2020 Volkswagen Atlas

2020 is a carry-over year of the first-generation Atlas, before the 2021 refresh. 4Motion AWD came only with the VR6 in 2020, so the VR6 is the volume powertrain. Its 276 hp trails the 280-295 hp V6s in rival mid-size SUVs.

The VR6 makes only 266 lb-ft, and it arrives high in the rev range. The 2.0T makes nearly as much torque, and makes it lower down.

A 4,500 lb three-row SUV with a 276 hp VR6 is slow for the class. V6 rivals such as the Highlander, Pilot and Telluride run 0-60 in the high 6s to low 7s.

The VR6 is smooth but feels short of breath at low revs and has to work hard at highway speed in a heavy body. The 2.0T feels peppier around town but sounds strained when loaded.

The 8-speed automatic shifts smoothly in normal driving but is slow to kick down. That delay makes the Atlas feel slower in passing maneuvers than it is.

The VR6 is rated to tow 5,000 lbs when fitted with the factory hitch, which matches mid-size three-row rivals. The 2.0T is rated for only 2,000 lbs.

4Motion AWD is available from the S trim up but only with the VR6; the 2.0T is front-drive only in 2020. The system has Snow and Off-Road modes but no low range and no torque vectoring.

The Atlas has about 8 inches of ground clearance and an Off-Road drive mode, but no off-road trim, skid plates or lockers. It is a pavement-oriented family hauler.

There are two gas engines, but AWD is tied to the VR6, so there are only three configurations. No hybrid or electrified option is offered.

The volume VR6 4Motion is rated at just 19 MPG combined, near the bottom of the three-row mid-size class. The front-drive 2.0T improves that to 22 MPG.

16 MPG in the city is poor. The heavy body and the naturally aspirated VR6 use a lot of fuel in stop-and-go driving.

22 MPG on the highway trails rivals that reach 26-29 MPG.

The 18.6-gallon tank only partly offsets the VR6's thirst, so range is below average for the segment.

This is EPA's annual fuel-cost estimate at 15,000 miles a year on regular gas, near the expensive end of the SUV band.

Both engines run on regular unleaded. VW quotes the 2.0T's output on premium, but premium is not required.

NHTSA tested both drivetrains of the 2020 Atlas and rated each 5 stars overall, frontal and side. Rollover is the only 4-star sub-rating.

The 2020 Atlas rates Good in every IIHS crashworthiness test, including both small-overlap tests and the updated side test. It earned no 2020 Top Safety Pick, because every headlight variant rates only Marginal or Poor and it has no pedestrian AEB rating. Strong crash structure with no award puts it in the upper middle band.

For 2020, Front Assist AEB with pedestrian monitoring, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are standard on every Atlas trim. Adaptive cruise and Lane Assist only arrive on the SE w/ Technology and above, and there is no lane centering (Travel Assist and IQ.DRIVE debuted for 2021). The core suite is present, but ACC and lane keeping are optional on the lower trims.

Standard Front Assist earns a Superior vehicle-to-vehicle rating: it avoided a collision at 12 mph and cut impact speed by 17 mph at 25 mph. IIHS has no pedestrian AEB rating for the 2020 model, so pedestrian and night performance are unproven.

Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert are standard on all 2020 trims, ahead of many rivals that year. Coverage is alert-only, with no active steering intervention, trailer-aware coverage or safe-exit alert.

Lane Assist on the SE w/ Technology and above only nudges the car back from the lane edge, with no lane centering. Travel Assist did not arrive until the 2021 facelift, and the lower S and SE trims have no lane departure warning at all.

ACC with stop-and-go comes on the volume SE w/ Technology and above, and works adequately. There is no combined highway assist, because Travel Assist arrived only for 2021, and the lower trims have plain cruise.

There is no hands-free driving, or even hands-on lane centering, on any 2020 Atlas trim.

The headlights on the S, SE, SE w/ Technology and SEL rate Poor, and even the SEL Premium's lights with high-beam assist rate only Marginal. No trim has an Acceptable or Good headlight.

The Atlas's boxy body, tall glass area and upright pillars give it some of the best natural sightlines among three-row mid-size SUVs. The Area View overhead camera is limited to the top trim.

The roomy second row, large rear doors, complete LATCH hardware in three rear positions and a second-row seat that tilts forward with a child seat installed are real family strengths. However, IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Marginal.

2020 is a pre-refresh carry-over year of the first-generation Atlas. It is a three-row seven-seater with a 60/40 second-row bench; optional captain's chairs reduce capacity to six.

The tall, upright cabin gives generous front headroom for the class.

Front legroom is ordinary for a mid-size three-row SUV. The Atlas's space advantage is in rows two and three.

Second-row headroom is at the top of the segment.

Second-row legroom is good, and the bench slides fore and aft so passengers can trade space with the third row.

This is one of the few mid-size three-row SUVs whose third row genuinely seats adults. The tilt-and-slide second row gives access even with a child seat installed.

The cargo hold is large for the segment. Even the 20.6 cu ft behind the third row is usable luggage space.

