No pricing data available at this time. Our Opinion - 2025 Volkswagen Atlas Review The Volkswagen Atlas is like a station wagon from today. It’s a family-friendly car with three rows of seats, enough room for seven people, the ability to pull up to 5,000 pounds, and a nice-looking but uninspiring exterior. When the second and third rows are folded flat, there is a lot of space for goods. There is also a lot of legroom in the second row. This is a good thing because the inside is useful and friendly, but it lacks style and wow factor. The only powertrain choice is a 269-hp turbocharged inline-four engine with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It accelerates fairly quickly but slowly. Front-wheel drive is standard on the SE and SE with Technology, and all-wheel drive can be added as an option. AWD is standard on the Peak Edition SE and higher grades. The Atlas can carry a lot of people, but cars like the Kia Telluride, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and Mazda CX-90 are still better in terms of looks and comfort. If you like the Atlas but want an SUV with more style, look at the Atlas Cross Sport. It doesn’t have a third row, but it looks sportier. What's New? After a big update in 2024, the Atlas has had a few changes as it moves into 2025. SEL Premium R-Line trims offer more features, such as perforated headrest upholstery, four-way adjustable lumbar support, and a massage choice for the front seat. They also offer better wireless charging for your devices. There are now three new color options: Mountain Lake Blue, Avocado Green, and Pure Grey. The last two were only available on the Atlas Peak Edition trim. A voice assistant driven by ChatGPT will be available on most 2025 cars that are subscribed to Volkswagen’s Car-Net software for connected cars. Pros and Cons Pros The third row has a lot of room. Beautiful pattern on the outside and inside. Updated with the 2024 patch. Cons Lacking excitement behind the wheel. Soft, mushy brake response. Unpleasant digital buttons. Engine, Transmission, and Performance Each Atlas has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that can make 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It comes with an eight-speed automatic engine and either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The updated transmission gives the engine a little more power, and the turbo 2.0-liter engine has a better throttle response than the old 276-hp V-6 that drove models from 2023 and earlier. The Atlas knows how to steer, but it feels shaky and confused when it is pushed quickly around bends. It drives easily overall, but the worst potholes stay calm on the highway, and you can move around town pretty quickly. The Atlas is less fun to drive than the Mazda CX-90, though, because of some small changes to its suspension. Safety The Atlas comes with a number of standard and optional features that help the driver. The following are important safety features: Automated emergency braking and conventional forward collision warning. Blind-spot detection and back cross-traffic alert are standard features. You can get adaptive speed control and lane-centering. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The Atlas is a good choice, even compared to its most basic competitors, because it has a roomy cabin that is good for families, easy-to-use controls, and lots of cupholders. Also, having a third row of seats that can fit full-size people is helpful. The cabin materials have gotten a lot better for 2024, but the Atlas’s internal design is still simple and practical, which makes it good for families but could be better for people who like style. The Atlas should be able to handle almost anything a suburban family could throw at it. It has a lot of well-placed storage spaces where you can hide small things. The Atlas surprised us with its ability to fit four carry-on bags behind the third seat and 38 behind the front seats, just like the huge Honda Pilot. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG Front-wheel drive The EPA says that Atlases will get 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. For most cars, these numbers drop to 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway when all-wheel drive is turned on. Peak Edition trims are rated at 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. During extensive testing, our all-wheel-drive 2024 Atlas test vehicle averaged 25 mpg on our highway fuel economy route at 75 mph. Infotainment and Connectivity No matter what trim level you choose, the Atlas is ready to entertain and has all the necessary links. It comes with a 12.0-inch touchscreen for entertainment, wireless charging for phones, six USB-C ports that can handle 45 watts of charging, a six-speaker sound system, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions. It’s too bad that it doesn’t have the power and tuning knobs that are needed for the radio to work. A voice assistant driven by ChatGPT will be available on most 2025 cars that are subscribed to Volkswagen’s Car-Net software for connected cars. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The 2024 Atlas went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, which is faster than the 2018 Atlas with a V-6 engine. After going the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds, the Atlas went through the traps at 92 mph. The top speed is limited by electricity and is 117 mph. Towing and Payload Capacity Most types of the Volkswagen Atlas can pull up to 5,000 pounds with a trailer that has brakes. That’s like the Toyota 4Runner and the Subaru Ascent. Trailer hitches come standard on SE trims with Technology and up. SE trims can only hold up to 2,000 pounds, so they need an extra hitch. Price and How to Choose We suggest that you get the Atlas SE with Technology and add 4Motion all-wheel drive. This model has 20-inch wheels, a trailer hitch package, remote start, and USB charging ports in the third row, while the SE model only has 18-inch wheels. To make the second row as comfortable as possible, we also ask for captain’s chairs there.
