Volkswagen Atlas | Spacious, but still?

This barely trimmed parallelepiped has aroused curiosity since its launch in May 2017. Called to relay the chic Touareg, the Atlas was received rather lukewarmly by the specialist press. A little rough, this utility vehicle has nevertheless won over many with its impressive interior proportions. As part of this upgrade, Volkswagen is essentially looking to polish it. A success ?

We can think what we want about the Atlas, but one thing is certain: it fills Volkswagen’s Canadian management with pride. The latter broadly underlines that this utility attracts a younger and wealthier clientele. And more importantly, 70% of them had never sat in a Volkswagen product before. From this point of view, the Atlas proves to be a success.

To explain this success, it is necessary to note the main attribute of this vehicle: the space it provides for large families. In this regard, this American of German origin (she was born in the United States) has nothing to envy of the competition.

From space ? There are some; no matter which row you occupy (there are three), you can access or exit it easily.

As large, practical, ingenious and smart as it is, the “cabin” has until now lacked substance for a vehicle supposed – not by size this time, but by price – to embody the ultimate in the range. Let’s say it bluntly, in this area, it was a failure. Its designers are correcting the situation this year. Well done for the effort.

No doubt it would have taken a little more than a play of light (to color the interior as desired), embossed textures and an enlarged central screen. And to create a warmer atmosphere, a “wooden board” now lines the dashboard. The desired effect is not very convincing. Just like the infotainment system. The gradual abandonment of physical controls to fit everything behind this still dysfunctional screen (slow responsiveness and frequent restarts) raises many questions about its reliability.

However, Volkswagen claims to have revisited the electric architecture. In doing so, the German brand has also improved accessories and other driving aids. In addition to the cooled front seats, there are new safety features such as intelligent cruise control and lane departure warning, among other things. That said, families whose budget is tighter will not fail to mourn the withdrawal of the Trendline version (read the entry-level version) in favor of more expensive finishes.

Say hello to the new 2 liter

As part of this overhaul, Volkswagen is returning the mechanics formerly called to sit in this antechamber to the locker room and relying on a “new” four-cylinder. This fourth generation 2 liter has a much wider range of use, is more fuel efficient at the pump and is not afraid to tow a load equivalent to 2268 kg (5000 pounds). All good, but the consumption gains seemed rather modest to us, especially in town.

Despite its weight and small displacement, the Atlas jumps when starting and offers reasonable acceleration. The automatic transmission does an excellent job here and its management seemed flawless to us.

The surprise comes from this ease of driving. Small and thin, the steering wheel controls effectively multiplied steering and the impression of floating, typical of large off-roaders, is well contained.

On the other hand, the Atlas requires a certain skill and a dose of anticipation in tight spaces due to its turning circle. When the city is in the rearview mirror, we discover a docile machine, with brakes sufficiently sized to ensure the deceleration of some 2 tonnes when used energetically.

Rather easy to handle, the Atlas also shines for its considerate suspensions on a properly paved road and its acoustic comfort. Contrary to what its appearance suggests, the Atlas prefers to travel far from the trails. Beyond its tires, the ground clearance seems surprisingly low for a vehicle in this category.

Although the Atlas is a more attractive proposition than in the past, the hardest part remains. Convince customers of the previous generation (see the owners’ opinions) that the transformations made once again deserve their trust.