest back seat I’ve ever sat in, bar the new GM SUVs.
VW are not known for their reliability; however they are great cars. Personally I would prefer the Kia Telluride. The look is much better and appears to have an overall bigger stance. The Kia interior is also more luxurious and the NIghtfall trim is beautiful !!!
I always love how solid vag cars feel they just feel sturdy and extremely well thought out not always best value for money but they are just so sturdy and everything just works better then on most asians
Great review. I leased a Kia Telluride EX last Summer and did look at the Atlas but I didn’t like the interior quality, the Telluide was much nicer plus the Telluride infotainment screen is over 10 inches. The Atlas does have more interior space but I have 2 kids and the Telluride was plenty big. More people have come up to me asking me about the Telluride than any car I have ever owned and I’ve owned GMC,’s, Acura, Volvo and others.
July 28th 2020,purchased the 2021 ATLAS SEL in white with brown seats, I love it,the color combination is fantastic. I just wish I would have gotten the R-Line. I Wasn’t a fan of VW but it’s definitely not the Volkswagon I drove in 1982. I really like it, I traded in my 2014 Lexus GX 460. I have no regrets. That third row seat is a blessing..
Joe watched to the end to comment...German engineering a notch above, you looked so comfortable driving the Atlas...definitely Telluride sells like hotcakes but this Atlas is definitely at a different league! Nice one Joe.
Korean engineering is better than German engineering. Kia doesnt overengineer stuff, so its less likely to break. And if you had to work on the VW I guerantee youd never want to touch a VW again. The Atlas is in a different league... a league below.
This unit DOES have a 360 camera. That is why there are 4 cameras on the vehicle. There is the one in the nose as well as the two side mirrors, and of course the rear camera.
I like the previous year 2020 Atlas RLine better then the revamped 2021 version, but really, any of the RLine VW Atlas's look better than any other 3rd row suv in the sub 50k category. I think the telluride and palisade are not as nice looking as the RLine Atlas.
I want to know one thing honestly - which engine is the best and will run perfectly after 500k or 600k km? Volkswagen Or Hyundai Palisade? Which V6 is the best and reliable? I want to know only about Engine and specially best V6 engine so please tell about it
If they brought the whole Touareg back to the USA, that would be really awesome. The Atlas is junk in comparison and will never walk in the Touareg’s shoes.
Just bought the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium. This car is a sexy beast in and out! Only complain on interior is plastic door handle on inside. It cheapens the rest of the beautiful look inside.
I love this suv all though not enough horse power. I rented one for a road trip and it was great on gas. Simple interior solid solid sounding doors doors when you slam them. It doesn’t seems as big on the outside as inside. I would just like more horsepower.
Joe since the third row has its own dedicated 12V outlet that means you could just buy a car charger that has 2 or more USB C ports for the third row passengers so they can charge up their devices. That's a good workaround for the lack of dedicated USB A or C ports in the third row
Looks great. As a Porsche Cayenne GTS owner I can tell you why exhaust ports out back suck. If you like a clean vehicle, today’s direct injection engines pump out way too much soot. This is normal but the general public would complain too much. Also, companies are getting us ready for electrification by slowly eliminating something we have come to associate with sportiness etc. My skirt gets filthy just 30 minutes after a detail. If you are OCD this will drive you nuts. Enjoy your clean fake exhaust ports!
This is good to know! When we purchased I thought, well you still get the sporty look and I was betting on it being cheaper to replace or repair any exhaust work. Your comment makes me even happier as my wife is a clean freak!
I have my heart set on the Kia but now I am considering the VW. Ugggg, I think Kia is a little bit bigger in cargo but I like the nav screen and digital display of the VW...decisions, decisions....🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
@@NopeJustMe Bigger is always better. The German engineering will always outdo most. There's a level of respect you get comming out of a Volkswagen versus a Kia. Telluride is not a bad car, but if forced to choose, I would go Volkswagen..
