We suggest going for the 2021 Atlas SE with the Technology pack trim. The trim costs under forty grand and adds a lot of nifty features like an 8-inch touchscreen, hands-free liftgate, adaptive cruise control, remote start, heated front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensor, etc. For an SUV this big we think these features are a must to ensure a relaxed driving experience.

The Volkswagen Atlas comes in four major trims i.e., S, SE, SEL, and SEL Premium. Except for the base trim, the other three trims have their separate R-Line trims that add bigger wheels, a V6 engine, and R-Line-specific styling and badging. Further, you also have a SE with Technology pack and SE with Technology pack R-Line trim. Both the trims are based on the SE trim and the former adds a few driver-assist features, a hands-free liftgate, and bigger wheels over the SE trims features. While the latter i.e. the SE with Technology pack R-Line gets the usual R-Line upgrades over the SE with Technology pack trim.

The price range of the Volkswagen Atlas is from $31,555 for the base trim and goes up to $50,725 for the SEL Premium R-Line trim. The 235 hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine is standard across the lineup except for the R-Line trim that gets the V6 engine as standard while for the rest it is available for an extra cost. Except for the SEL Premium and SEL Premium R-Line, all the trims have FWD configuration and AWD costs $1,900 extra.

There are two engine options available on the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas. The standard one is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine that puts out 235 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque channeled through an 8-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels. The next in line is the bigger 3.6-liter V6 engine belting out 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque with the same gearbox and drivetrain configuration. Both the engines are in no way power monsters and the way they accelerate makes it pretty evident.

The Atlas’ V6 engine helps it to do 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds with another 7.7 seconds required to complete the quarter-mile. The four-pot engine also clocks a similar 0-60 mph timing but is slower to reach the quarter-mile by at least a second than the V6. Being a Volkswagen the ride and handling of the Atlas are in the lines of other Volkswagen cars. Thus the Atlas has a planted and comfortable ride quality with the steering feedback being accurate for the most part. Small bumps and minor undulations are dismissed with ease by the Atlas.

Cruising at highway speeds is not a problem as the planted ride quality ensures the ride remains stable whatever the speed be. While in the city the big and heavy Atlas is surprisingly nimble to pilot. You will hardly realize how big an SUV you are driving. The steering is light at parking speed so maneuvering in and out of tight spaces and traffic isn’t an issue either. The Volkswagen Atlas despite its massive size and above 4,400 pounds curb weight manages to brake from 60-0 mph in just 115 feet.

The heavy curb weight and the big V6 of the Atlas cripple its fuel economy ratings. The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas has an EPA estimated fuel economy of 17 MPG in the city, 23 MPG on the highway, and 19 MPG combined. While the AWD V6 sees a reduction of one MPG in all three parameters. The inline-4 engine with FWD of the Atlas on the other hand does a bit better with a fuel economy of 21 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. With the 19.5-gallon fuel tank the V6 powered FWD Atlas can go up to 330 plus miles in the city and close to 450 miles on the highway from a tankful of gas.

Coming to the rivals the Volkswagen Atlas remains the least efficient while the Toyota Highlander is the most fuel-efficient among all with 21/29/24 mpg of gas mileage in city/highway/combined respectively. But the Honda Pilot with the bigger 19.5-gallon fuel tank and a 20/27/23 mpg of gas mileage manage the longest 390 miles of range in the city and 527 miles of range on the highway from a tankful of gas.

Step inside the cabin of the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas and honestly, you will feel nothing special about it. The material quality is average and the overall dash design is plain and simple. But where the cabin scores are for sorted ergonomics, loads of practicality, and how to forget a total of 17 cupholders. Another high point about the Atlas’ cabin is the space inside making it a perfect family hauler SUV just like it is advertised. The overall visibility around the cabin is great due to the large windows and the boxy shape of the Atlas.

The Atlas is available as a seven-seater as standard and a six-seater configuration can be had with the optional captain’s chair for the second row. The seats of the Atlas are well-bolstered and comfortable for most of the part. But they aren’t in the leagues of what rivals offer. The seats of the Atlas are a bit stiff and that does make it tiring to sit on them over long hauls. The rear seats are in the same league and can be slid back and forth to gain access to the third-row seats. Moving to the cargo area the Volkswagen Atlas offers 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space while the biggest cargo area is offered in the Chevrolet Traverse with 23 cubic feet of space.