Maximum cargo volume is near the top of the mid-size class.

Everyday storage is competitive, with cupholders in all three rows and fold-flat second and third rows, but there are no innovative storage solutions.

The front seats are supportive and the second row reclines and slides. The volume SE w/ Technology lacks a power passenger seat and driver memory, which arrive on the SEL.

The ride is generally compliant and well damped. The larger 20- and 21-in wheels on SEL and R-Line trims add some firmness over broken pavement.

Noise levels are average for the class. The boxy body lets in some wind and tire noise at highway speed, and the VR6 gets loud when pushed.

Heated front seats and tri-zone climate come from the SE, and remote start from the SE w/ Technology. The heated wheel needs the SEL, and ventilated front plus heated rear seats are SEL Premium only.

The 2020 Atlas, the last year before the refresh, starts at a low price for a three-row SUV this size. The base S with the 2.0T and FWD undercuts most mainstream three-row rivals.

SE w/Technology is the volume trim. For 2020, 4Motion AWD came only with the VR6, so the typical AWD buyer paid for the V6, and that pushes the volume price above the 2021 model's.

VW parts and labor cost more than Japanese and Korean rivals. Edmunds' projections for the first-generation Atlas are near the top of the class, and the VR6 volume engine adds a little cost over the 2.0T.

The first-generation Atlas loses value faster than the mid-size SUV average and well behind its Toyota, Honda and Kia rivals.

For MY2020, VW replaced its 6-year/72,000-mile coverage with a 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty. That beats the 3/36 from Toyota, Honda and GM but trails Hyundai and Kia's 5/60.

From MY2020 there is no separate, longer powertrain warranty, so the engine and transmission are covered for only 4 years/50,000 miles. That is the shortest powertrain coverage among mainstream three-row SUVs. The 72,000-mile powertrain figures quoted online apply to MY2018–2019 Atlases.

VW Carefree Coverage, new for MY2020, includes 2 years/20,000 miles of scheduled maintenance (the 10k and 20k services), roadside assistance and Car-Net trials. That is useful, but the mileage cap is tight.

$41,265 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (48% retained, or about $19,807) leaves about $21,458 in depreciation. Add the projected $7,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,058 in total.

2020 is a carry-over year of the pre-refresh first-generation Atlas (launched 2018; refresh arrived for MY2021). By its third model year early-launch bugs were largely worked out; Consumer Reports rates the 2020 about average for its model year and J.D. Power places it mid-pack, behind the Highlander and Pilot.

Volkswagen has sat in the lower third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study across recent study years, with electronics and infotainment the most-cited problem areas.

The 2020 Atlas escaped the heavy assembly-defect campaigns of 2018 launch builds and the 2021 refresh, but it still shares two significant air-bag campaigns (passenger occupant detection, side-curtain door-harness corrosion) plus a TPMS and a side-step label recall; owner complaints cluster on electrical issues. Count is typical, but air-bag severity holds it to the low end of the average band.

The volume 2020 Atlas uses the 235-hp 2.0L EA888 turbo-four with an 8-speed automatic (276-hp 3.6L VR6 optional) — a high-volume, broadly durable family with known water-pump/thermostat-housing and carbon-buildup service items. No powertrain recall covers MY2020; the 2.0T connecting-rod-bearing campaign applies to 2022-2023 only.

The pre-refresh cabin is roomy and logically laid out but leans heavily on hard plastics on doors and the lower dash, which reviewers called plain for the price — competitive for a mainstream three-row but behind the Telluride and Palisade launched for 2020.

By MY2020 the Chattanooga line had matured past the 2018 launch-year assembly recalls; reports of panel and rattle issues are scattered rather than systemic, though electrical gremlins dominate owner complaints.

Volkswagen's US network of roughly 600-650 dealers is about half of Toyota's, leaving gaps in rural markets; metro coverage is adequate and owners rate the dealership experience middling.

VW parts and labor price above mainstream Japanese and domestic rivals and repair-cost indices place the brand above average for annual repair spend, but shared MQB/EA888 parts and a large aftermarket keep availability good. 2020 models came with 4yr/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage (down from the 6yr/72k offered on 2018-2019).

The volume SE w/ Technology has the 8.0-in glass capacitive screen. The 2020 MIB II screen is small next to the 9-12 in displays rivals were starting to offer.

MIB II is simple and responsive, with a capacitive screen that supports swipe and pinch gestures plus physical volume and tuning knobs. The graphics and the small screen were dated by 2020.

App-Connect with CarPlay and Android Auto is standard on every trim, but it is wired only in 2020. Wireless App-Connect arrived with the MIB3 system in the 2021.5 refresh.

Native navigation (Discover Media) is only on the SEL and above, and voice control is basic command-style. Most owners will rely on phone projection.

The base audio is adequate. A 12-speaker Fender premium system is offered, but only on the top SEL Premium trim.

The 10-in configurable Digital Cockpit is crisp but exclusive to the SEL, SEL R-Line and SEL Premium. The volume SE w/ Technology keeps analog gauges.

The 2020 MIB II car has no meaningful over-the-air update capability. Software and map updates require a dealer visit or SD card.