Get neither. The VW dropped their 2021 Atlas warranty from 6 Years / 72,000 miles to 4 years / 50,000 miles for a reason ( they suck at reliability that’s why ), the cheap interior is horrible ( but looks nice and German which I love ) and the Kia/Hyundai is overpriced. (They all are IMHO). Go Toyota Highlander V6 (any trim) and go for 20+ years. The VW will absolutely ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLY break your bank account once the warranty runs out. Good luck! (BTW- I owned two 2006 VW Jettas that both made it to 200,000 miles or more but it cost me, and I currently drive a VW Passat TDI that’s not going to go 150,000 miles without some major maintenance and repair costs as I’m seeing early signs of poor reliability, I love VW but I will be looking at Toyota for my next and hopefully last vehicle until I retire in 25 years or so)
The vehicle you are showing is actually a SEL Premium R-line the key way to tell the difference is the front camera the SEL trim alone even in the R-line doesn't offer that camera. There is also a 360 view its in the camera display settings near the parking break if you hit the camera button it brings the forward facing camera up and if you toggle through the displays it also brings up what Volkswagen calls "Area View" which is the overhead look. I do agree that the forward facing camera needs some better design polish it looks out of place. I did like your review I think you did a good job explaining the car itself
@@RaitisRides no problem at all I work for a VW dealership not that I know everything but love to share what I know thanks for the video highlighting the Atlas
This is the trim SEL Premium V6 with 4Motion AWD so it comes with all of the available features standard without having to add any additional packages so that's actually a good value. The GMC Acadia Denali requires packages to get it fully-loaded & this already comes fully-loaded in the SEL Premium/ SEL Premium R-Line trims
Also german will always be more reliable you just have to do maitenence and they will last forever. Also the Kia will not drive nearly as nice or handle even close to the same way the Atlas does. On top of that the Atlas abosolutely dominates anything else at the price point when it comes to offroad. The haldex system in it is just so good for the price.
After owning 2019 Atlas, I cannot find anything good other than space inside. Nothing special. Cons- harsh ride quality, poor headlights so had to install 100w led fog lamp, poor acceleration. Just waiting for my lease term to get over & buy Explorer ST. Adding to woes, dealer asked to pay $500 to replace rear rotors & brake pads due to corrosion @12000kms, 2nd service😥😥... they told its not covered in warranty or lease. I'm not going to change it as it drives ok as of now....let wheels fly out🤣
@@joeiacolucci I never heard any different from any reviewers.. Everyone says its exactly same with a facelift and vulgar silver chin with no fogs. VW will never make ride quality better or else who will buy Q7 🤣🤣
Lets put this into perspective. We have a 2020 Telluride SX AWD Prestige Pkg which we bought back in June of 2019. After two trips to FL and many trips to the ranch, we have covered close to 23K miles. We paid $44K and at that time the original MSRP was $46,500, since the price has increased( I used to work in the car business and still use my connections). The trade in value is $41,500 from KIA dealership and $42,300 from the likes of CarMax. According to KBB, for a very good condition top of the line Atlas with 23k miles (which cost more than the top of the line Telluride in 2019) trade in value is $35K. So, I just ordered the 2021 Telluride SX Prestige and Nightfall Pkgs to replace the 2020. In the meantime, still searching in the Atlas for the Head Up display, 360 cameras, captain chairs, cooled seats in the second row, quieter than the Range Rover, as smooth as the S class, and best of all reliability! Just a simple food for thought!
1) Warranty is irrelevant if you’re considering leasing 2) from my experience, most Kia dealerships go out of business within a couple of years. They are difficult to find compared to some of their competitors such as Vw 3) i dont know anyone who keeps a vehicle now a days over 3 years.
Nathan Castillo you did not understand. The warranty is good for 6 years or 76k miles bumper to bumper. My car has 12k mikes. Lol Looks new and I had 0 issue. Best car I have ever owned!
The wrapper is also automatic when it starts raining it’s also has a car net system that allows you to know what ever that is happening around your atlas 2021 on your phone…
My wife’s Telluride Nightfall is about a month away (40th birthday present). That VW is nice but I’m not looking back! IMO the KIA wins this round. Thanks for the review.
can't wait till you review the new TLX, i need to see if it has charging ports and vents for the back seats and any possible zonks. Also great review as always!
I have the 2019 SEL P. Everything OUTSIDE is LED except the driving/side illumination lights. I upgraded them to LED's but still. And the inside? Short of the accept lighting around the doors and dash, everything else I can tell is not LED which is crazy. My 2011 Town/Country minivan has all LED lights inside. But over all, I'm happy with my 4th VW. @9:30.. My 2019 Atlas has 360 camera. I can manually activate it by pressing the camera button behind the shifter (near the parking brake button). I added a TRAY to the center console and dash which helps keep things "organized". I have the same steering wheel on my 2019. Did they fix the USB's where they BOTH will do Android car play? 2019 model, only the one in the cubby can be used for data.
Survived a head on collision last week by a drunk driver and the Atlas likely saved my life. The safety features are incredible! Bought it for the awesome interior space (family of 6- all over 6 feet tall) but will likely get new one for the safety features
Glad to hear that. I work at the Volkswagen Assembly plant in Chattanooga that makes these.
