Second-generation family SUV looks good on the outside, looks much better on the inside

It’s going to be much harder to level such criticism at the newest model. Yes, the exterior refresh is mild, centred around a front fascia facelift, but it does give VW’s flagship a more contemporary appearance, albeit one that is still a bit too conservative.

Author’s note: This first drive of the 2027 Atlas involved the top Execline R-Line trim ($63,995) exclusively. It did not include the Cross Sport, as it has a later launch date.

All Atlas models are powered by “one of the most advanced Volkswagen engines ever built,” the turbocharged and direct-injection 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI EA888 evo5 engine. The turbo four puts out a strong 282 horsepower — an increase of 13 hp horsepower over the previous generation four-cylinder — and 258 pound-feet of torque with regular fuel. The engine hooks up to an 8-speed automatic transmission, sending power to all four wheels through 4Motion all-wheel drive with Active Control. Interestingly, VW says the Atlas will eventually get a hybrid powertrain, but not until the new model’s mid-cycle refresh in several years.

Atlas features a standard towing package with a capacity of 5,000 pounds with a braked trailer. Estimated fuel economy is 11.4 L/100 km (city), 8.4 L/100 km (highway), and 10.0 L/100 km (combined), an improvement over the current model.

Drive mode selection is standard. The system includes four modes — comfort, sport, eco, and custom. These alter operating parameters for drive systems like the engine, transmission, steering, and adaptive cruise control, as well as traction-assistance systems like hill descent assist and hill start assist.

Getting into specifics, one faces the Atlas head on. Double-stacked LED headlights, a masked upper grille, and a redesigned hood set the tone. Double light lines and an illuminated VW badge are standard on the mid-trim Highline and top dog Execline R-Line, not offered on the base Comfortline. Execline R-Line models have black grilles and silver blades on the lower air scoops, which are more prominent than on other trims. Headlight designs feature standard full-LED lighting. Full projector lighting is standard on the top two trims. All models feature VW’s adaptive front-lighting system, which moves the headlights laterally by up to 15 degrees to help illuminate the road while cornering, as well as automatic headlamps and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

In profile, a sharp character line runs along the upper body sides, set off by more muscular front fenders and sculpted side sills. On Execline R-Line models, the sills are painted body colour, and the window surrounds are chrome rather than black. Puddle lamps featuring the VW logo are available, as are illuminated door handles.

At the back, the spoiler is more pronounced, and the tailgate now sits flush with the rear bumper. The crossbody taillight design features individual 3D elements to mirror the light signature in the front and includes three selectable animations. On Execline R-Line models, the lower diffuser is finished in gloss black.

Overhead, roof rails are standard, black on the Comfortline and silver on Highline and Execline R-Line models. A large panoramic sunroof with a two-part glass opening system and powered sunshade is standard on Highline and Execline R-Line models.

The exterior mirrors on the Comfortline models are power adjustable and heated with a new driver-side auto dimming feature; Highline and Execline R-Line models include memory along with a power folding feature and puddle light illumination.

Eighteen-inch two-tone machined aluminum-alloy wheels are standard, with 20-inch alloys on Highline models. The Execline R-Line ups the ante with 21-inch rims.

Roof rails are standard on all trims, black on the Comfortline and silver on Highline and Execline R-Line models. A panoramic sunroof with a two-part glass opening system and powered sunshade is standard on Highline sand Execline R-Lines.

If the 2027 Atlas’s external looks play it safe, VW’s interior designers went to town. The cabin — we’re driving the top Execline R-Line models — completely reimagined, with a more modern design and no shortage of upscale materials. The team even provides a roadmap for those getting into the sport-ute for the first time. “A bold loop unifies the cockpit with one strong, architectural statement. Everything flows with purpose, from displays to vents and lighting.”

The door handle location has been moved, as has the shift lever, now on the steering column to free up space in the centre console. There’s a knob on the end of the shifter that you twist — one direction for Reverse, the other direction for Drive/Sport. It’s annoying until you get used to it. Then it’s still annoying.

The materials used throughout the interior are of better quality than before. This including a leatherette-trimmed soft touch dash, centre console, and door panels. Real wood decor is standard on all trims, varying in shade from a classic light wood on most trims to dark coffee on the Execline R-Line.

Leatherette seat surfaces come standard. Highline models upgrade to a Varenna leather, and Execline R-Line models feature Nappa leather seats with microfibre inlays on the bolsters, as well as headrest perforation on driver, passenger, and second-row outboard headrests. Three interior colour palettes are available, with the emphasis on neutral tones and more expressive colours — “airy” Mistral Grey, “moody” Soul Black with seat side and door panels in grey, and a new Garnet Red, with “ceramic” contrast stitching. It might not be as opulent as the materials found in the Mazda CX-90 or Hyundai Palisade, but it’s still a much posher environment for driver and passengers.

I’ve never understood the appeal of ambient lighting, but the new Atlas has it, a 10-colour setup for the Comfortline, with Highline and Execline R-Line trims upping the count to 30 colour options. The light flows through the storage compartment and cupholders in the centre stack and illuminates the door pockets on the Comfortline. On the other trims the ambient lighting flows through the dashboard loop and front footwells with an organic spiral pattern to the dash, which twists and morphs through perforated backlit door panels in the first and second rows. Groovy!

