2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

For quite a few years now, pitching SUVs to Americans has been about as simple as hawking super cold lemonade on a hot summer day. Yet, not for Volkswagen. VW presented its first SUV, the Touareg, in 2003, and caught up with the littler Tiguan a couple of years after the fact. Neither gotten on. More than 14 years, VW has sold less than 400,000 duplicates of those two models altogether; for viewpoint, consider that Honda sold right around 360,000 CR-Vs simply a year ago. 

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

VW now is by all accounts overcompensating with the new-for-2018 Atlas. While the fairly flighty Tiguan and Touareg were dependably excessively costly and as well, well, European to have wide interest here, the Atlas points specifically at the American-style three-push hybrid bull's-eye. Its name sounds properly daring (and simple to articulate); it's gigantic, with an almost 200-inch length that makes for an enormous seven-situate inside; and it looks blocky and trucky—to some degree like the Ford Explorer, the present deals pioneer. 

Room Galore 

Not at all like the space-wasteful Ford, the VW has a squared-off shape that pays profits inside. The Atlas' inside is vaporous and open, with gobs of space for legs, feet, and elbows in every one of the three lines. Seven seats are standard obligingness of a three-situate second-push seat and a two-put third column, while a $625 alternative for second-line commander's seats (accessible not long from now) decreases that ability to six. 

There's no eight-situate course of action as in the Honda Pilot, however the Atlas is else a standout amongst the most pleasing nonminivan individuals bearers available. The second-push seat is pleasantly cushioned and, when slid to its rearmost position, has adequate space for grown-ups to fold their legs. The third column is anything but difficult to get into on account of an overlay and-slide work for the second line that makes a liberally measured gateway. Furthermore, past the abundant space for the 6th and seventh travelers, what's more noteworthy is that the Atlas' third-push seats don't drive grown-ups' bodies into clumsy, flexibility specialist positions. The base pads are sufficiently high that your knees won't be at your trunk, and the backrest edge is agreeable notwithstanding for longer excursions. 

Hoping to pull nonhuman load? The Atlas keeps on satisfying: There's a valuable 21 cubic feet of space behind the third line, an enormous 56 cubic feet behind the second column, and an out and out huge 97 cubic feet with all seatbacks collapsed to make a consistent, level floor. Each of those figures is close to the highest point of the class. 

Demonstrated Bones 

We're not amazed at Volkswagen's bundling discernment, given that the Atlas gets its bones from VW's MQB stage that is utilized as a part of numerous VW and Audi items. Yes, truly: This behemoth shares its essential suspension format and select other hard focuses with the VW Golf hatchback, likewise a paragon of space proficiency. 

While we wouldn't go so far as to state that the Atlas drives like a Golf, it shares a feeling of strength that we've generally expected from Volkswagen. Ride quality is grand, with quite recently the perfect measure of consistence, extravagance auto like wheel control, and a hardened structure that splashes up effects with no indication of resonation. The exchange off for that ride quality, of course, is a lot of body roll; notwithstanding when pushed, however, the Atlas stays unsurprising and secure, handing over 0.84 g around the skidpad and preventing from 70 mph in an aggressive 174 feet. 

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

Recognizable VW equipment lives in the engine, as well, as a 3.6-liter restricted point V-6 making 276 pull and 266 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed programmed transmission. This drivetrain demonstrated not as much as enthusiastic in our completely stacked, all-wheel-drive Atlas SEL Premium test auto, propelling its 4728 pounds to 60 mph in a lazy 7.9 seconds—the Honda Pilot and the GMC Acadia are about two seconds speedier. The Atlas additionally slacks in efficiency, averaging 19 mpg in our grasp and 24 mpg in our genuine 75-mph expressway mileage test, in which the V-6 Pilot and the turbo four-chamber Mazda CX-9 recorded 26 mpg. The Atlas soon will offer a more proficient turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four yet just with front-drive and on lower trim levels. 

Cleaned and Premium 

This six-barrel is sufficiently refined for us to excuse its drowsiness, with smooth throttle tip-in, an instinctive programmed transmission that performs almost subtle moves, and low measures of commotion, vibration, and cruelty. A touch of abundance twist clamor on the roadway is the main hiccup in a generally calm, cleaned, and rich driving background. 

Extravagant likewise depicts the Atlas' cost, at any rate in its completely stacked SEL Premium shape, which just slides in under $50,000. In the event that $50,000 for a Volkswagen appears like an intense pill to swallow, recollect that moderate size SUVs from Chevrolet, Ford, and Dodge are likewise expensive. The top-level Atlas likewise accompanies an abnormal state of hardware, for example, versatile journey control, a 360-degree camera framework, remote begin, three-zone atmosphere control, a Fender-marked sound framework, and a simple to-utilize 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment framework with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With some shabby plastics found on the entryway boards and tasteless looking fake wood on the dash, nonetheless, the Atlas' inside quality helps us less to remember the finished Euro-driven Golf and a greater amount of the devalued lodges of the North America–made Jetta and Passat. 

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V-6 4MOTION

Like the most recent Tennessee-assembled Passat, the Atlas is custom-made to the American market and is worked here. In any case, not at all like Passat, it doesn't supplant a moderate offering Euro-tuned show (the Touareg will proceed here), so the individuals who favor the last can in any case discover it, at a cost. VW is plainly working outside of its usual range of familiarity with the Atlas, yet it has made a focused three-push SUV with the correct needs for its gathering of people. With a huge inside, strong driving elements, and enigmatically tough styling, the Atlas is at long last a SUV from Volkswagen that hits its check.

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