Glad to hear the Atlas saved ur life. I was conflicted with this hot 3 row SUV segment especially with the new Pilot but I’ve always been a VW guy.
2 videos ago I literally saw someone ask you for a review of the 2021 Atlas like yesterday and here it is. This is why I love this channel unless that was just pure chance
Nope that was planned out. I try my best to being to you guys what you want to see!
Another reason why I love it!
@@tarrantfarr5804 Thanks for that great support man!
WE tested all the top dogs for a month. Highlander, Telly, Palisade, Atlas. We started with a 20 Atlas and moved on to the Korean cousins and thought we were done with the Highlander. We then tried the 21 Atlas and yes it stickered for almost 52 but we were able to deal down to 43 for the SEL Premium in that same blue ( love it!!). The Atlas has been around for 4 years now and most kinks worked out. The Telly and Palisade are newer and you are paying sticker or more, no matter how good a negotiator you are. so 48 or 49 is that or more. I honestly liked the Atlas more after the second go around and it is the biggest.
43 for the SEL Premium is more than just a steal
They are sub 20k now lmao
@@jcherestal SEL R LINES AWD are less than 20k?
I been selling VWs for 2 years now ... by the way this trim level does have the 360 birds eye view camera & it can park itself!
Thanks for that great info.
I have a question. Is this model the same as another VW car called Taramount?! It looks similar!
Do they have wireless Apple CarPlay? Our vehicle is wired and I’d love to have it sync wireless with a wireless charger as well
I’ve
@@Salieri21 It is the same thing!
We bought our Atlas SE V6 w Technology Package in January 2018 for 34k. After 4 years of ownership we didn't experience any problems. We have 3 kids and appreciate the space on every roadtrip. I only wished for a more modern powertrain like e.g. Hybrid.
The 8 speed shifts perfectly smooth and the vehicle feels very safe. Just received a great offer to upgrade to a 2022 VW Atlas SE that we will buy.
2021 Atlas with Rline is one of the great 3rd row SUV. A Massive space, exterior & interior very simple but luxurious style.
One of a kind.
I personally recommend this vehicle😊
We bought the SE w/ tech rline. Love it so far. Not as decked out as that one but the 3rd row and cargo space combo seemed better than the other stuff we looked at.
"Better" IMO is just an opinion. In 2019, I reviewed and drove various brands. Telluride was one of them. After watching crash tests of the brands I looked at in same class and one Tahoe, I went with the Atlas. All had good and bad points, but in the end, the crash test hooked me.
Picked up SE R line 2WD with Captain chairs. My wife loves it. Racing Green is a fantastic color. Very very similar to Telluride we test drove the same day. It came down to looks for my wife.
Agree on the looks. My wife and I just did not like the look of the Kia or Hyundai at all.
We owned a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas, but we actually just traded it in for a Kia a few months back. The reasons: Our VW had trouble keeping oil, the tire pressure monitoring gauges were always faulty, the cost of even an oil change was ridiculous, the auto on/off feature was problematic, the cost of insurance was much higher, and the MPG was not fantastic. I already own a Forte GT Line, and had loved my experience with it, so it was an easy decision to trade in the VW.
I have a 2019 VW, have none of those issues, great gas mileage and overall the best car I’ve had to date overall satisfaction (X5, Charger SRT, challenger SRT, grand Cherokee, Wrangler, etc).
That sounds like a lemon to me. I have a 2018 Atlas and I have yet to experience any of the issues you mentioned. Just a side note, 38 000 miles and counting :)
I have a 2019 sel rline havent had any issues at all. Iv had a bunch of highline cars and this is my favorite so far
Same here, I have an atlas and love it! But hey if you're a fan of korean engineering why buying an atlas in the first place... id never swich my vw for a kia.
you really need to take your Atlas for fixing at that time
Kia Telluride all the way! Maintenance costs for VW are atrocious.
Maintenance costs are irrelevant if you consider leasing.
Kia Telluride has maintenance costs too
@@edwardvalivonis23 Owned a VW before and I own a kia now and the difference is night and day. VW was super expensive even using a private mechanic.
I haven’t owned a VW since my fully loaded 1996 Jetta ... nice car at the time but geez it has too many quality issues and it was super expensive to maintain ..
@@winstonwinston3487 Exactly!
