Volkswagen Atlas
Our first chance to drive big new Us-only SUV
“When it comes to passenger seating and functionality, the Atlas proves spot on” “The suspension is set up for a pillow-soft ride, but the Atlas still grips well and stays composed”
THE Volkswagen Atlas is a super-sized seven-seat SUV designed for, and built in, America. Volkswagen executive Dr Elmarmarius Licharz told Auto Express last year that excess production capacity at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee could bring the Atlas to Europe, although a right-hand-drive version for the UK is unlikely. Even if the Atlas were to make it here, would we want it? We travelled to Texas for a test drive.
The Atlas is over five metres long and nearly two metres wide – slightly smaller than an Audi Q7 – and yet aside from the sheer size, the styling doesn’t make much of a splash. The crease that runs over the wheelarches and through the doors feels like a half-hearted, and ultimately doomed, effort to endow the Atlas with some character. You could argue, though, that the Atlas’ subdued appearance is a good fit for conservative American buyers.
Inside, the Atlas’ dash and doors are adorned with wood and brushed-metal trim; Volkswagen rarely makes such attempts at warmth, and it’s obvious it hasn’t had much practice. The dashboard is what we’d expect; a sensible (and, to current VW owners, utterly familiar) layout dressed in plastics and fabrics that feel substantial, if a bit drab.
Equipment
Top-of-the-range SEL Premium models get VW’S new Active Info Display, which replaces traditional analogue gauges with an LCD screen, showing everything from speed and revs to maps and trip information.
It’s the same system found on top-spec Golfs, and not too dissimilar to the set-up that made its debut on the Audi TT a few years ago. In the UK, it also features in models such as the new Tiguan SUV.
When it comes to seating and functionality, the Atlas is spot on. The third row is roomy enough for two adults to sit comfortably; something that many of its Us-market rivals – and most of the smaller seven-seaters sold in Britain – can’t claim.
Access is easy, thanks to second-row seats that slide far forward, even with a child seat strapped in. The third-row headrests can be dropped level with the seat backs, providing an unobstructed view to the rear when the seats are deployed. And there’s little reason to fold them when they aren’t in use, with plenty of boot space behind them for shopping or small suitcases.
The roomy middle-row seats also recline. A three-place bench is standard, with individual bucket seats – or ‘captain’s chairs’ in American marketing parlance – as an extra-cost option. They reduce seating capacity to six, but ease the problem of warring children. Both back rows split (50:50 for the third row and 60:40 for the second-row bench), and fold down flat with minimum fuss.
Engine choices include a 235bhp 2.0 four-cylinder turbo and a 276bhp 3.6-litre V6. For the US market, diesels are out of the question, as are manual gearboxes; both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic. VW only had V6-powered Atlases for us to sample on the launch event, and while the front-wheel-drive version felt quick enough, the all-wheeldrive model, which adds 75kg to the car’s already hefty kerbweight, struggled when we asked for quick overtakes.
We have our concerns about the pace from the smaller 2.0-litre engine, although these may well be unfounded, because it should reduce weight. It very nearly matches the bigger engine for in-gear torque, too. It’s only going to be made available in the US with front-wheel-drive, but for a road-biased SUV, that’s unlikely to matter to many buyers.
Fuel economy and emissions are yet to be confirmed for either model, but estimates for the V6-powered Atlas equate to just 23mpg for the four-wheel-drive car, and a barely improved 24mpg for the frontdrive model. It’s here that the four-cylinder version will likely prove its worth. The Atlas’ steering feels lighter than we expected, but
it responds sharply enough. The suspension is set up for a pillow-soft ride, but the Atlas still grips respectably well and stays composed in the turns. We noted quite a bit of road noise, although the coarse Texan roads were partially to blame.
The Atlas competes against other large SUVS not available in the UK, including the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Chevrolet Traverse. There’s a reason those vehicles aren’t sold here, either: they’re too big and thirsty for the average British family.
We’re impressed by the Atlas, but its styling and petrol-only engine range show it was designed with America in mind.