2024 Volkswagen Atlas Best Informative Review

Six years ago, Volkswagen made a significant splash in the American SUV market with the introduction of the domestically manufactured three-row SUV, The Atlas. Today, the brand unveils the thoroughly revised 2024 Volkswagen Atlas version of the Atlas, marking a new chapter in its journey. Join us as we delve into the details of this remarkable vehicle.

This marks the second refresh for the Atlas, a testament to Volkswagen’s commitment to continuous improvement. Unlike its predecessor, this refresh showcases a more comprehensive overhaul, touching upon various aspects of the vehicle’s design and performance.

Enhanced Powertrain:

Gone are the previous engine options, replaced by a singular powerhouse – the company’s latest iteration of the EA Triple Eight engine. Boasting a 2-liter turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder engine, it promises a robust performance upgrade. With 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, this engine delivers a remarkable driving experience, complemented by an improved torque rev range for enhanced agility in day-to-day driving.

Fuel Efficiency and Towing Capacity:

2024 Volkswagen Atlas engineers have not only focused on power but also efficiency. With fuel economy improvements of up to 27 MPG on front-wheel-drive models, the Atlas ensures a more economical journey without compromising performance. Additionally, the towing capacity has been bolstered to an impressive 5,000 pounds, catering to a diverse range of lifestyle needs.

Exterior Styling:

Visually, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas exudes a refined yet rugged appeal. From its striking Aurora Red Chroma color option to its revamped front fascia, characterized by a larger grille and full LED headlights, every detail exudes sophistication and functionality. The exterior enhancements not only elevate the vehicle’s aesthetics but also optimize aerodynamics and cooling efficiency.

Interior Design:

Step inside the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, and you’ll find yourself immersed in luxury and practicality. The interior receives a significant upgrade, with every trim level featuring a generous 12-inch infotainment display and a 10.3-inch digital cockpit display as standard. From heated steering wheels to heated and ventilated seats, Volkswagen ensures a comfortable and connected driving experience for all passengers.

Spacious and Versatile Seating:

With seating options accommodating up to seven passengers, including captain’s chairs or a bench configuration, the Atlas prioritizes flexibility and comfort. Ample legroom and clever storage solutions ensure that every journey, whether short or long, is met with unparalleled comfort and convenience.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas represents a harmonious blend of style, performance, and practicality. With its enhanced powertrain, refined exterior, luxurious interior, and versatile seating options, it sets a new standard in the fiercely competitive SUV segment. Whether navigating urban streets or embarking on off-road adventures, the Atlas stands ready to exceed expectations, reaffirming Volkswagen’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Experience the future of driving with the all-new 2024 Atlas.

I can kind of stretch out. There’s some great foot space underneath here. There’s almost a completely flat floor, and then you can also slide this seat forward and back, as you can see, to give the third-row passengers a little bit more space.

They also offer a recline function for this, which reclines about 15 degrees, so it’s a nice place to spend time. There are also a couple of nice luxury touches here like you’ll get the rear peasant Shades here or the Sun Blockers, which is nice. You have padded Center cons or padded armrest over here, more of that precious Walnut fake wood trim, and then you can see this is also the only trim to include the Harman Kardon premium stereo.

So if you want, if you guys are an audiophile, you have to go for this higher, higher trim to include that Harman Kardon stereo. The lower trims will just have the standard Volkswagen system. You can see there are some rear-seat climate control vents here.

You have your own set of climate controls, three Zone as I said, heated rear seats, three levels, although Volkswagen does not offer ventilated seats in the second row, that’s something that we see in some competitors.

You have two more USBC charging ports, and then you have an actual power outlet there, which is nice. And if you need to get into the third row, obviously there’s the space over here, but let’s go ahead and slide this seat forward here. Now you do that by just pulling this lever, and then the seat, you can see just kind of pulls itself forward. Now getting back here, VW says that there’s around 33.6 inches of legroom back here.

Now 33.6 doesn’t seem like a lot, but you can see here once I put the seat back, this is not with the seat back. Now, you want to push this headrest up to get more space when it’s in this position. I can sit back here pretty comfortably, and this is probably where you have the 33.6 inches of legroom. However, if you want to push this seat back, when you push it back, this is where the legroom gets a little bit tight.

So I’m five foot seven, and my knees are basically up against the seat back here. So you’re going to have to ask that middle passenger here or the second-row passenger to push the seat forward a little bit to give you more space. But once you’re back here, you can see VW didn’t skimp on the features. There are third-row rear seat vents, which is good, especially on those hot summer days.

You have two USB charging ports over here on this side, however, not on that side. You have some storage and cup holders, and there is no armrest here, obviously because it’s just two jump seats.

There’s technically space here to fit a middle passenger here so I’m surprised that VW didn’t want to address that. But overall, once you’re back here compared to some competitors, I believe the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade offer slightly more third-row space along with the Honda Pilot.

But again, this is still better than something like the Toyota Highlander, although the Grand Highlander fixes that. So just keep in mind, even though this is one of the biggest vehicles in this segment, the third row doesn’t technically have the most space in this class. Thank you.

All right, so we are finally behind the wheel of the revised 2024 Volkswagen Atlas, and I just got 0-60 in 7.89 seconds, 7.9. Volkswagen does claim this model should do it in 7.5 seconds. The old Atlas was kind of a dog, regardless of whether you got the 2-liter turbo or the VR6. It lacked torque, and it also had a lazy-shifting transmission. My initial drive in this revised version shows marked improvement. I mean, this thing feels peppier.