This was a great thorough review. Most reviews suck & lack bottom end. Thank you for this! 👍
it has a 360 camera btw. at 10:55 the button is at the lower right corner of the screen, next to the auto park button. It will parallel or perpendicular park itself. Don't forget the superior AWD system and the adaptive headlights that go up and down, left and right
If it ain't a review by Raiti I don't bother watching the other guys. Salute!
Right off the bat..... I love the new setting. You should do more reviews in different settings. Sound quality is better and looks nice.
Yet another fantastic and informative review from Joe! I saw this vehicle for the first time yesterday and loved the look. I looked for a review from Joe, but no dice. But then today happens, and “BOOM”, there it is!
My girlfriend purchased a 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, and it’s an amazing ride! After watching Joe’s review of the Palisade, we just had to give it a test drive. Thanks for that , Joe! I was about to purchase the Calligraphy too, but will now test drive the Atlas first. Thank’s again, Joe! We both love the all the work you do to inform the consumer!
First 6 minutes camera didn’t cut once. That was a super nice introduction speech.
I have a 2018 Atlas SEL and it has been fantastic, especially in the snow!
Very nice John!
@@RaitisRides But, I want to trade it in for the new Defender. :)
@@JohnBaldwin63 I was thinking about getting one, but I’ve heard the car is unreliable. Is this true?
@@simon1125 Which one, the Atlas? Best car I've owned and I've owned a Grand Cherokee, a Chevrolet Tahoe, and a Honda Pilot.
@@simon1125 it’s perfect. I’ve owned mine for over a year, 33,000 miles SE w Tech. Oil changes can be a bit expensive, I payed near $215 for my first oil change, but luckily I was able to add a additional deal onto my monthly for free standard maintenance.
You forgot to mentioned that you can move the navigation system to the instrument cluster. Full size... and it’s awesome!!!
Yeah, started to have issues with mine and traded for a 2020 F-150 platinum and Again issues with it too… now my wife and I purchased a 2021 Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 and we are pretty happy. So far so good. Only time will tell…
@@volvo3231 my wife and I are looking at these. What kind of problems did you have and what was your mpg?
You do the car review video the best! Please keep all of the videos coming!
Joe Raiti provides the best in-depth reviews online! In regards to all the comments about the "Selluride", I'm 6'4" and the seat doesn't go back far enough on the Kia - not enough legroom. No comparison - the Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport seems to be best in terms of legroom not to mention exterior styling is sharpest on market.
I really like the exterior look of the Atlas (but the Telluride's interior is nicer) and at a $50,000 price point you would expect a 360 degree camera. Also, something not mentioned here is the Atlas's poor gas mileage.
Hey Joe I’m up in Canada and our VWs are packaged a little differently but I’m sure this one had a 360 camera too; you just had to press that “menu” button when you shifted into reverse.
Cheers
I love the look of my 2021 atlas Racine se r line exterior, but the the interior needs a lot of improvement for sure. The performance is very smooth. Overall I am happy with my decision.
Had one as a rental. My wife loved it. That’s saying a lot.
This will be my dream SUV! Good job Joe.
Kelly Ripa of TH-cam !! The most hard working. 'Raiti's Ride' 🙏Thanks
Thanks Johnny for saying that! You are so very welcome!
VW went with some great looking wheels for the Atlas. They really make that suv pop imo.
My big Plus is an integrated screen! Love the a/c controls too.
@9:27 It does have a 360 camera. You can either hit the Menu on that screen while in reverse, or you can hit the dedicated 360 button on the console forward of the arm-rest.
i came here to tell him that too
I imagine someone has shared this already, but it does have the 360 degree camera, it just doesn’t come on automatically when the vehicle is put in reverse. In that scenario you have to hit the on screen “menu” button. It can also be triggered by the camera button near the mode selector.
Thanks for sharing that info.
Raiti's Rides to be clear, that’s only the SEL Premium & SEL Premium R-Line. Thanks for your reviews!
Love the VW Atlas, great review. This is a great vehicle that many people don't realize just how nice it is.
You are so very right!
That ignition key outline on the steering wheel column shows the lack of attention to detail on VW. Kia Telluride has a much more impressive interior
I totally agree with you!
James Sicat yeah I saw that reminds me of the Prius c it has an outline of a push button start on the older model.
And more standard horsepower for much less!!
Yes in some of the base trims that's where the actual key goes but it's actually a proximity sensor for the key in case the key's battery dies. You place the key there while pressing the the push start button to turn on the vehicle. Of course, this is for trims with a push to start ignition.
