Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Atlas 2017 review

The Volkswagen Atlas SUV might come to Europe, but can it offer Britons anything more than seven-seat practicality?

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your Volkswagen Atlas
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Volkswagen's new US-market Atlas ticks all the right boxes: acres of space, flexible seating, and a ride that won't make the kids sick. The huge SUV handles well considering its size, though the slightly lethargic six-cylinder engine struggles with the Atlas's two-tonne kerbweight. VW says it could bring the Atlas to Europe, though a right-hand-drive version is a long shot for now.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Volkswagen Atlas is a super-size seven-seat SUV designed for (and built in) America. Volkswagen exec Dr Elmar-Marius Licharz told Auto Express last year that excess production capacity at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant could bring the Atlas to Europe, though a right-hand-drive version for the UK is unlikely. Even if the Atlas were to make it here, would we want it? We travelled to Texas for a test drive.

The Atlas is over five metres long and nearly two metres wide – slightly smaller than an Audi Q7 – and yet aside from the sheer size, the styling doesn't make much of a splash. The crease that runs over the wheelarches and through the doors feels like a half-hearted (and ultimately doomed) effort to endow the Atlas with some character, though one could argue that the car's subdued appearance is a good fit for conservative American buyers.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Golf

2024 Volkswagen

Golf

45,539 milesAutomaticPetrol1.4L

Cash £17,697
View Golf
ID.3

2022 Volkswagen

ID.3

29,650 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £17,397
View ID.3
Sportage

2023 Kia

Sportage

46,172 milesManualPetrol1.6L

Cash £16,597
View Sportage
Discovery Sport

2021 Land Rover

Discovery Sport

61,307 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £20,297
View Discovery Sport

The best 7-seaters on the market

Inside, the Atlas's dash and doors are adorned with wood and brushed-metal trim; Volkswagen rarely makes such attempts at warmth, and it's obvious it hasn't had much practice. The dashboard layout is what we expect: a sensible (and, to current VW owners, utterly familiar) control layout dressed in plastics and fabrics that feel substantial, if a bit drab.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Top-of-the-range SEL Premium models get Volkswagen's new Digital Cockpit dials, which replace traditional analogue gauges with an LCD screen showing everything from speed and revs to maps and trip info. It’s the same system found on top-of-the-range Golfs, and not too dissimilar to the set-up that debuted on the Audi TT a few years ago.

When it comes to seating and functionality, the Atlas is spot on. The SUV's third row is roomy enough for two adults to sit comfortably; something that many of its US-market rivals (and most of the smaller seven-seaters sold in Britain) can't claim. Access is easy thanks to second-row seats that slide far forward, even with a child seat strapped in. The third-row headrests can be dropped down level with the seatbacks, providing an unobstructed view to the rear when the seats are deployed. And there's little reason to fold them down when they aren't in use, as there's adequate boot space behind them for shopping and small suitcases.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The roomy middle-row seats recline and can be adjusted fore-and-aft. A three-place bench is standard, with individual bucket seats – or ‘captain's chairs’ in American marketing parlance – as an extra-cost option. They reduce seating capacity to six, but ease the problem of warring siblings. Both back rows split (50/50 for the third row and 60/40 for the second-row bench) and fold down flat with a minimum of fuss.

Engine choices include a 235bhp 2.0 four-cylinder turbo and a 276bhp 3.6-litre V6. For the US market, diesels are out of the question, as are manual gearboxes; both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic. VW only had V6-powered Atlases for us to sample on the launch event, and while the front-wheel-drive version felt quick enough, the all-wheel-drive model, which adds 75kg to the car’s already hefty kerbweight, struggled when we asked for quick overtakes.

Advertisement - Article continues below

We have our concerns about the 2.0T, though they may well be unfounded, as it should reduce weight slightly and it very nearly matches the bigger engine for in-gear torque. It’s only going to be made available in the US with front-wheel drive, but for many buyers that’s unlikely to matter.

Fuel economy and emissions are yet to be confirmed for either model, but estimates for the V6-powered Atlas equate to just 23mpg for the four-wheel-drive car and a barely-improved 24mpg for the front-driven model. It’s here that the four-cylinder version will likely prove its worth.

The Atlas's steering feels lighter than we expected, but it responds sharply enough. The suspension is set up for a pillow-soft ride, though the Atlas grips respectably well and stays composed in the turns. We noted quite a bit of road noise, though the coarse Texan roads were partially to blame.

The Atlas competes against other large SUVs not available in the UK, including the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Chevrolet Traverse. And there's a reason those vehicles aren't sold here: they're too big and thirsty for the average British family. We're impressed by the Atlas, but it was clearly designed with Americans, not Britons, in mind.

Skip advert
Advertisement

More reviews

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £3,710 off RRP*Used from £14,750
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,763 off RRP*Used from £11,595
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,499 off RRP*Used from £10,695
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,841 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
BMW M5 Touring - front action

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal

The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 29 June
News
29 Jun 2025
Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production
Range Rover Sport SV Black - front

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production

There’s also a new SV Black trim, and a Range Rover Sport Stealth Package for non SVs
News
1 Jul 2025
New 2026 Honda 0 SUV: Japanese brand to finally have an EV to rival Tesla and BYD
Auto Express senior staff writer Jordan Katsianis stood next to the Honda 0 SUV prototype

New 2026 Honda 0 SUV: Japanese brand to finally have an EV to rival Tesla and BYD

Honda EV plans are gathering momentum, and they’ll be realised in the groundbreaking 0 SUV next year
News
1 Jul 2025