2020 Volkswagen Atlas

The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas is offered in over 7 trims, namely S, SE, SE w/Technology, SE w/Technology R-Line, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL Premium. With a starting price of $31,545, the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas enjoys a very clever pricing structure. While its base 2.0L TSI is impressive, it is only available with FWD. If you require AWD, then you have to pick the more potent V6 engine. Advanced active safety features like Blind Sport Monitor and Front Assist now start from the base S trim itself. The creature comforts offered are even more premium while going up the trim table.

Trims	S	SE	SE w/Technology	SE w/Technology R-Line	SEL	SEL R-Line	SEL Premium
MSRP (FWD)	$31,545	$34,695	$37,045	N/A	$40,795	N/A	N/A
MSRP (FWD) (V6)	N/A	$36,095	$38,445	$40,645	$42,595	$44,295	N/A
MSRP (AWD) (V6)	$34,745	$37,895	$40,245	$42,445	$44,395	$46,095	$49,195
Features	The S includes:	The SE includes:	The SE w/ Technology includes:	SE w/Technology R-Line includes:	The SEL includes:	SEL R-Line includes:	The SEL Premium includes:
	18-inch alloy wheels	Heated washer nozzles	Remote power liftgate with closing assist	R-Line bumpers and badging	Power tilting/sliding panoramic sunroof	R-Line bumpers and badging	21-inch alloy wheels
	Volkswagen Car-Net App-Connect	Media touchscreen sound system	Remote start	Power Liftgate	Front seats, 10-way power adjustability	Panoramic sunroof	Volkswagen Digital Cockpit
	LED headlights and DRLs	Climatronic three-zone climate control	Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)	Park Distance control	Media Control	8" touchscreen navigation system	Discover Media touchscreen navigation

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With active safety features offered as standard for the base S trim itself, we would suggest buyers on a budget to get their 2020 VW Atlas with the smaller 2.0-liter engine. This engine has enough power to take care of your daily driving requirements. However, if AWD is more important for you, then the V6 S trim should satisfy your needs. But nevertheless, it's the SEL trim that catches our eye the most as it comes with luxury features like the panoramic roof and R-Line added distinct bumpers. The top of the line V6 SEL Premium comes with Volkswagen Digital Cockpit and Overhead View Camera. This trim comes at a whopping price of $40,795 - which easily goes into luxury SUV territory.

With the base 2.0L TSI engine, the Atlas delivers 22 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. While that's better than the competition, the competition uses significantly more powerful V6 engines. The Atlas V6 is significantly thirstier delivering 17 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. This is with the FWD setup, whereas when you opt for the AWD Atlas, the figures boil down by 1 MPG across the board.

Model	2020 Volkswagen Atlas	2020 Honda Pilot	2020 Chevrolet Traverse	2020 Toyota Highlander
MPG (city)	20	19	18	21
MPG (highway)	24	27	27	29
MPG (combined)	22	22	21	24
Fuel Capacity	18.6 gallons	19.5 gallons	19.4 gallons	17.9 gallons

Combine these figures with the 18.6-gallon fuel tank, which is one of the smallest in the segment, and the Atlas can stretch out to 446 miles on the go, between fuel stops, which is mighty impressive. Now considering its overall performance output, the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas is definitely a pretty frugal SUV.

Third-row seating is best left to children in most SUVs, but not in the Atlas, which has plenty of head- and legroom in all three rows - Cars.USnews

The 2020 Atlas' interior has a typical Volkswagen look and feel with clean elegant lines and intuitively arranged controls. However, what's more, impressive is the space. While the first and second-row room is up with the segment best, the third row beats all of them outright. Third-row access is easy and once seated, even 6-feet adults will find decent headroom and legroom.

The Atlas flaunts a clean and minimalistic dash view that is strictly utilitarian. It doesn't flaunt any flashy design elements. Each and every amenity is within the reach of the driver and he doesn't have to take his eyes off the road for the most part. The fit and finish of the materials are true to their German genes and feel robust to touch. There are barely any panel gaps that spoil the view. All in all, VW has perfectly executed the interiors of the Atlas making it more user-friendly than most of its rivals. Apart from the impressive passenger volume, the Atlas also impresses with its capacious boot. Behind the third row, the 2020 Atlas offers 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