@@Anth0nyJimenez what about the trims with toilet flush button?🤔
Is in my top of the list, to get one of this some day, hopefully next year, I'm also new to the channel,great content 👍👍,I drive Volkswagen 2018 Tiguan,love it 😀 but I need more room..thank you again for an excellent review on this magnificent piece of engineer....until next time.
Hey Joey R! Thanks for another great review, man. I think this refreshed VW Atlas is by far the best looking of these larger, 3 row SUV's. Masculine and strong, with an upscale look-handsome big boy, no doubt. Engine seems strong and good and I appreciate the simplicity and tech of the interior, but I think VW can sweat the details and up the fit and finish. Too black and plasticky and that is a problem. But the handsome and classic German styling and hot wheels make this so much more desirable than 90% of it's competitors. :) JV Johnny
Thanks for your review! I actually got this color R line model. I love it!!
wow Volkswagen really stepped it up! The Atlas looks a lot better and I love the space you get
I got a 2019. But I would suggest for any brand, find a forum and read. If you look at the Atlas forum, you might change your minds but people seem to nick pick. I've had mine since July 2019 (got it new of course), SEL P. It's got 10,053 miles on it because I've taken 4 road trips (last one was 2800 round trip, but I have a minivan and Jeep that's my daily driver. Anyway, I troll the Atlas forum and there's more negative then positive it seams. I've not had any of the issues people are reporting, yet. This is my 4th VW. My last one, 2013 Passat TDi got sold back to VW. Before that, two Jettas. It's a nice car, I've even towed a 8x12 U-Haul cargo trailer loaded with furniture and it did very well. But you will notice, not much talk about the sh1tty gas mileage. Really miss that 60 mpg on my TDi.
Your units of measurement are interesting yet relatable
I love the Atlas for it's space, ride and logical controls. Great in the snow too when you throw on some winter tires. Only ZONK I'd give it would be the motor. It's smooth as butter and sounds good but it could use about 315HP and some more torque. It might even get better fuel economy because the bigger motor won't need to work as hard to produce power.
Would be great if VW turbocharged the vr6 engine.
Ty Rait's , just bought one and tbh I thought 💭 I made mistake, but your review video did calmed me down , lol . Ty again
I work there and build these and know the "secrets" that go on behind closed doors. My wife and I still are getting a Cross Sport soon (SEL Premium R-line)
Thanks for sharing that great input and perspective!
The 2022 model year has 360° camera, which are very good,ñ and has high resolution. The safety features of this car are also amazing 🤩
"Everyone wants 12 inches I'm sure you've heard that all your life!" 😂😂
Lol 🍆 😂
You so nasty 😆🤪
I laughed so hard, i dropped my phone when he said it
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Right lol i thought i was the only one to catch that lol
Just came here for the "right off the bat". Great reviews! I've always watched your reviews carefully to support my judgement about a choice of purchase.
I'm still hooked onto the Palisade but recently I came across the Toyota Highlander XSE and things have fired up again.
The XSE is my favorite!
This thing looks a bit Grand Cherokee to me from the 3/4 rear view, BUT that’s a great looking SUV. And that 3rd row is so surprising. At 5’11”, it’s the comfiest back seat I’ve ever sat in, bar the new GM SUVs.
No this one looks diferente
Thanks for this! Gave lots of great information and convinced me to buy a 2022 sel premium r line which should arrive this week
VW are not known for their reliability; however they are great cars. Personally I would prefer the Kia Telluride. The look is much better and appears to have an overall bigger stance. The Kia interior is also more luxurious and the NIghtfall trim is beautiful !!!
Mike BklynDude how is it a great car if it’s not reliable??????
ron topp Ferraris are great cars. Not known for reliability. :-)
J Coop Ferraris aren’t Volkswagens....
I always love how solid vag cars feel they just feel sturdy and extremely well thought out not always best value for money but they are just so sturdy and everything just works better then on most asians
Great review. I leased a Kia Telluride EX last Summer and did look at the Atlas but I didn’t like the interior quality, the Telluide was much nicer plus the Telluride infotainment screen is over 10 inches. The Atlas does have more interior space but I have 2 kids and the Telluride was plenty big. More people have come up to me asking me about the Telluride than any car I have ever owned and I’ve owned GMC,’s, Acura, Volvo and others.
Was the Telluride priced similar to the Atlas ?
I drive a 2020 Atlas 7 Seater Tourmaline Blue. It comes with. 2.0T TSI. I’m loving it.
I’m cross shopping this with a Hyundai Palisade, thanks for the review Raiti!
You are so very welcome.
