Atlas

Make
Volkswagen
Segment
SUV

Volkswagen hasn't offered a van in the United States for a long time. Americans these days prefer large SUVs like the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas, but back in 2008, the German automaker offered a minivan called the Routan. The Routan was merely a rebadged version of the Chrysler Town & Country, so the last time VW genuinely offered a home-grown van was from 1993 to 2002. In the US, VW marketed it as the Eurovan, while the rest of the world knew it as the T5 generation Transporter. Though it isn't coming to the US this time around, VW just revealed its latest T7 generation model, now called the Multivan.

The Multivan's design harkens back to the 1985 Transporter T3 with a full-width grille and headlights to give a more modern aesthetic. This new model is lower, longer, and wider to improve aerodynamics with smaller front air intakes to pay homage to the old rear-engined air-cooled models and showcase the new hybrid powertrain. VW will offer three specifications - Multivan, Life, and Style - with an optional panoramic glass roof, power-operated rear hatch and sliding doors, LED matrix headlights, and up to 19-inch wheels. Two-tone paint schemes add more pizzaz.

Inside, the Multivan makes American minivans blush with extreme practicality and customization. There's seating for up to seven adults, and the rear five seats can be removed or adjusted. Owners can rotate the second row by 180 degrees to create conference-style seating with a removable multi-function table that can slide between the rows. In addition to the pop-out tables, the multi-function center console features adjustable height, three cup holders, and a storage bin.

The Multivan is far from basic in the front row, pairing a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit display and a 10-inch infotainment screen. A Harmon Kardon sound system is available with speakers. It doesn't have a traditional shifter, freeing up more room on the dashboard for two USB-C sockets and a smartphone charging tray.

Though VW has been spotted testing an all-electric model using the Multivan's body, this version isn't ready to shun internal combustion just yet. The front-wheel-drive Multivan includes either a 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine with turbocharging, producing 134 or 201 horsepower, respectively. A new Multivan eHybrid combines a 1.4-liter engine with an 85-kW electric motor to produce 218 hp. Next year, a turbodiesel will join the lineup with 148 hp. The eHybrid uses a bespoke six-speed DSG, while the other models add an extra cog.