2027 Volkswagen Atlas Road Test and Review

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Volkswagen is known around the world for its affordable small cars – like the Golf hatchback and the classic Beetle. But in the U.S., the big three-row Volkswagen Atlas is the brand’s best-seller. 

VW introduced the Atlas back in 2018, engineered specifically for the U.S. market, built in Tennessee, and not even sold in Europe. Now, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas is redesigned with fresh styling, more features, and better gas mileage.

We just tested the new second-generation Atlas at the 2026 WAPA Rally media event. Keep reading to learn more about the new Atlas’s pros and cons, and how it stacks up to America’s other favorite three-row crossover SUVs. Prices start at $41,610 plus a mandatory $1,525 destination charge. 

Less-Blocky Looks

The new Atlas is roughly the same size and shape as before. But unlike its predecessor, the 2027 Atlas is no longer styled to emphasize its size. The old Atlas was a chunky-looking box with pronounced fenders and big, squared-off headlights and taillights. The new model is actually a little bigger, but it doesn’t lean into its size the same way. The dressy headlights now sit astride a smaller grille, looking almost like an electric car with lots of body-color paneling and twin light bars between the headlamps. The taillights, also joined by a light bar, got extra-slim like the compact VW Tiguan. And the fenders no longer bulge.

Some people will prefer the more rugged-looking old Atlas to the sleeker new model. And we’re not sold on all the black trim on the nose, especially on our light-colored test vehicle. But Volkswagen wants to move the Atlas a little upscale.

As with the first generation, the new Atlas comes in two configurations – the standard three-row Atlas reviewed here and the lower, sleeker two-row Atlas Cross Sport that we’ll cover separately. For someone who’s willing to give up a row of seats for a sportier-looking Atlas, the Cross Sport can be worth a look. We also think the slim new taillights are a natural fit for the Cross Sport.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Bigger Screen, New Volume Knob

Three years ago, Volkswagen modernized the Atlas’s interior with a 12-inch touchscreen and richer interior materials. For 2027, it took things even further.

A 15-inch screen is included on all but the base SE model (which gets a 12.9-inch unit). A mix of modern and old-school decorations dress up the cabin on all trim levels – real wood trim and 10-color ambient lighting. The Atlas SE and SE With Technology trims have pleasant leatherette upholstery, while our SEL R-Line test vehicle had soft Varenna leather and the top SEL Premium R-Line has even richer Nappa leather. The SELs also add extra interior lighting: a backlit pattern that glows on the dashboard and within the door panels, and which blinks in time with the four-way flashers. They also add another 20 color choices.

The 2027 Atlas doesn’t return to the pre-2024 model’s extra-simple buttons and knobs on its dashboard. But it takes one step in that direction by restoring a volume knob for the audio system. However, you still have to use the touchscreen or touch-sensitive sliders for all climate controls, which is distracting. We liked the Atlas’s well-organized, heavily customizable screen. But we’d rather not have to use it for every little thing.

In other changes, Volkswagen turned the stubby console-mounted gear selector into a stalk you twist to the right of the steering wheel. It’s no harder to use, and it frees up console space for that volume knob plus a second wireless smartphone charger. We did feel some cheaper plastics on that new gear selector and the roughly finished windshield-wiper stalk on the other side of the steering wheel. But overall, the new Atlas’s interior looks and feels expensive and modern, even as the controls got easier to use than last year.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Extra-Comfortable Seats With a Massage Function

We loved the new Atlas’s front seats. They felt more coddling than the typical flat perches you’ll find in a big crossover – sculpted to hold you in place, though not confining like a sports car’s. We’re also thrilled to have front-seat heating and ventilation standard on all models, along with a heated steering wheel. The top Atlas even includes a built-in massaging function. You can’t get a Honda Pilot with a heated steering wheel or ventilated front seats for less than $50,000. And it doesn’t have a massager at all.

The new Atlas also remains one of the roomiest three-row SUVs on the market, with acres of second-row legroom and an adult-friendly third row. Plus, you can tip the second row forward for third-row access without needing to uninstall a forward-facing child seat. Built-in second-row sunshades are now standard on all trim levels, and the SEL models get heated and ventilated second-row seats.

Our chief complaint: Unlike several competitors, you can’t get the Atlas with a three-passenger third row. It would be roomy enough for a third person to squeeze in, but VW provides only two seatbelts. That means it only fits seven people with a second-row bench seat and six with second-row captain’s chairs.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Ample Cargo Space

For cargo, the Atlas remains one of the roomiest crossovers on the market. With 21 cubic feet of space behind the third row, the Atlas effortlessly holds your groceries without making you fold down the seats. Once you do fold the 50/50 split third row, you get 56 cubic feet. The second row folds easily flat as well to provide 95 cubic feet. That’s more than most competitors. The Atlas lacks an option for a power-folding third row, but we didn’t miss it; it’s quicker and easier to handle the seat manually.

Our test car also included VW’s optional “cargo blocks” organizer – reconfigurable dividers that Velcro to the floor, so your small items won’t roll around in the Atlas’s vast space.

