Five trims comprise the Volkswagen Atlas range: SE, SE w/Technology, SEL, SEL R-Line Black, and SEL Premium R-Line. The SE, SE w/ Technology, and SEL come with a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine as standard, but the latter two can upgrade to a 3.6L V6 that comes standard on the SEL R-Line, SEL R-Line Black, and SEL Premium R-Line. Both engines come mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and AWD is available to the otherwise FWD SE and SE w/ Technology, while the remaining models all get it as standard.
The entry model is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels and full LED exterior lighting. It has V-Tex leatherette upholstery and the driver's seat is eight-way power-adjustable (four-way manual adjustment for the passenger). Other standard features include front-seat heating, keyless entry, push-button start, and manual climate control. The non-configurable eight-inch VW Digital Cockpit is standard at the base level, but a larger, configurable 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro display becomes standard from the SE w/ Technology. The infotainment is centered around a 6.5-inch touchscreen and incorporates two USB-C ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, and a six-speaker audio system. The safety suite includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision avoidance.
Upper trims get tri-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, an eight-inch infotainment display, wireless phone charging, lane assist, parking sensors, a surround-view camera, and a 12-speaker Fender sound system.
At $35,150, the FWD 2.0T SE is the cheapest Atlas and makes for a great entry point to the range. The FWD 2.0T SE with Technology adds a few desirable features and only costs $39,320. From there, it's a sizeable leap up in price to the AWD 2.0T SEL, which will cost you $44,940. The SEL R-Line Black costs $48,640, and at the top of the range, and the only model to break the $50k barrier, is the SEL Premium R-Line, which goes for $52,340.
Adding the V6 engine to the SE Tech or SEL will cost you $1,750 while opting for the AWD system on the SE or SE Tech will set you back $1,900. These prices for the Volkswagen Atlas are MSRP and do not include the $1,295 destination charge or any other fees.
Most of the so-called packages appear as separate trim levels, such as the SE with Technology, or the SEL R-Line Black. This means that there aren't really any other packages available for the VW Atlas. There are, however, some standalone options you can choose. These include larger wheels at varying prices, aluminum side steps for $880, a bike holder for $190, a heavy-duty trunk liner for $145, a security console safe for $265, or a rearview mirror with a HomeLink transceiver for $339. One option that must be mentioned is the second-row captain's chairs, available from the SE Tech upwards. These cost $695 and reduce passenger capacity by one, but they add much-improved comfort and accessibility. Also for the SE Tech is the optional panoramic sunroof at $1,200.
We recommend going for the SE with Technology, which isn't much more expensive than the SE, but comes with desirable features like the larger infotainment touchscreen with HD Radio and SiriusXM, more USB ports, the configurable 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, and a wireless charging pad. Tri-zone climate control and a few extra conveniences like a hands-free tailgate, parking sensors front and rear, and adaptive cruise control seal the deal, in our opinion. Also, you can upgrade to the V6, and you aren't forced to pair this with AWD if you don't want to, which is not a choice on the upper trims. We'd option the captain's chairs to make the cabin feel roomier, but you can stick with the bench if you regularly need to move seven people.
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs 2.0T SE TECH
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs V6 SE TECH
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs 2.0T SEL
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs V6 SEL
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs V6 SEL R-Line Black
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE TECH vs V6 SE TECH
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE TECH vs 2.0T SEL
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE TECH vs V6 SEL
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE TECH vs V6 SEL R-Line Black
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SE TECH vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SE TECH vs 2.0T SEL
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SE TECH vs V6 SEL
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SE TECH vs V6 SEL R-Line Black
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SE TECH vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SEL vs V6 SEL
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SEL vs V6 SEL R-Line Black
Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T SEL vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL vs V6 SEL R-Line Black
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line
Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL R-Line Black vs V6 SEL Premium R-Line