HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – As I drove a 2027 Volkswagen Atlas three-row SUV from bustling Sunset Boulevard into the tight, climbing roads of the Hollywood Hills, I thought over and over again: “This feels more like a Lexus than a Toyota or Honda."
Score one for VW’s new family-hauling SUV.
“Class above” is one of the auto industry’s current clichés. I hate it; it's trite and too often applied to features that are merely nice. But even a broken clock is right twice a day (digital natives, you are excused to go google “analog clock face”).
The new Atlas consistently came in way above my expectations for interior look and feel, handling and refinement.
I tested a top-of-the-line Atlas SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion – sticker $56,610.
The 2027 Atlas goes on sale
in October. It will compete with three-row SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Mazda CX-90, Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Grand Highlander.
Why buy a 2027 VW Atlas?
The 2027 VW Atlas SUV is a mainstream family filled with touches that would be at home in a luxury brand. With improved electronics, more power and better fuel economy, it’s one of the year's pleasant surprises.
My driving impressions
The Atlas’s steering is direct and responsive.
A 282-horsepower turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine is standard. The engine produces 258 pound-feet of torque and is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Power delivery was smooth and quick darting through traffic and climbing steep hills. Shifts were virtually unnoticeable.
Fuel economy rises despite a 13-hp bump in power from 2026. Front-drive Atlases scored 25 mpg in combined city/highway tests. That falls to 23 mpg in the 4Motion AWD.
VW appears to have resolved an issue that plagued this engine in the smaller Tiguan Turbo earlier this year.
Interior look and feel
Low-gloss wood trim surrounding the dashboard is standard. Running the Atlas’s width, it creates a narrow, elegant dash. A glass panel in front of the passenger seat and perforations in the door trim conceal pinpoint ambient lights in 10 to 30 colors, depending on the model.
Synthetic leatherette upholstery is standard. The two SEL trims have Varenna or Nappa leather.
The second-row windows have manual shades.
The shifter moved from the center console on the ’26 model to a stalk on the steering column, opening up more storage space in the console.
But where’s the hybrid?
It's the one thing that holds the VW Atlas back. Competitors like the Toyota Grand Highlander, Mazda CX-90, Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride all offer hybrids to save their owners money and reduce emissions. VW says the Atlas’ midcycle refresh — more auto jargon — will include a hybrid powertrain. That’s three or four years from now.
What’s the holdup? It’s more than a decade since dieselgate blew up in VW’s face. The world’s second largest automaker should be rolling in hybrids by now.
Other features worth pointing out
The 2027 Atlas is based on the latest version of VW’s MQB platform — MQB Evo, to be specific.
Exterior dimensions and interior space didn’t change much from 2026.
Exterior styling, electronics, interior, lights and drivetrain are new.
Three rows of seats. Optional second row captain’s seats.
Front- or all-wheel drive
A 282-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission are standard.
12.9- or 15-inch touch screen.
A stylish five-passenger Atlas Cross Sport with most of the same features should arrive in early 2027.
Standard safety equipment
- Front collision alert
- Front automatic emergency braking
- Pedestrian detection
- Automatic high beams
- Lane keeping alert and assist
- Lane centering
- Assisted lane changes
- Blind spot alert and assist
- Front and rear parking distance control
- Rear traffic assist
- Adaptive cruise control with stop & go
- Automatic post-collision braking
2027 VW Atlas trim levels and prices
- Atlas SE FWD: $41,610
- Atlas SE 4Motion: $43,610
- Atlas SE w/Tech FWD: $45,610
- Atlas SE w/Tech 4Motion: $47,610
- Atlas SEL R-Line 4Motion: $52,110
- Atlas SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion: $56,610
Note: All prices exclude $1,525 destination charge
Source: VW
2027 Volkswagen Atlas at a glance
Midsize three-row SUV
Front- or all-wheel-wheel drive
Seats 6 or 7
On sale October 2026
Base price: $41,610. All prices exclude $1,525 destination charge
Model tested: 2027 Altas SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion
Price as tested: $56,610
Engine: 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder
Output: 282 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rpm; 258 pound-feet of torque @ 2,000-5,000 rpm
EPA estimated fuel economy: 20 mpg city/27 highway/23 combined. Regular gasoline.
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 117.3 inches
Length: 203.1 inches
Width: 78.3 inches
Height: 70.3 inches
Ground clearance: 6.5 inches
Passenger space: 153.6 cubic feet
Cargo space: 21.2 cubic feet behind third row; 55.9 behind second; 95.4 behind front row
Curb weight: 4,568 pounds
Towing capacity: 5,000 pounds
Assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: This VW SUV could leave its competitors behind, except for 1 thing
