2024 Volkswagen Atlas SEL 4Motion

Elegance: Midsize Crossover

Colour: Opal White

Miles pushed: 140

Seen gasoline economic system: 21.3 mpg

Riding combine: 60% town, 40% freeway

EPA-estimated gasoline economic system: 19/26/22 (mpg town/freeway/mixed)

Snow Efficiency: N/A

Base value: $48,445 (no longer together with $1350 vacation spot rate)

Choices on check automobile: Particular paint ($395)

Worth as examined: $50,190

Fast Hits

The good: Spacious and premium-feeling cabin, very good highway manners

The great: Rather simple at the fuel, a variety of persistent

The no longer so just right: Sluggish and glitchy virtual interface, an excessive amount of engine noise

Tom Appel:

When you discovered the ultimate episode of “Higher Name Saul” irritating, then you definitely most likely recognize my emotions in regards to the up to date for 2024 Volkswagen Atlas. A lot as “Saul” was once a very good TV display, the newly freshened midsize Atlas crossover is a standout automobile in some ways, regardless that it’s a ways from best. And, it’s kind of that ultimate episode that will get you.

For 2024 the Atlas underwent minor plastic surgery, interested in the simpler we’d argue, and had its two-drivetrain invoice of fare trimmed to a unmarried providing. Essentially the most vital replace alternatively, comes throughout the Atlas, alternatively. The cabin has been retrimmed as a part of a luxury-themed makeover, and the brand new Atlas comes off as legitimately top class, particularly for the cost.

The most efficient information is that Atlas stays probably the most roomiest and maximum space-efficient choices within the midsize crossover elegance. It is usually a number of the maximum rewarding of its friends to force. Rating one for normal VW sportiness, a factor we oldtimers started to fret was once misplaced.

2024 North American Auto Display Agenda

For 2024 Atlas is obtainable in 4 trim ranges, base SE ($37,725), SE with Era ($41,665), SEL ($48,445), and SEL Top rate R-Line ($52,466). Additionally to be had is the robotically an identical fastback-bodied Atlas Move Spot which we will be able to evaluation in a while.

Shopper Information not too long ago spent per week at the back of the wheel of a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas SEL and not using a choices in extra-cost Opal White. And, as famous above, we had been most often inspired, regardless that there are two sticking issues, either one of which we’ll cope with at this time.

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Let’s get started with the excellent news: The Atlas cabin is little short of fabulous. The cool, elegant, and fashionable Atlas cabin is each ethereal and spacious, and coated with high-end subject material and accented with premium-looking wooden accents. We might no longer be disenchanted to seek out décor of this grade in a automobile record for part once more as a lot cash.

Coming into and exiting the entrance two seating rows is simple, as all 4 doorways open extensive, and Atlas’s trip top contains easy ingress. The 3rd row, too, is somewhat simple to get admission to, particularly for the younger and lithe folks prone to be headed to again that manner.

Our sole cabin grievance facilities at the infotainment gadget, and the baffling and in large part useless touchscreen interface. Now not most effective is the gadget sluggish to reply to contact inputs, its structure and menu gadget is surprising counterintuitive and surprisingly out of sync with the methods present in different cars on this elegance—or any elegance. What passes for a house display screen is confusingly segmented into more than one components, a few of which—for no it seems that explanation why—not to function hyperlinks to a deeper menu.

However, worst of all—no less than for this writer–is that the media display screen can’t be reached without delay, however will have to be accessed by the use of a secondary display screen which—for no just right explanation why—at all times presentations each tune loaded onto the attached tool in alphabetical order. As I’ve 12,000 songs on my telephone, this display screen serves me no price. After a lengthen of a number of mins—continuously the period of 2 songs—a more-or-less standard media display screen does seem, however the knowledge displayed is most often for the unsuitable tune, and album-cover symbol displayed are from a monitor heard a number of items in the past. For anyone who continuously spends time within the automobile simply to hear song, this infotainment gadget is a dealbreaker.

All of this musical heartbreak is made extra irritating by means of the truth that the usual Atlas SEL 6-speaker audio methods is fairly just right.

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Additionally, and is that this simply atypical, the console quantity regulate takes the type of a rheostatic strip positioned underneath the touchscreen. The interface isn’t particularly responsive to the touch, and is hard to make use of with any precision. Additionally, it isn’t backlit, so it can’t be positioned or used at evening. Thankfully the steering-wheel audio regulate works simply high quality.

At the highway the Atlas most often shines. Most likely to the chagrin of a few returning Atlas consumers, the super-smooth 3.6-liter V6 has been retired for 2024, changed in all fashions by means of an up-power 2.0-turbocharged 4-cylinder powerplant, the “EVO4.”

Volkswagen code EA888, the brand new 4-cylinder engine produces a reported 269 horsepower, that’s considerably greater than the former technology 4 (235), and simply shy of the retired V6 (276). And, in line with VW, the brand new engine cranks out extra torque than both of the previous engines.

At the highway the brand new engine proves itself stout, however persistent supply is slightly raucous. And, in this level we remind consumers why check drives are so essential when opting for a automobile.

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This writer discovered the brand new engine smartly matched to the Atlas’s 8-speed automated transmission, offering very good throttle reaction from any pace. The engine isn’t quiet, alternatively, serving up a sporty roar when driven to ship anything else greater than routine-drive persistent. The time period “sporty” is subjective, alternatively, and different tester discovered the engine noise to crude, and beside the point for a automobile on this elegance. The consensus opinion is that the V6 engine was once higher suited for the core Atlas venture than is the brand new 4-cylinder, which in line with one evaluator, simply sounds overworked.

There is not any quibble about how the Atlas plays at the highway, alternatively. The large Volkswagen ranks a number of the best-handling midsize crossovers, with unusually company and communicative guidance, and nice highway really feel. Trip high quality may be very good, even over damaged highway surfaces. Consumers in search of long-trip circle of relatives convenience will in finding the Atlas worthy of attention.

Just like the ultimate episode of Higher Name Saul, the up to date for 2024 Atlas disappoints in spite of everything. And, just like the Saul finishing, the Atlas’s infotainment gadget and coarse-sounding engine louse up what’s another way very good stuff. However, when you don’t thoughts the touchscreen setup, and also you in finding the engine sound sporty—quite than crude—when driven, by means of all method take a detailed have a look at this elegant, subtle, and quite priced crossover. And, palms crossed, possibly there’s a tool replace at the manner for the virtual stuff.

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2024 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Gallery

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