Does this have a ten year warranty like Hyundai does?
@@LoDaKid 4 year 50k
51000$ and the interior looks like that! Thats why the Kia and hyundai are selling better.
The atlas is selling better actually
Kia and Hyundai sells because they're cheap, not because they're better.
@@Kumar-bg6nr the $10,000 dealer markup on the telluride is ridiculous
Wayyyyy classier than the Kia, hands down. Mine is being delivered next week!
I concur
@@KuyaArbee Consumer reports gave it the worst reliability score possible ... also rated one if the 10 least reliable vehicles out of ALL vehicles
I guess taste is really relative. I find vw really sterile and boring.
@@jaeyocho I really only like the R-Line package as far as esthetics are concerned. Otherwise, I agree that the styling of VW can be quite dry.
My Kia Telluride is awesome!! Never ending compliments...VW is not built to last unfortunately. The Telluride is a rugged, bada$$ style hands down.
July 28th 2020,purchased the 2021 ATLAS SEL in white with brown seats, I love it,the color combination is fantastic. I just wish I would have gotten the R-Line. I Wasn’t a fan of VW but it’s definitely not the Volkswagon I drove in 1982. I really like it, I traded in my 2014 Lexus GX 460.
I have no regrets. That third row seat is a blessing..
Thanks for sharing that input from your ownership.
This way better than its competitors. This is absolutely gorgeous and high technology
No, the Hyundai Palisade has more room. looks better inside and out, has more luxuries, more power, better warranty, and it costs less.
@@julienklimsza6698 agree. Palisade is better.
Joe watched to the end to comment...German engineering a notch above, you looked so comfortable driving the Atlas...definitely Telluride sells like hotcakes but this Atlas is definitely at a different league! Nice one Joe.
Korean engineering is better than German engineering. Kia doesnt overengineer stuff, so its less likely to break. And if you had to work on the VW I guerantee youd never want to touch a VW again. The Atlas is in a different league... a league below.
Love the exterior of the Atlas, but prefer everything else from the Telluride! Telluride exterior is nice too though
This unit DOES have a 360 camera. That is why there are 4 cameras on the vehicle. There is the one in the nose as well as the two side mirrors, and of course the rear camera.
I like the previous year 2020 Atlas RLine better then the revamped 2021 version, but really, any of the RLine VW Atlas's look better than any other 3rd row suv in the sub 50k category. I think the telluride and palisade are not as nice looking as the RLine Atlas.
I want to know one thing honestly - which engine is the best and will run perfectly after 500k or 600k km? Volkswagen Or Hyundai Palisade? Which V6 is the best and reliable? I want to know only about Engine and specially best V6 engine so please tell about it
if they used the Dash/ screens from the new toureg, this suv would be amazing
So very true!
If they brought the whole Touareg back to the USA, that would be really awesome. The Atlas is junk in comparison and will never walk in the Touareg’s shoes.
@@RJR5243 problem is no one would buy it, they would just go up and buy an Audi for the same price
Just bought the Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium. This car is a sexy beast in and out! Only complain on interior is plastic door handle on inside. It cheapens the rest of the beautiful look inside.
I love this suv all though not enough horse power. I rented one for a road trip and it was great on gas. Simple interior solid solid sounding doors doors when you slam them. It doesn’t seems as big on the outside as inside. I would just like more horsepower.
Thanks for sharing that great input from your experience!
I agree we have both the 4 cyl turbo and the vr6 it would be awesome if they come up with a vr6 twin turbo it would be a monster
Joe since the third row has its own dedicated 12V outlet that means you could just buy a car charger that has 2 or more USB C ports for the third row passengers so they can charge up their devices. That's a good workaround for the lack of dedicated USB A or C ports in the third row
Nice on the outside! But a little drab on the inside. I don't see many of the Atlas here in VA.
your next VW review if you can should be the Atlas Cross Sport R-line SEL I love watching your informative reviews
Vw has definitely improved a lot.
Looks great. As a Porsche Cayenne GTS owner I can tell you why exhaust ports out back suck. If you like a clean vehicle, today’s direct injection engines pump out way too much soot. This is normal but the general public would complain too much. Also, companies are getting us ready for electrification by slowly eliminating something we have come to associate with sportiness etc. My skirt gets filthy just 30 minutes after a detail. If you are OCD this will drive you nuts. Enjoy your clean fake exhaust ports!
This is good to know! When we purchased I thought, well you still get the sporty look and I was betting on it being cheaper to replace or repair any exhaust work. Your comment makes me even happier as my wife is a clean freak!
