2024 Volkswagen Atlas Review: An Unbreakable Spirit

There are quite a few three-row SUVs in the USA, but not all are actually suited to hauling seven people across more than small distances. Space is usually too limited in the back row, and the sacrifice to cargo space is often severe. However, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas sets itself apart by being a genuinely practical midsize SUV with room for seven in the cabin and a decent amount of luggage in the trunk. It also has respectable towing figures courtesy of its new turbo-four engine that develops 269 horsepower. With an updated interior, the Atlas is now better positioned to take on the Mazda CX-9, and its better consignment of features closes the gap with the Kia Telluride. We'll have to see if this is enough to push it to the head of the pack.

New for 2024

The new Volkswagen Atlas SUV has received a significant refresh for 2024 that includes the addition of two new trim levels: The Peak Editions are more rugged variants of the SE with Technology and SEL that sport bespoke front fascias and silver underbody cladding. This is on top of the model year updates to the front fascia, grille, and headlights. The interior of the new VW Atlas has been restyled, too, which includes a refreshed center console with a 12-inch display and a dashcam USB port. The driver digital display is larger, too, at 10.35 inches. New standard features include a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats. However, the biggest change is the new turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 269 horsepower, up 34 hp from last year, which makes it almost as powerful as the discontinued VR6.

2024 Volkswagen Atlas Price: Which One to Buy

The starting price of the 2024 VW Atlas is $37,725 for the base SE, while the SE with Technology costs an extra $3,940. These models can add all-wheel drive for an additional $1,900. New for 2024, the Peak Edition SE with Technology has an MSRP of $46,555. Starting from the SEL, things become more premium, and the cost goes up to $48,455 in response. The Peak Edition for the SEL sells for $50,435, and the SEL Premium R-Line tops out the range at $52,455. None of this accounts for any additional tax or registration nor the $1,350 destination charge.

The SE with Tech is a nice mix of must-haves and nice-to-haves at a reasonable price, and it allows you to choose between front- and all-wheel depending on your needs, helping to keep costs down. It's not particularly customizable, but you get tri-zone climate control, parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. The second-row captain's chairs are a nice option if you don't technically need seating for seven.

Interior and Features

Few midsize SUVs feel this spacious when three rows of seats are fitted, and the updated styling helps the area feel even more impressive.

The interior space is well-appointed, especially with its updated styling and improved materials. There is plenty of room, even with three rows of seats, and cargo space is practical enough for most daily needs. Standard features are impressive, and the controls for which are neatly laid out along the dashboard. The large infotainment screen is the main access point, with minimal physical buttons. A panoramic sunroof is available to add some natural light to the already open cabin, and you can swap out the regular second-row bench for more ostentatious captain's chairs.

Space

Rather unusual for an SUV of this size, the Atlas actually has enough space to seat an adult in any of the three rows. The first two are naturally more comfortable for adults, with ample head- and legroom for most. Not quite as generous, the third row can accommodate adults for shorter journeys, but spending too much time back there will lead to some grumbling. Overall, comfort is great due to good support, high-quality materials, and plenty of standard luxury features. From the start, the front seats are power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated, making it extremely easy to find a comfortable driving position. Getting in and out of the vehicle is also easy, thanks to the high roof and wide-opening doors.

Cargo

More often than not, three-row SUVs barely have more cargo space than your average sedan, but the Atlas manages to sequester an impressive 20.6 cubic feet behind the rear-most seats. This means you can run as many daily errands as you could with a lesser vehicle with three rows of seats intact. However, both the third and second rows can be folded down without much fuss, expanding the available area to 55.5 cu-ft or 96.8 cu-ft, respectively.

Around the cabin, there are plenty of places to store smaller items, including two cupholders in the front and another two in the second row. Each of the four doors has a sizeable pocket, and there is an adequately sized glove compartment. The cubby under the central armrest is the best place to stow larger items.

Materials and Colors

There are no low-grade materials inside the VW Atlas, even at the cheapest level. From the SE, V-Tex leatherette is the standard, and color choices include Titan Black and Shetland Beige. The SEL gets leather and opens up another color option called French Roast with Titan Black.

The top-tier SE Premium R-Line trim also gets steel pedal caps along with the perforated Vienna leather. Peak Edition trims differ from the regular lineup in that they pair their Titan Black leatherette with grey and orange accents, and they have dash and door inserts in a black metallic check pattern. Every touchpoint is coated in soft-touch material, even from the base trim.