There are two screen sizes available for the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas infotainment system. The standard one is a 6.5-inch unit while the other one is an 8-inch touchscreen unit. The former is available only on the base S trim while the latter is available on the SE trim and above. The SEL trim and above adds navigation to the standard 8-inch unit. Overall impression of both the screens was positive and we found both of them were easy to use for most of the part.

The response time is quick and using the screens won’t be a task as the interface is fairly simple and feels like using a regular smartphone. That said, standard features include Wi-Fi hotspot, App-Connect, remote access, etc. Available features include a 12-speaker fender premium audio system, wireless smartphone charging, SiriusXM, etc.

Key highlights of the interior features include:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• LED interior lighting
• Auto-dimming inner rearview mirror
• 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• V-Tex leatherette upholstery

Look at the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas from whatever angle and you will see only straight lines and symmetry that culminates into a boxy-shaped SUV. The 2021 Atlas got minorly restyled front and rear ends. The grille has been changed and the Volkswagen logo has been updated as well. The three slat grille merges into the headlights while the foglights have now been removed from the lower bumper and integrated into the headlights. 

All the exterior lights are LED as standard on the Atlas. The side profile is pretty much simple and the big wheel arches get chunky black cladding all around to reduce the visual bulk. The rear profile continues the same design philosophy. Standard features include cornering lights, automatic headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, welcome lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, etc.

Dimension wise the Volkswagen Atlas is pretty big measuring 200.7-inches in length and has a ground clearance of 8-inches. Compared to that the biggest SUV dimension-wise is the Chevrolet Traverse, it is 3.6-inches longer, 0.2-inches wider, and has a 3.6-inches longer wheelbase compared to the Atlas. The Atlas weighing 4,427 pounds is the heaviest SUV of all.

Key highlights of the exterior features include:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Heated outside mirror
• LED headlights and tail lights
• Automatic headlights
• Panoramic sunroof (available)
• Powered liftgate (available)
• Side mirror w/ memory function (available)
• 20-inch or 21-inch alloy wheels (available)

Safety-wise the Volkswagen Atlas is a well-rated SUV. The 2021 Atlas was given an overall rating of five out of five stars by NHTSA. The IIHS shared a similar opinion about the Atlas and rated it ‘Good’ in all its six parameters. The headlights of the Atlas’ SEL trim and above were rated as ‘Good’ while the lower trims headlights got the second-lowest rating of ‘Marginal’. The ease of use of LATCH in the Atlas was again given the second-lowest rating of ‘Marginal’ by IIHS. Ratings aside, the best part about the Atlas is that it gets active and passive features as standard across the range while driver-assist features like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and pedestrian detection are standard.

Key highlights of the safety features include:

• Forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitor w/ pedestrian detection
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 
• Crash Response System
• Adaptive Cruise Control (available)
• Front and rear parking sensor (available)

2021 Volkswagen Atlas Vs 2021 Honda Pilot

If we compare the V6 powered Atlas and the Honda Pilot that gets V6 as standard then there is a minimal price gap between the two. Yet the Pilot is more powerful, lighter, quicker, and more fuel-efficient than the Atlas. The Atlas on the other hand is more utilitarian, spacious, and has generous cargo space.

On the flip side, the interior of the Pilot feels much better and more comfortable compared to the Atlas. To conclude both the SUVs are closely matched but going by the sales figures of the Pilot we feel it is being favored by more customers compared to the Atlas.

2021 Volkswagen Atlas Vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevrolet Traverse is another workhorse that is not only more powerful but also frugal and more spacious compared to the Atlas. On the interior part, both the SUVs have a similar quality cabin to start with but the spaciousness in the Traverse tilts the scale in its favor. The Traverse isn’t fun-to-drive or an engaging SUV but then the same goes for the Atlass too.

Although the Atlas feels more sure-footed and pliant than the Traverse at high speeds. The main flex for the Atlas is its far lower pricing if you go for the inline-4 engine. So if you are on a tight budget then Atlas could be a better option here.

The Volkswagen Atlas isn’t the most powerful, fuel-efficient, or comfortable SUV in the segment. Instead, it is an SUV that slots between the flashiest Kia Telluride and the most utilitarian Chevrolet Traverse. The ride and handling of the Atlas are well-sorted and the 8-inch ground clearance is sufficient to see you through minor off-road trails provided you have the AWD configuration. The styling and overall cabin are kept basic and in our opinion, these kinds of designs and materials age well with time. So if you are on a budget and looking for a decent family hauler we suggest looking at the Volkswagen Atlas.