Joe, would be nice to see some top 5 or 10 lists every year from you expecially SUV's. You do so many, would be nice to you how you rank vehicles.
exactly the info i was looking for, unlike so many other atlas videos.
I’m really liking this Atlas!
My Honda CR-V is awesome.
Just bought a 2023 SE w technology. Opted not for a sunroof because I hated the stretchy covering....
I have my heart set on the Kia but now I am considering the VW. Ugggg, I think Kia is a little bit bigger in cargo but I like the nav screen and digital display of the VW...decisions, decisions....🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
@jslacson ohhh that is interesting. I well have to see what VW is doing in my neck of the woods. If VW is larger I would go with them.
@@NopeJustMe Bigger is always better. The German engineering will always outdo most. There's a level of respect you get comming out of a Volkswagen versus a Kia. Telluride is not a bad car, but if forced to choose, I would go Volkswagen..
Get neither. The VW dropped their 2021 Atlas warranty from 6 Years / 72,000 miles to 4 years / 50,000 miles for a reason ( they suck at reliability that’s why ), the cheap interior is horrible ( but looks nice and German which I love ) and the Kia/Hyundai is overpriced. (They all are IMHO). Go Toyota Highlander V6 (any trim) and go for 20+ years. The VW will absolutely ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLY break your bank account once the warranty runs out. Good luck!
(BTW- I owned two 2006 VW Jettas that both made it to 200,000 miles or more but it cost me, and I currently drive a VW Passat TDI that’s not going to go 150,000 miles without some major maintenance and repair costs as I’m seeing early signs of poor reliability, I love VW but I will be looking at Toyota for my next and hopefully last vehicle until I retire in 25 years or so)
@@dcarts5616 You make a good point. The Toyota brand is strong.
The vehicle you are showing is actually a SEL Premium R-line the key way to tell the difference is the front camera the SEL trim alone even in the R-line doesn't offer that camera. There is also a 360 view its in the camera display settings near the parking break if you hit the camera button it brings the forward facing camera up and if you toggle through the displays it also brings up what Volkswagen calls "Area View" which is the overhead look. I do agree that the forward facing camera needs some better design polish it looks out of place. I did like your review I think you did a good job explaining the car itself
Thanks for that great input from your experience!
@@RaitisRides no problem at all I work for a VW dealership not that I know everything but love to share what I know thanks for the video highlighting the Atlas
How about the long term reliability issues?
Good request!
If you had to choose a midsize suv are you choosing this, the Subaru ascent, Chevy Traverse, Jeep Grand Cherokee L or other?
I like it but not the 51k. Plus the Kia would probably be more reliable.
I know how you feel Joshua!
This is the trim SEL Premium V6 with 4Motion AWD so it comes with all of the available features standard without having to add any additional packages so that's actually a good value. The GMC Acadia Denali requires packages to get it fully-loaded & this already comes fully-loaded in the SEL Premium/ SEL Premium R-Line trims
Can get an SE w/ Tech R Line for $45k. Only benefit to the SEL is the digital cluster.
That’s MSRP. It won’t be 51k if you were to buy it, promise you that.
Also german will always be more reliable you just have to do maitenence and they will last forever. Also the Kia will not drive nearly as nice or handle even close to the same way the Atlas does. On top of that the Atlas abosolutely dominates anything else at the price point when it comes to offroad. The haldex system in it is just so good for the price.
I can't wait for you to get your hands on the 2021 Tlx.
I Owen 2020 kia Telluride. there is nothing I can envy on this car. Bravo Kia, you still at the top
Congrats! You have the nest SUV hands down.
Go for a Subaru Ascent. MSRP for a Touring package is $3K less. Turbo engine, Eyesight and you can't beat the symmetrical AWD. Good review though.
I like the way that you think!
Lada Niva is better choice
After owning 2019 Atlas, I cannot find anything good other than space inside. Nothing special. Cons- harsh ride quality, poor headlights so had to install 100w led fog lamp, poor acceleration. Just waiting for my lease term to get over & buy Explorer ST. Adding to woes, dealer asked to pay $500 to replace rear rotors & brake pads due to corrosion @12000kms, 2nd service😥😥... they told its not covered in warranty or lease. I'm not going to change it as it drives ok as of now....let wheels fly out🤣
One thing to know is the 2021 has a new suspension set up and is far smoother and soaks up the road much better and the interior noise is far less.