Model	2020 Volkswagen Atlas	2020 Honda Pilot	2020 Chevrolet Traverse	2020 Toyota Highlander
Passenger capacity	7	8	8	8
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	41.3/61.5/41.5	39.5/62/40.9	41.3/62.1/41	40.7/59.3/44.2
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.4/60.8/37.6	39.9/62/38.4	40/62.2/38.4	39.9/59.6/38.4
Third (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.3/54.9/33.7	38.9/57.6/31.9	38.2/57.5/33.5	35.9/55/27.7
Cargo Capacity	20.6 cu. ft	16.5 cu. ft	23.0 cu. ft	16.0 cu. ft

Some of the interior features on offer are-

• Climatronic 3-zone automatic climate control with dedicated AC vents for all three rows
• Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror
• 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support and memory function
• 8-way power-adjustable passenger seat
• V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces
• Heated and Ventilated front seats
• Interior ambient lighting
• 60/40 split-folding second row

The base 2020 VW Atlas S gets a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a six-speaker audio system. Splurging to the Atlas SE gets you a larger 8.0 -inch touchscreen infotainment system and two additional speakers apart from three USB ports and Sirius XM satellite radio. The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit is available exclusively in Atlas SEL premium.

Some of the key highlights of the Atlas's infotainment system are:

• Volkswagen Car-Net Security & Service with a 6-month trial subscription
• SiriusXM All Access with a 3-month trial subscription
• Fender Premium Audio System
• 12.3-inch Volkswagen Digital Cockpit display
•  2 front USB data ports and 2 rear charging ports
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

The 2020 Atlas is styled like a typical Volkswagen product with clean lines and an understated demeanor. It relies on proportions to exude a confident stance. However, this Volkswagen SUV also has plenty of muscular details befitting its size. Speaking of size, the 2020 Atlas spans 198.3 inches in length and 78.3 inches in width. At 69.7-inch it's just as tall as any other SUV here. 

In the front, the good symmetrical boxy headlights are partnered with the again rudimentary chrome grille, that makes up for the whole front of the car. The side typically has buffed-up creases all over, while coming over to the rear end, the Atlas is just a bloated-up Tiguan. Highly rudimentary in its exterior silhouette, the Atlas's massive road presence is not just attributed to its big size but is also crescented by many other visual cues that further accentuate the look of the car.

Model	2020 Volkswagen Atlas	2020 Honda Pilot	2020 Chevrolet Traverse	2020 Toyota Highlander
curb weight(lbs.)	4528	4036	4326	4330
Length(in)	198.3	196.5	204.3	194.9
Width(in)	78.3	78.6	78.6	76.0
Height(in)	70.0	70.6	70.7	68.1
Ground clearance(in)	8.0	7.3	7.2	8.0
Wheelbase(in)	117.3	111.0	120.9	112.2

Some of these exterior features on offer are-

• Automatic LED headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
• Foglights with low-speed corner-illuminating feature
• Power tilting/sliding panoramic sunroof
• Side mirrors with memory feature
• Silver roof rails
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• 20" triple 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Remote opening and closing power liftgate with closing assist

The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas comes equipped with a plethora of safety features on offer, both on the active and passive front. The MQB-platform based Atlas also has a strong rigid structure that prevents the passengers from any major harm, while in an accident. To prove this, the 2020 Atlas also performed great in the crash tests, as the NHTSA awarded it a 5 on 5-star rating, while the Atlas settled for an overall "Good" rating from the IIHS.

Some of the standard safety features offered are:

• Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-keeping assist
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA)
• Rollover sensor system
• Rear Vision Camera.
• Passenger Sensing System.
• Rear seat reminder.
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
• Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS)

2020 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2020 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot is one of the most well-rounded midsize SUVs in this segment with well-equipped, spacious seats and high-quality materials. An efficient and powerful engine pulls the 2020 Pilot briskly along the road.

On top of that, the Pilot comes with Honda's reputation for reliability and has great resale value too. However, the Atlas comes with a better third row and it's almost as good in other areas.

2020 Volkswagen Atlas vs 2020 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 Chevrolet Traverse blends charismatic styling with plenty of passenger space and cargo capacity. The seats are supportive and higher trims cover them in soft materials. This is accompanied by a plush ride and composed highway manners.

Also, the 2020 Traverse is one of the quietest in the class. That said, the Atlas is nearly similar in many ways and better in some - like handling.

Volkswagen Atlas is a product that is going to find its way to the list of many potential shoppers. It is comfortable, offers great space for passengers and cargo. It's immensely spacious inside with a third row that's easily among the best in the segment. On top of that, the cabin is impressively quiet even at high speeds. There are shortcomings though mainly in the powertrain department. Still, the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas offers a genuinely appealing package and is an easy recommendation if you want a family-friendly SUV.