Heated and ventilated leatherette front seats are standard across the lineup, along with a new 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with four-way lumbar support, a height-adjustable passenger seat, and a second-row middle armrest with integrated cupholders. Highline and Execline R-Line models feature a three-profile driver’s-seat and mirror memory function, a new 12-way power passenger seat with four-way lumbar support and new driver thigh support.

Second-row outboard seats on these trims also feature heated and ventilated functions. The Execline R-Line adds massage with air bladders along the entire upper seat section. The standard second-row bench seating offers a 60/40 split, a 14-degree backrest recline function, and a 196 mm sliding range, with each side sliding separately. It can also accommodate up to three child safety seats. A folding mechanism for the second row offers entry and exit room on both sides by enabling the second-row bench to tilt and slide forward, even with child seats in place.

Captain’s chairs are available on the Highline and Execline R-Line. These replace the three-passenger, second-row bench seat with two individual seats featuring height-adjustable armrests for even greater comfort. The two-passenger third-row bench seat offers a 50/50 split, and both second- and third-row seats feature fold-flat functionality. As a 6-foot-1 senior, I can say the third-row seats offer reasonable comfort, although trying to exit said seats is nothing short of unpleasant, and sometimes painful.

If it’s cargo-carrying capability you’re after, the Atlas is a veritable cavern — 600 litres (21.2 cu-ft) behind the third row and 1,583 litres (55.9 cu-ft) behind the second. With both the second- and third-row seats down, you could park a Fiat 500 (OK, not really) in the 2,701-litre (95.4 cu-ft) hold.

I really want to get to the Execline R-Line’s uber-cool Harman/Kardon sound system. But connectivity first: The Atlas’ floating infotainment display includes a 12.9-inch screen on the Comfortline and grows to 15 inches on the other two. The infotainment system includes voice control, Bluetooth technology for compatible devices, multi-phone pairing, HD radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio (three-month trial subscription). Connecting devices is easy with standard wireless App-Connect (CarPlay and Android Auto) and new Qi wireless charging with MagSafe for two phones in the centre console (up to 15W) for compatible devices, and seven standard USB-C ports. All USB-C ports except the rearview mirror port feature 45-watt fast charging.

The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit Pro system gives drivers a fully configurable 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster to stare at. This has up to four views and numerous viewing options, including car status, driving data, phone information, driver assistance features, and more. When equipped with the Discover Pro navigation system, Atlas can display a full screen map in the digital cluster and simultaneously on the centre display. Highline and Execline R-Line trims add a head-up display.

The new “driver experience dial” in the centre console doubles as a controller for volume, drive modes, and the new Atmospheres feature. This combines the ambient lighting and audio settings to enable occupants to tailor the vehicle’s mood to their preferences.

There are two new speaker configurations for Atlas — the Comfortline includes nine speakers, while Highline and Execline R-Line trims feature the 14-speaker harman/kardon premium audio system. Four sound modes and a 700-watt, 16-channel amplifier delivering powerful bass and detailed playback of mid-range sound frequencies. Centre speaker in the dash, tweeters, woofers, and mid-range speakers in each front door, two tweeters in the A-pillars, two surround speakers in the D-pillars, a woofer in each rear door and a subwoofer in the rear. Whether Mantovani or AC/DC, your ears will smile.

The new Atlas is 5,160 mm long, weighs 2,087 kg and is powered by a strong(ish) turbocharged four-cylinder. So, ripping good performance might not be in the cards, but there’s enough to take care of most situations — it takes about eight seconds to hit 100 km/h.

We were plying the backroads and highways around Huntsville, Ala., about 160 km from the VW assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., where the Atlas is built. If I say there is nothing extraordinary about the big SUV’s handling, it’s not meant as a criticism. Like many of its competition, the Atlas is quintessentially a North American-style cruiser, engineered to eat up miles of tarmac in quiet comfort. Unless you try to hustle it through a corner like a GTI — and you really shouldn’t — it has decent handling for its size. And under a steady rate of knots, the engine is unobtrusive, though it takes on a coarser note under harder or prolonged acceleration. Ride is quite acceptable, the suspension doing a fine job soaking up bumps and other tarmac irregularities.

Pricing starts at $53,795 for the Comfortline, increases to $60,995 for the Highline and tops out at $63,995 for the Execline R-Line. Destination for all models is $2,450.

The new Atlas comes across as a jack of all trades, master of some. Significant improvements are readily apparent in interior quality and infotainment, playing to the SUV’s strength of an expansive cabin that will swallow passengers/cargo as required. There’s also a pretty good four-year/80,000 km bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty and a five-year/100,000 km powertrain warranty. This includes three years/45,000 km of free maintenance, which covers the first three scheduled maintenance intervals.

But, as I said earlier, the midsize, family-oriented SUV isn’t lacking for choice. And the biggest issue with the Atlas is the absence of an optional powertrain, notably a hybrid setup, which is becoming a thing with more of the competition.

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