Features and Infotainment

Volkswagen doesn't skimp on standard features, adding such amenities as power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats, tri-zone climate control, a wireless charger, a 10.25-inch driver-info display, and a 12-inch touchscreen interface. The infotainment includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, SiriusXM, and a six-speaker sound system. Of course, the base specifications are significantly upgraded as you move up the trim levels, adding remote start, SiriusXM 360L, and additional USB ports to the SE with Tech, along with navigation, a head-up display, a power-adjustable passenger seat, adaptive cruise control, and remote start in the SEL. The SEL Premium rounds things out with heated second-row seats and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Performance

The updated turbo four-cylinder engine gives the Atlas even more grunt than the available V6 from last year, though it's still not particular fun to drive.

For 2024, there is just a single engine powering the Volkswagen Atlas. The old four-cylinder and VR6 options have been replaced by a turbocharged inline-four that displaces 2.0 liters to develop 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. This is almost as much as the optional VR6 from last year. The new engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which sends outputs to a front-wheel drivetrain on the SE trims or the optional all-wheel drivetrain that comes standard on the SEL trims. The updated powertrain sees the VW Atlas go from 0-60 mph in a respectable 7.3 seconds, according to independent tests, while top speed caps out at 117 mph.

Despite this increased performance, the Atlas is still a bulky and unwieldy SUV that takes finesse to pilot. Luckily, the steering is light and accurate, making the car feel a little smaller than it is. It will never deliver any thrills, though. But that's not the point here. Instead, the Atlas is all about comfort, with the suspension soaking up most bumps and the insulated cabin damping most external noise. With the right equipment, the midsize SUV has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

Fuel Efficiency

The turbocharged four-pot bestows the VW Atlas with respectable mpg figures for such a large vehicle. In base guise, it can achieve 20/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined, while adding AWD drops these numbers down to 19/26/22 mpg. The SEL trims are slightly heavier, managing 19/25/21 mpg. Due to their weight, the Peak Edition gets the worst gas mileage of 18/24/20 mpg.

Each SUV comes with a fuel capacity of 18.6 gallons, which means they can travel up to a maximum range of 428 miles.

Safety

The Atlas earns top marks across the board for safety, though the IIHS is not as confident about its moderate overlap front test.

Both the NHTSA and IIHS give the Volkswagen Atlas good safety review ratings. The former awards it an overall score of five stars, while the latter rated it Good in every category except in updated moderate overlap front crash tests where it scored Marginal.

As expected of a large SUV meant to transport entire families, the Atlas has an impressive standard safety suite that includes ABS, stability and traction control, and six airbags. Moreover, it gets advanced driver-assists like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change assist, exit warning, and a rearview camera. Upgrading to the SE with Technology adds park distance control front, and a head-up display is added from the SEL trim upward. An overhead view camera comes standard for the SEL Premium R-Line.

US NHTSA Crash Test Result

Reliability

Though not a pack leader, the VW Atlas has average reliability, scoring 72 out of 100 for this from JD Power, and 77 overall in terms of consumer satisfaction.

So far, the 2024 model has been recalled once for engine failure, and the 2023 iteration was recalled three times: for damaged connecting rod bearings, possible leaks in the brake lines, and delayed deployment of the front side airbag. The warranty for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas covers four years/50,000 miles.

Warranty

Design

The Atlas is not a small vehicle, and its styling is proportionately bold. The grille dominating the front fascia is split by four horizontal bars, which seamlessly connect to the LED daytime running lights that surround the twin LED headlights. The wheel arches are particularly pronounced and house 18-inch alloys, which are upgraded to 20-inch wheels for the mid-tier trims or 21-inch alloys on the top model. Roof rails are equipped to every trim, and the rear gets LED taillights that extend across the entire broad width of the vehicle. The tailgate is upgraded to a hands-free variant from the SE with Technology upward. The Peak Edition trims differ from the rest with a more rugged front fascia that borrows a gloss-black "X" design element from the Atlas Cross Sport, along with two chrome strips that juxtapose the otherwise blacked-out elements.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas A Good SUV?

The 2024 Atlas is a member of a select few midsize SUVs that offer three rows. Most cars of this size bite off more than they can chew, but the VW actually has enough space inside for its ambitious passenger allotment. Furthermore, the cabin is well-designed, and there is a generous list of standard features. However, it is the quality and safety of the SUV that really impresses. This year, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine is another highlight, giving the hefty vehicle improved performance and decent fuel economy. All of this adds up to a pretty good package, and the car is very safe, too. The updates for the new year have helped bring the Atlas closer to the pack leaders, but it still isn't quite good enough to earn a spot at the top. It's a solid alternative, though.