@@joeiacolucci I never heard any different from any reviewers.. Everyone says its exactly same with a facelift and vulgar silver chin with no fogs. VW will never make ride quality better or else who will buy Q7 🤣🤣
Lets put this into perspective. We have a 2020 Telluride SX AWD Prestige Pkg which we bought back in June of 2019. After two trips to FL and many trips to the ranch, we have covered close to 23K miles. We paid $44K and at that time the original MSRP was $46,500, since the price has increased( I used to work in the car business and still use my connections). The trade in value is $41,500 from KIA dealership and $42,300 from the likes of CarMax. According to KBB, for a very good condition top of the line Atlas with 23k miles (which cost more than the top of the line Telluride in 2019) trade in value is $35K. So, I just ordered the 2021 Telluride SX Prestige and Nightfall Pkgs to replace the 2020. In the meantime, still searching in the Atlas for the Head Up display, 360 cameras, captain chairs, cooled seats in the second row, quieter than the Range Rover, as smooth as the S class, and best of all reliability!
Just a simple food for thought!
Beautiful but that Kia 10 Year warranty is The peace of mind I need.
1) Warranty is irrelevant if you’re considering leasing 2) from my experience, most Kia dealerships go out of business within a couple of years. They are difficult to find compared to some of their competitors such as Vw 3) i dont know anyone who keeps a vehicle now a days over 3 years.
I have 2019 sel r line with factory 76k miles bumper to bumper warranty. Better than Kia!
@@stevebourguignon6333 76k Miles and it’s a 2019? Where the hell you drive that thing lol
Nathan Castillo you did not understand. The warranty is good for 6 years or 76k miles bumper to bumper. My car has 12k mikes. Lol
Looks new and I had 0 issue. Best car I have ever owned!
@@stevebourguignon6333 wow. I bet it is a great car VW makes nice sedans a low price. Good get their
The wrapper is also automatic when it starts raining it’s also has a car net system that allows you to know what ever that is happening around your atlas 2021 on your phone…
I chose the Vw Atlas over the Telluride for the following reasons: space/leg-room, cheaper to lease, and more local Vw dealerships available.
Thanks for sharing that great input from your experience!
My wife’s Telluride Nightfall is about a month away (40th birthday present). That VW is nice but I’m not looking back! IMO the KIA wins this round. Thanks for the review.
The newer vw suv line up looks sharp. I love my 2020 Tiguan. Just wish it has a more powerful engine choices.
Very beautiful very comfortable in third row a proper 7seater fantastic peace of art
When he goes thru the gauges on the dash, did you notice it said “Avg 15.9 MPG.
Oof
Blair Aquila what about local ?
They need to upgrade the infotainment screen instead of new headlight designs. That was not a problem for sales.
can't wait till you review the new TLX, i need to see if it has charging ports and vents for the back seats and any possible zonks. Also great review as always!
I dig the kicks! What kind are they?
That Atlas you are in DOES have a 360 degree camera...
Yeah, he missed the two buttons below the drive mode selection knob... 360 camera and self park, I think
Yeah I thought so that front camera he mentioned is only equipped on the top of the line one which he has and it is for the optional 360 system.
HUH? you are in does?
The Premium Atlas does have 360 degree camera next time you put it reverse hit the menu button on the touch screen
2021 Telluride sx for me still for me
Yep in wolf gray nightfall
Like your energy level - very few reviewers keep their viewers engaged / interested
Telluride for the win!
Heck yeah!
Volkswagen does not mimic other car brands, while Kia does
@@edwardvalivonis23 VW isn't #1 in this segment though. You can go ahead and be original, id rather be #1
I have the 2019 SEL P. Everything OUTSIDE is LED except the driving/side illumination lights. I upgraded them to LED's but still. And the inside? Short of the accept lighting around the doors and dash, everything else I can tell is not LED which is crazy. My 2011 Town/Country minivan has all LED lights inside. But over all, I'm happy with my 4th VW. @9:30.. My 2019 Atlas has 360 camera. I can manually activate it by pressing the camera button behind the shifter (near the parking brake button). I added a TRAY to the center console and dash which helps keep things "organized". I have the same steering wheel on my 2019. Did they fix the USB's where they BOTH will do Android car play? 2019 model, only the one in the cubby can be used for data.
Looks nice, but when you need to get something fixed, it's going to cost you a bit more. Otherwise, it looks great and has a lot of features.
That is so very true Kennneth!
Why is that?
@@nmoore8994 ……Because it’s a VW and they’re usually a bit more expensive to repair.
The 360 camera view button is right behind the shifter.
Thanks for that great info.