When you prioritize space and comfort instead of trends, the Volkswagen Atlas makes perfect sense. While some midsize three-row SUVs tout flexibility, most treat the third row as an afterthought, making it small, cramped, and only useful for short drives. This doesn’t help a family of six or seven ride together in one vehicle, whether it’s to school functions or on a summer road trip.
The Atlas is more than just a roomy SUV with family-friendly proportions. It makes driving easier with straightforward controls, impressive versatility, and good value. When practicality matters much more than style, this VW could be the right SUV for many families to enjoy their time on the road together. As a smart, livable choice, the Atlas has the features and qualities that matter most.
Adults Easily Fit In The Third Row / Spacious Seating For Seven Without Compromise
One Of The Roomiest Third Rows In The Segment
- Base Trim Engine
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2L I4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed Tiptronic automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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269 HP @5500 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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273 lb.-ft. @ 1600 RPM
- Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
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18/25/20 MPG
- Make
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Volkswagen
- Model
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Atlas
- Segment
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Midsize SUV
Sometimes, automakers have to get a little creative to offer the most room in their vehicles. In the Volkswagen Atlas, this means a higher-positioned third-row seat to take advantage of the space between the second and third rows, maximizing this area. The bottom cushion is higher off the floor than in most three-row SUVs, which makes it more comfortable.
The rearmost row provides passengers with 38.3 inches of headroom, 33.7 inches of legroom, and 54.9 inches of shoulder room. These measurements offer more space than the Toyota Highlander, which gives passengers 37.2 inches of headroom, 33.5 inches of legroom, and 45.7 inches of shoulder room, making the Atlas the more comfortable choice between the two SUVs. The Atlas also offers 2.3 inches more legroom than the Kia Telluride, a meaningful advantage. But having spacious seats is only half the story—the Atlas achieves this through design choices that most rivals won’t make.
Easy Access Makes It Genuinely Practical
Volkswagen equipped the three-row Atlas with wide-opening doors and second-row seat-folding mechanisms to make it much easier for passengers to get into and out of the third row. This isn’t always the case in three-row midsize SUVs, but the Atlas is designed for larger families to spend time on the road together, which made these features important.
In addition to the easy access to the third row, Volkswagen did the practical thing and limited the rearmost row to only two seats. This means the seating maxes out at seven, but everyone has a roomy seat to feel comfortable, regardless of which row they sit in.
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Family-First Packaging that Prioritizes Space Over Style Trends
Boxy Design Translates To Real Interior Room
While many other SUVs are leaning into coupe-like style, prioritizing looks over function, the Volkswagen Atlas leans hard into its squared-off shape. This allows it to provide the maximum passenger and cargo space while remaining a midsize crossover. By maximizing space offered by the boxy design, families can grow with the Atlas. It can be the ideal SUV for taking small children in car seats, through their teens, when they are much closer to being adult-sized.
The three-row Atlas has plenty of room for everyone. The driver and front passenger have 40.1 inches of headroom, 41.7 inches of legroom, and 61.5 inches of shoulder room, while the middle row provides 39.5 inches of headroom, 37.6 inches of legroom, and 60.5 inches of shoulder room, making it easy for adults to sit in any seat in this SUV.
The Two-Row Alternative
Some midsize SUVs don’t offer three rows of seats, and some drivers would prefer an SUV with two rows rather than three. The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is the two-row variant that meets these needs. The passenger dimensions of the Cross Sport measure 38.6 inches of headroom, 41.6 inches of legroom, and 61.5 inches of shoulder room for front passengers, while rear passengers enjoy 37.3 inches of headroom, 40.4 inches of legroom, and 60.4 inches of shoulder room.
As expected, the three-row Volkswagen Atlas is much larger than the smaller two-row Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, but both offer excellent alternatives to some of the more popular choices on the market, especially when you’re looking for practicality and substance over trendiness and style.
Cargo Space That Works With All Three Rows In Use
Many midsize three-row SUVs require a compromise between cargo space and passenger space. Even the full-size Chevrolet Tahoe does this with a very small cargo area behind the rearmost seats. The Atlas provides 20.6 cubic feet of usable cargo space behind the third row, more than enough for a load of groceries or sports equipment. With the two rear rows folded, this SUV is cavernous, offering 96.6 cubic feet of cargo space. If you only fold the rearmost row, you’ll have 55.5 cubic feet of cargo room, making the Atlas a versatile SUV that lets you transport cargo and passengers as needed.
Turning to the two-row Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, you’ll have 40.3 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row, which is massive compared to some SUVs, like the Nissan Murano, which only has 32.9 cubic feet in this area. Folding the seats expands this area to measure 77.6 cubic feet of cargo room in the Cross Sport.
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Straightforward, No-Nonsense Dashboard Layout
Simple Controls And Intuitive Layout
Despite being a German brand, Volkswagen turned away from the complex engineering typical of German brands. Instead, you’ll find an easy-to-use control layout and a logical cabin setup, giving you comfort and confidence when driving. It can be frustrating to search for controls for adjustments while driving, but with the Atlas’ layout, you won’t have that issue.
Tech Features That Make A Difference
The centerpiece of the dashboard is a 12-inch infotainment screen, which supports wireless smartphone connectivity. You’ll also find a 10.25-inch configurable gauge display, called the Digital Cockpit Pro. This gauge cluster makes it easy for you to see the information you want and to hide the items you don’t want to see.
The Right Engine Does All The Work
Comfortable Ride And Everyday Drivability
When one engine can handle the job, why complicate things with more powertrain offerings? Every version of the Volkswagen Atlas, including the Cross Sport models, uses the same powertrain. This configuration is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup sends 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque to either the front wheels or all four wheels, depending on the configuration. The torque is higher than both discontinued engines, and the horsepower is close to that of the old V6 before the 2024 refresh. Both Atlas SUVs can tow up to 5,000 pounds, adding to the practicality and usefulness of this impressive Volkswagen SUV.
Competitive Efficiency For Its Size
The three-row Atlas returns 20 city/27 hwy mpg in FWD models while AWD versions deliver 19 city/25 hwy mpg. The two-row Cross Sport gives you the same figures in its FWD configuration, but the AWD model offers one additional mpg in the city and one additional mpg on the highway. These figures don’t make the Atlas an extremely efficient SUV, but it is competitive in its class, coming close to the Chevrolet Traverse, which offers 20 city/26 hwy mpg.
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Strong Value For A Full-Size Family Experience Starting At $40,785
Standard Comfort And Safety Features
The list of standard features included in the Volkswagen Atlas is impressive. This SUV comes with tri-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel, among other comfort features. The IQ.Drive package is the standard set of safety and driver-assist features, offering a comprehensive bundle that includes lane centering, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology.
More Space Per Dollar Than Trendier Rivals
The Volkswagen Atlas has more interior space than many popular rivals, and it costs less while adding the benefits of high-end comfort features. The base model of the Hyundai Palisade costs $41,035, while the starting point for the Toyota Highlander is $43,455. Neither offers the roominess of the Atlas, which begins at $40,785.
Sources: Consumer Reports, Volkswagen, Edmunds, Car and Driver, Kelley Blue Book