Many vehicles serve both daily duties, such as commuting, school drop-offs, and shopping, as well as long trips. But if there is a 3-row SUV in the stable, it is most likely to be chosen for the long journey, and the stakes of vehicle satisfaction rise as the vehicle shifts from a transportation appliance to a home away from home. In this context, AutoBlog editor Nathan Adlan reviewed the Volkswagen Atlas while transporting rescue dogs from Denver to Salt Lake City. Team Gillman Volkswagen takes you along for the ride with the dogs.
Adlan had prior experience with the Atlas when he took it to Moab, towing a small trailer. There, he found the Atlas better at transporting family and friends to an off-road park than serving as the entertainment source once there. The same can be said for most 3-row crossovers. The 500+ mile trip to Salt Lake City, on the other hand, is just what the Atlas is built for, as this review shows.
The Atlas is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that VW has been honing for decades. The displacement may seem small, but the output is 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of peak torque. It is paired with an 8-speed transmission, and in this model, power is sent to all four wheels via the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. With this configuration, the model has an EPA-estimated MPG rating of 18 city, 26 highway, and 21 combined. Best of all, despite the turbocharger, it can run on regular-grade fuel. With a generous 18.6-gallon tank, the Atlas has a range of 391 miles.
“Acceleration is brisk, and passing power is strong, though there is a hint of turbo lag at low speeds.” He added, “Road and wind noise are well suppressed, contributing to a calm, relaxed highway demeanor.”
Because this trip was made in freezing weather, Adlan was able to experience the 4Motion at work: “The system compensated for wheel slip seamlessly, never drawing attention to itself – exactly how it should behave.”
The dash features an uncomplicated yet attractive horizontal layout, anchored by a 12-inch center touchscreen in portrait orientation, with wireless smartphone compatibility. Adlan points out that it does not look like a giant iPad stuck to the dash. He also heaped praise on the Harman Kardon sound system in his tester: “Long-distance driving lives or dies by comfort and sound quality, and the Atlas delivered both.”
Traveling in crates, the canine companions didn’t have much to say about the 39.6 inches of rear legroom, but they and their containers fit just fine with plenty of room to spare in the 96.6 cubic feet behind the front seats.
Adlan adds that with a price range from about $39K to $55K, he finds the mid-level trims from SE to Peak Edition hit the sweet spot between equipment and price. You may agree or find your own favorite trim level, but only if you come and check out the Atlas yourself. We invite you to do so at Team Gillman Volkswagen.