All but the base Atlas SE can tow 5,000 pounds, typical for a three-row crossover. The SE manages a modest 2,000 pounds.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Smooth Ride and Easy Handling

The first-generation Atlas was unexpectedly fun to drive, with quicker steering and sharper handling than most fellow three-row SUVs. The new 2027 model takes a more traditional approach. It’s smoother and quieter, with steering that feels natural but less responsive. Drive the Atlas gently, and you’ll find it pleasant. Push it harder, and the steering goes numb.

Most 2027 Atlases, including our test vehicle, have 20-inch wheels. The top SEL Premium R-Line has even bigger 21-inchers, while the base SE has more modest 18-inch wheels. Bigger wheels look dressier but often make cars ride more stiffly over bumps.

Under the hood, every 2027 Atlas has a modified version of last year’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. We found it peppy and quiet in routine driving, though if you plant your foot to the floor to jump into a gap in traffic, you might wish it had even more getup. By the numbers, the new Atlas has more horsepower but less torque than last year’s model – 282 hp and 258 lb-ft – sent through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Improved Gas Mileage

Even as the new Atlas got a little bigger and heavier, its engine tweaks improved its gas mileage. It beats most rivals with an EPA-estimated 22 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 2 mpg less with AWD. That’s about 2 mpg better than the 2026 Atlas – a substantial bump. We didn’t measure gas mileage during our drives at the WAPA Rally, but we’ll spend a week with the Atlas later this year and provide an update.

What the Atlas doesn’t have is a gas-electric hybrid option. We’re big fans of the Toyota Grand Highlander, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia Telluride hybrids, all of which have EPA ratings that can top 30 mpg.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

More Expensive, but More Features

As we mentioned, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas starts at $41,610 plus a mandatory $1,525 destination charge. That’s a $2,300 bump from last year’s model, albeit with some extra standard features: a power liftgate, the second smartphone charger, rear sunshades, and front and rear parking sensors. The base SE also includes a host of other welcome amenities, including heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 12-way power driver’s seat, a nine-speaker stereo, three-zone automatic control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and adaptive cruise control.

The SE with Technology, $45,610, adds bigger wheels, dressier exterior lighting, a bigger touchscreen, a higher towing capacity, and the chance to add a sunroof ($1,200) and second-row captain’s chairs ($695). Both SE models come with front-wheel drive, or you can add all-wheel drive for $2,000. This means you can quickly push even a lower-trim Atlas to $50,000, but also that they’ll include all the features most buyers will want.

The SEL R-Line costs $52,110 with standard AWD along with some exclusives: genuine Varenna leather, extra ambient lighting, a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated second-row seats, and a head-up display. And the top SEL Premium R-Line costs $56,610 with Nappa leather, massaging front seats, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium stereo, power-folding mirrors, 21-inch wheels, and a surround-view parking camera. We wish the camera were more widely available, though, like on several competitors.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Atlas vs. the Competition

At the WAPA Rally event where we tested the Atlas, we also got to drive it back-to-back against two leading competitors – the newly redesigned Kia Telluride and the ever-popular Honda Pilot.

The Atlas’s interior had a bigger screen and plusher materials than the more businesslike Telluride and Pilot. While all three are roomy, the VW had a little more passenger and cargo space. The Atlas’s engine was quieter than the gruffer four-cylinder Kia and the boisterous V6 Honda. The Atlas has more features for the money than the Pilot, if not the Telluride. And it gets better gas mileage than either SUV, unless you pay extra for the Telluride Hybrid.

The Pilot and Telluride are quicker than the Atlas, though, and both seat up to eight people instead of seven. They have simpler controls than the VW, with the Honda really standing out for ease of use. And to some tastes, the Pilot and Telluride look more like purposeful SUVs than the smoother Atlas.

Other key Atlas competitors include the Toyota Grand Highlander, Hyundai Palisade, Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Traverse, Mazda CX-90, and Nissan Pathfinder. Of these, the Palisade stands out for quiet luxury; the CX-90 for sporty performance, great gas mileage, and value; the Explorer and Pathfinder for relatively agile handling and peppy engines; the Grand Highlander and Traverse for interior space; and the Palisade and Grand Highlander for their fuel-efficient hybrids. But the Atlas has more space than the Mazda, Nissan, or Ford; a smoother ride than the Mazda; richer interior materials than the Toyota, Ford, Chevy, or Nissan; and more features for the money than the Grand Highlander or Traverse.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line and 2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fancier, Still Functional

The 2027 Volkswagen Atlas has grown fancier in its new generation. Its high-tech, richly trimmed cabin is a nice place to spend time. A smooth ride and improved gas mileage are welcome assets in a family car. And VW didn’t lose the longtime asset of plus-size passenger and cargo room.

We miss the old Atlas’s bargain price tag. But it remains competitive for all the features you get. And thanks to its other improvements, it’s worth the extra money to anyone but a determined bargain-hunter – especially if you’re OK with the SE trim levels.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line ・ Photo by Brady Holt