The engine has an augmented sound, which I don’t love the sound, but I noticed the extra power of this car. Now, I suspect I should be able to get a slightly better time when it’s not super-hot and I’m driving the vehicle by myself when I have it for a full week. If there’s another road, we’ll do another test, but that time is definitely on the slow end. You’re going to find quicker options from Honda, from Hyundai Kia, from Toyota with the grand Highlander.

So, sadly, the VW Atlas is going to be on the lower end of the segment, but that’s not necessarily the point of a vehicle like this. But driving around in the new version, I’m noticing that VW has done something here with the suspension and improved the steering feel. It doesn’t feel quite as big and heavy and cumbersome as the previous model.

The old one, to me, drove more like an American car. This one doesn’t drive like a German car, but it kind of feels pretty similar to the last Honda Pilot that I drove. It’s not sporty, but it’s very competitive. It has a nice controlled, quiet ride quality.

The seats are also comfortable. They’re great for longer drives. They don’t have much in terms of lateral bolstering, but that’s not necessarily the point of a vehicle like this. I do have the car in its sports setting right now, which means the transmission is going to be a little bit more eager to stay in its lower gears. The noise of this vehicle is certainly interesting. It’s got that.

It almost sounds like a vacuum cleaner, but it’s also got this fake kind of V6-like sound to it that I don’t love. But it does sound better versus just sounding or having no augmented sound. So, it’s an interesting noise.

2024 Volkswagen Atlas interior — 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

I believe that if The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas had offered some kind of hybrid assistance with this, they could improve the power, and they could improve fuel efficiency. I’m not going to be able to do a fuel economy test in this short drive, this short first drive, but in terms of the powertrain, they’ve made some upgrades. This is a huge upgrade versus the old VR6 engine.

Now, in terms of visibility, I can see out of this vehicle well, out of the front, and sides, the rear view is also good. I do wish that Volkswagen would offer that digital camera rearview mirror. But overall, as we start finding some corners over here, this is not a vehicle you’re going to be attacking your favorite back road in.

It just feels a little bit big and long for that. But let’s go ahead and try another 0-60 here and see if we can get a slightly better time. I still have it in sports mode. We’re going to brake torque it again.

It almost feels like there’s slight hesitation initially, but it’s smooth and refined. 8.06 There, so again, it’s not the quickest, and I’m sad to see that it’s not, you know, up there with the rest of the competitors. But you know, when you buy a vehicle like this, you’re not necessarily going to care about the 0-60 performance.

Overview and Configurations for 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

Volkswagen’s choice of the term Atlas for its entry into the three-row, mid-size crossover SUV market is no surprise and a clever marketing trick.

To keep up with the apparent trend in Volkswagen SUV vehicle names, the Volkswagen Atlas 2024 was originally going to be called the Teramont. The Teramont name ended up being promoted only outside of North America, and the Atlas name was adopted for use in the United States and Canada because American dealers who first saw the vehicle rejected the Teramont name. Volkswagen allows you to make marketing decisions based on regions.

The Atlas was well received from the beginning. According to its expert assessment, the Volkswagen Atlas is a great compromise between precise handling and everyday comfort.

A perspective of the Volkswagen Atlas 2024

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas has a reasonable starting price and offers spacious seating, considerable cargo capacity, and refined driving dynamics. However, the Atlas’ appeal as a family vehicle is marred by poor cabin materials and a sluggish engine lineup.

2024 Volkswagen Atlas specs

The interior of the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is surprisingly simple despite its stance and body lines. Although everything is reasonably well put together, the dashboard is spare and somber, and numerous cabin surfaces are finished with hard, cheap-looking plastics. You’ll also hear a considerable amount of wind and traffic noise in the cabin. Competitors like the Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Palisade are much more luxurious for their price.

Bluetooth, navigation, and infotainment

The Atlas’ infotainment system may not be the most advanced on the market, but it is easy to use. Both the regular 6.5-inch touchscreen and the optional 8-inch touchscreen provide simple menus, quick responses, and clear images. The dashboard also has easy-to-use buttons and knobs for the music and climate controls, so you don’t have to rely solely on tapping or swiping to change each setting.

Additionally, the Volkswagen Digital Cockpit system is on display. This digital gauge cluster is located behind the steering wheel in 8- and 10.2-inch sizes. It can be customized to display as much or as little information as you like, including a useful navigation view with map and driving route details.

The infotainment system includes as standard a 6.5-inch touchscreen connected to Apple Car Play, Android Auto, a six-speaker radio, Bluetooth, and two USB connections.

An 8-inch touchscreen, GPS, wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, HD Radio, satellite radio, 12-speaker audio, wireless device charging, and three more USB ports are all available infotainment options.

2024 Volkswagen Atlas performance

A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 235 horsepower or a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 276 horsepower are the two powertrain options for the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. Front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission speed are standard on both; All-wheel drive is an option.

Engine Volkswagen Atlas 2024

Neither engine is likely to blow you away. The four-cylinder propels the Atlas off the line and around town quite comfortably. However, its power decreases quickly at higher speeds and can exhaust the SUV when trying to pass another car. Pushing it hard also produces a fairly bassy sound.

Although the V6 is smoother and feels a little more powerful on the highway, it requires high revs to reach its maximum power, and that high-rpm whine can be just as annoying. The crawl from 0 to 60 mph with either engine takes about 8.5 seconds.