Improving on the success of the outgoing model, the refreshed seven-seat Volkswagen Atlas SUV offers a bolder design as well as interior upgrades, advanced connectivity, new available driver-assistance features, and broadened powertrain availability. Assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Atlas combines hallmark Volkswagen driving dynamics and attention to detail, setting it apart from competitors.
The 2021 Atlas hosts the latest driver assistance technologies offered by Volkswagen. The next-generation Car-Net® telematics system is standard on all models, and in-car Wi-Fi capability is offered across the lineup when you subscribe to a data plan. Additionally, Traffic Jam Assist and Dynamic Road Sign Display are now available.
Exterior
The refreshed Atlas maintains the same underpinnings of the successful outgoing model, and adds more aggressively-styled front and rear bumpers. Mirroring the Atlas Cross Sport front fascia, a bold three-bar grille extends into the front light signature, creating a more sophisticated presence, while new headlight and taillight designs feature standard full-LED lighting, including low beams, high beams, turn signal indicators, Daytime Running Lights (DRLs), and taillights. SEL and SEL Premium models add standard 900-lumen LED headlights with Volkswagen's Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). Automatic headlamps and rain-sensing windshield wipers are standard across the lineup.
Engineered from Volkswagen's award-winning Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) architecture, the refreshed 2021 Volkswagen Atlas is larger than any other vehicle in the Volkswagen portfolio, sitting 200.7 inches long, 78.4 inches wide, and 70.1 inches high. Though its overall height remains the same as the 2020 Atlas, the refreshed Atlas is 2.4 inches longer than before, thanks to restyled front and rear bumpers. Despite its size, the Atlas still offers a low coefficient of drag of 0.34.
Interior
The interior design of the Atlas is classic Volkswagen-clean and functional, with a premium feel. Driver controls are positioned for optimal ergonomics and usability, and simple, driver-centric displays enhance involvement behind the wheel. The seat position, shifter height, and the spacing between the pedals are all designed for maximum driver comfort. With available contrast stitching on the surfaces and door trim as well as a redesigned steering wheel, the 2021 model offers a high-end environment that belies its attainable starting price. Ambient lighting, standard on the Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium, further highlights this upscale character.
Inside, the Atlas makes maximum use of its three-row seating layout to offer space for up to seven adults, boasting a cavernous 153.7 cu-ft of total passenger volume. Headroom is 41.3/40.4/38.3 inches (first/second/third rows), while legroom is 41.7/37.6/33.7 inches, respectively. Standard second-row bench seating offers a 60/40 split, a 14-degree backrest recline function, and a 7.7-inch sliding range (each side sliding separately). An innovative folding mechanism for the second row offers easy entry and exit room on both sides by enabling the second-row bench to tilt and slide forward, even with child seats in place.
Powertrains
Atlas is offered with a choice of two engines-a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or an available 3.6-liter VR6® engine. Both units feature start/stop technology. Remote start is standard on SE w/ Technology trims and above, and can also be added as an accessory on S and SE models.
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit is a member of the latest EA888 engine family, utilizing turbocharged induction and direct fuel injection to balance efficiency and power. Output is rated at 235 horsepower at 4,500 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque from 1,600 rpm (achieved with premium fuel).
Safety
To help protect occupants, the Atlas provides a combination of both passive and active safety systems. It features six airbags as standard (front and side airbags for front passengers and side curtain airbags for outboard seating positions), along with a number of electronic safety systems, such as an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
A standard feature on the 2021 Atlas is Volkswagen's Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. This builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single, instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact-the most significant of which can cause additional collisions. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System helps address this, in certain crash scenarios, by applying the brakes when a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus potentially reducing residual kinetic energy and, in turn, the chance of additional damage.
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