![]() We previously evaluated the turbo four-cylinder in the front-drive Atlas, and it delivered enough low-end power to launch the SUV with surprising vigor. The base engine is now available with front- or all-wheel drive the 2018-20 Atlas paired the 2.0-liter only with front-wheel drive. Regular gas is fine, though output will likely decline (a VW spokesperson declined to say how much). The Atlas’ base engine, Volkswagen’s workhorse turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder, achieves 235 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque on premium gasoline. Test-drive for yourself to see.Ģ021 Volkswagen Atlas | photo by Kelsey Mays Drivetrains: Less So The R-Line doesn’t change suspension tuning, but some R-Line trims get 21-inch wheels with low-profile tires, which could add harshness themselves. Shock absorption over sewer covers shows polish, as does isolation at highway speeds. What’s more, that was with our test car’s 20-inch wheels, which add some impact harshness - though nothing too objectionable - versus the 18s with higher-sidewall tires that were on our 2018 Atlas. Rivals like the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, both of which are newer on the scene, feel more tied down in terms of body control, but if sheer comfort is your goal, the Atlas is about as good as it gets from a mass-market mid-size SUV. Quick maneuvers induce some initial body roll, but the suspension maintains reasonable composure through sweeping curves. Turning the steering wheel requires light effort but provides quick, decisive turn-in. Suspension and steering tuning carry over unchanged for 2021, Volkswagen officials told me, and that’s just fine. Three-row SUVs can safely err on the side of ride comfort over handling chops - parents aren’t exactly carving up on-ramps in these rigs - but the Atlas has always stood out for blending the two. Less has changed in back, where the Atlas remains as boxy-looking as ever - a missed opportunity, but I’ll take what happened up front as good enough. The bumper cladding retreats from its erstwhile prominence, and available R-Line trims add prominent outboard openings. ![]() They extend into headlights with curvier frames for 2021, and the whole of it makes for a look that’s less squared off. Gone are the cheese-grater crossbars on the Atlas’ grille, replaced by a new grille with leaner, simpler bars. ![]() In the refresh, Volkswagen did some much needed rounding to the elements up front, akin to what you see on the Cross Sport. I found that version blocky and busy, even after ’s Editorial department owned one for a year. Styling is subjective enough that I seldom comment on it, but the Atlas’ visual tweaks for 2021 make it a palatable SUV - something I couldn’t say for the 2018-20 model. Related: Volkswagen Announces Prices Changes for Most of Its 2021 (and 2021.5) LineupĢ021 Volkswagen Atlas | photo by Kelsey Mays Visual Tweaks Add Up We tested a well-equipped 2021 Atlas with the V-6 and AWD, but we’ve also evaluated front-drive and four-cylinder versions. You can find information on that model on the Atlas’ 2021 model-year page. ![]() Ĭonfusingly, Volkswagen is also producing a half-year addition - the 2021.5 Atlas - with some minor changes I’ll detail below. New for 2020, the Atlas Cross Sport is a related two-row model covered separately on compare the two SUVs here. Three standard rows of seats carry up to seven people (six if you get second-row captain’s chairs). Stack up the trims here, and compare the 20 Atlas here. A non-turbo V-6 remains available on all but the base trim level both engines pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Volkswagen updated the Atlas for 2021 with smoother styling, more technology and wider availability for its base engine, a turbo four-cylinder. The Atlas doesn’t quite eliminate the sacrifices, but it minimizes them as much as any mid-size SUV could. Versus the competition: If your motivation is sheer practicality, family SUVs always lose out to minivans - a necessary sacrifice, some might argue, to avoid driving a four-wheeled toaster. The verdict: Updated styling makes the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas more palatable in superficial ways, and its fundamental strengths endure well beyond that. ![]()
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