What is the best family SUV? The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas

We are living in the golden age of the crossover SUV. In almost every suburban driveway, or for consideration on many a family’s shopping lists, is a crossover to meet the cargo and people hauling needs of that family. And among the many, many crossovers that dot the landscape, the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas stands out among them as a stellar choice.

Volkswagen got this one right, right of the box.

For one thing, the Tennessee-built Atlas is huge – in fact, it’s the largest vehicle that Volkswagen has ever built in America. With all three rows of seats in use by up to eight people, the Atlas gives you 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold the third-row seats and get 55.5 cu.-ft. of space. Behind the front row is 96.8 cu.-ft. of volume, which surpasses nearly all other midsize utes, and treads well into full-size SUV territory. Useful storage solutions, such as no fewer than 17 cupholders, expand the Atlas’s utility even further.

For another thing, the Atlas includes a terrific standard warranty that can be transferred to another owner. Known as the People First warranty, it covers the entire vehicle for six years or 72,000 miles (whichever comes first).

The base S trim level has a starting price of $31,675, which means that the usual premium for German engineering has pretty much been bypassed, making the Atlas well within reach for most customers. Load it up to get near-luxury levels of technology and safety equipment. At nearly $50,000, the V6 SEL Premium with 4Motion all-wheel drive is pretty much fully optioned with features.

In terms of power, you can choose between a 235-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 276 horsepower. Frontwheel drive is standard, with AWD an option, and all versions have an 8-speed automatic transmission. Properly equipped, the Atlas will tow 5,000 pounds.

With the new 2018 VW Atlas you get a nice, roomy crossover SUV that can hold all of your family and their various belongings, ready for the adventure ahead. But if you’d like to explore alternatives, we understand. We also recommend the following family-sized SUVs, listed in alphabetical order.

Other Daily News Autos recommended Family SUV models include:

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

2018 Honda Pilot

2018 Jeep Wrangler JL 4-door

2018 Mazda CX-9.