With the exception of the Chevrolet
Traverse, with its vast 98.2 cubic feet of
cargo area, it’s hard to find an SUV in this
segment that can outdo the Atlas.
All of that space equates to ample room
for passengers to stretch out and relax.
All three rows of seating are comfortable,
with the front passenger getting heated,
10-way adjustable seats. The black V-Tex
leatherette that covered our seats was
very wear resistant and still looked pretty
much new when the vehicle left us. If 14
months and 26,680 miles of near daily
use by myself and other staff members
didn’t wreck the interior, I think it would
probably do pretty well resisting the
destructive force of children, as well. The
large rear doors offer great accessibility,I
f there was a way to measure a vehi-
cle’s overall utility, our long-term 2018
Volkswagen Atlas SE would score
very highly. Whether it be a weekend
camping trip with friends, moving day to a
new apartment, or hauling around a load
of videographers and their many cases
of equipment, the Atlas was the go-to
vehicle to borrow from the MotorTrend
fleet. I now know what it’s like to be that
friend with a truck!
In previous updates, I’ve talked at great
length about the Atlas’ 96.8 cubic feet of
cargo room. When cross-shopping the
Atlas against its long list of competitors,
this abundance of space is probably its
biggest selling point. Among three-row
SUVs with less space: Ford Explorer, Kia
Telluride, Dodge Durango, Subaru Ascent,
and Honda Pilot. If you’re a parent of
large teenagers who play football or
hockey, you would be hard-pressed to find
an SUV with better packaging for them
and their gear.
So much cargo room in a vehicle that’s
not much larger than its competitors
makes the Atlas an interesting proposi-
tion and one of the few options space-
needy consumers have without jumping
up to a full-size, truck-based SUV or swal-
lowing their pride and buying a minivan.The Volkswagen Atlas’ interior is familiar
to brand loyalists, including the intuitive,
responsive infotainment system.and the sliding, reclining, 60/40 split
second-row bench and 50/50 split
third-row seats means you can configure
the Atlas however you need to carry
people and their stuff.
Now, if the most important thing to
your next buying decision is that newly
created “overall utility” score, go ahead
and stop reading and head to your nearest
VW dealer. A previous update delved into
how I would spec my dream Atlas, and it’s
a pretty good starting point for anyone in
the market.
Before I discuss some of the Atlas’
shortcomings, there’s a caveat, and it’s
kind of a big one. Throughout much of
my year with the Atlas, I suspected there
was something wrong with the steering.
About halfway through the year, I had the
opportunity to drive a 4Motion all-wheel-
drive-equipped Atlas, and the difference
in the turning radius and overall steering
feel led me to believe that not all was
copacetic with our long-termer. My
belief was reinforced after test guru Kim
Reynolds tested the difference in turning
radius between our long-termer and the
4Motion-equipped Atlas. Once Reynolds
crunched the numbers, it showed that
there was a dramatic discrepancy
between the two.
After multiple visits to my local
VW dealer didn’t remedy the issue,
Volkswagen brought the Atlas back to
the mothership, and it turns out there“Even discounting
the steering
column issue,
my Volkswagen
Atlas had enough
negatives that I
won’t miss it.”
William WalkerService life: 14 mo/ 2 6,68 0 mi Avg Econ/CO2 20.3 mpg/0.96 lb/miBase price $36,165 As tested $38,265*IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles
at the end of three yearsSPECS Options Tech package ($2,100:
8.0-inch infotainment screen w/ Apple
CarPlay; remote power liftgate; keyless
entry w/ remote start; driver aids)
Problem Areas Steering column and
turning radius Maintenance Cost $167.69
(2-oil change, inspection) Normal-Wear
Cost $0 3 -Year Residual Value* $24,600
Recalls NoneVerdict: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE V 6
84 MOTORTREND.COM JUNE 2020