Car-Net provides remote lock, locate and vehicle status, and remote start on equipped trims. Several features need a subscription after the trial, and there is no digital key.

Two USB-C ports up front and 12V outlets across the rows are adequate. There is no wireless charging pad in 2020; it arrived with the 2021.5 refresh.

KESSY keyless access with push-button start is available from the SE, and the volume SE w/ Technology adds remote start and a power liftgate. There is no phone-as-key.

A rearview camera is standard. Park Distance Control, the Area View overhead camera and Park Assist are reserved for upper trims, chiefly the SEL Premium.

No head-up display is offered on any 2020 Atlas trim.

Large rear doors, a roomy second row and a second-row seat that tilts forward with a child seat installed make daily family logistics easy. IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Marginal.

The crash structure is excellent (NHTSA 5 stars, IIHS Good across the board) and AEB plus blind-spot monitoring are standard. The headlights rate Poor on most trims, and adaptive cruise and lane assist need the SE w/ Technology.

It carries adults in all three rows and has 20.6 cu ft of luggage space even with every seat in use. Tri-zone climate is standard from the SE, but rear amenities such as heated rear seats and sunshades are top-trim only.

It is easy to see out of and smooth in traffic. However, its size, the slow-to-kick-down 8-speed and the heavy VR6 make it feel ponderous around town.

The volume VR6 4Motion is one of the thirstiest three-row mid-size SUVs, so commuting costs are above average for its class.

It is a large vehicle at about 198 in long, offset by a reasonable turning circle and good sightlines. Parking sensors and the overhead camera are reserved for upper trims.

With a factory hitch the VR6 can tow 5,000 lbs, and the 96.8 cu ft cargo hold is big. The 2.0T is limited to 2,000 lbs, and the VR6 has to work hard under load.

It is a family crossover with no fleet or work-duty reputation, and the first-generation Atlas had a mixed reliability record with multiple recalls.

There are cargo tie-down hooks, a factory hitch and roof rails, but no onboard power outlet and no work-oriented upfit options.

It is a comfortable, roomy highway cruiser. However, the VR6's thirst limits range and there is no lane centering to reduce fatigue.

4Motion with Snow and Off-Road modes, about 8 in of ground clearance, roof rails and a 5,000-lb tow rating handle gravel roads and campsites. There is no low range or skid plating.

A 96.8 cu ft maximum, fold-flat second and third rows, roof rails and an available hitch make it one of the better gear haulers in the class.

Handling is secure and predictable, with well-controlled body motions for a 4,500-lb three-row SUV, but nothing about it is agile.

The steering is accurate and reasonably weighted, but it is numb, as is typical of the class.

The brakes are adequate, with a progressive pedal and average stopping power for a heavy three-row SUV. No 2020-specific instrumented stopping distance was retrieved this run.

The VR6 is smooth but short on low-end torque, and the 8-speed is slow to kick down, so response feels sluggish when passing or merging.

The VR6 is smooth and inoffensive at a cruise, but it gets loud and strained when worked hard.

The turning circle is reasonable for a three-row SUV of the Atlas's size and is mid-pack for the segment.

The upright seating, large glass area and physical climate and audio controls make the driving position easy to get comfortable in. Power passenger and memory seating need the SEL.

It is a capable but appliance-like family hauler, and its slow acceleration and heft give little reason to take the long way home.

The base S includes App-Connect, forward-collision warning with autonomous emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise, a power liftgate, remote start and the larger touchscreen require the SE w/Technology. The 2021 refresh later added more standard equipment, and the Telluride and Palisade include more at a similar price.

The Atlas offers one of the roomiest third rows and cargo holds in the class for the money. Against that, AWD requires the thirsty 276 hp VR6, the interior is plain, the powertrain warranty is short and resale is below average.

There are eleven configurations from S to SEL Premium, two engines, FWD or 4Motion, and a choice of bench or captain's chairs. Options are evenly spaced from about $32.6k to about $50.2k, but AWD is unavailable with the 2.0T, which limits the choice.

The Atlas is one of VW's two volume models in the US, selling roughly 80,000 a year in its early years. That is a steady mid-pack result, far below the Explorer, Highlander and Pilot. In 2020, the new Atlas Cross Sport split the nameplate's volume.

Volkswagen has a neutral mainstream image in the US. Some European cachet is offset by lingering doubts about reliability and dealer service, along with the aftermath of the diesel scandal, all of which hold down Atlas resale.

Through 2020, VW ran pandemic-era incentives, including 0% financing and deferred payments. Outgoing pre-refresh 2020 inventory also discounted well once the refreshed 2021 model was announced, all before the 2021 chip shortage tightened supply.

MY2020 is the third and final year of the original pre-refresh Atlas, and the refreshed 2021 model was revealed in February 2020. Buyers got a carry-over design about to be superseded.

Reviewers praise the Atlas's adult-usable third row and huge cargo hold. They fault its sluggish engines, plain interior and fuel economy, and it typically trails the Telluride, Palisade and Pilot in comparison tests.