Automotive

New Volkswagen Atlas Car will be First Drive in 2018

New Volkswagen Atlas Car will be First Drive in 2018

Volkswagen literally translates into English as “People’s car”. Back in the 1930s, when Ferdinand Porsche was tasked with designing a vehicle for the masses, folks needed little more than durable and cheap. The Beetle fit that bill perfectly.

Today, a car for the folks  specifically Americans  must to be big and relatively affordable. The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas seizes those 2 important points, providing seats for capable of seven passengers at a starting value of $ 31,245 Dollars. Meeting that basic criteria implies that VW most likely has a sales success on its hands. Thing is, there is not anyone area where the Atlas stands out from the rest of the herd.

From its styling to its power train, it looks that Volkswagen is contented to do the bare minimum to make a competitive crossover, and in this currently very crowded marketplace that is just not good enough to be a segment leader. From the outside, VW has definitely strayed on the vanilla side of plain with just enough flaunted to round off the Atlas’ corners and make it more than just a basic box.

Volkswagen Atlas Car – Engine Works

The slab sides are so huge that the optional 20-inch wheels look almost a size too small. On the positive side, notched kinks at the leading edges of the front cover are a pleasant touch, and the bland but inoffensive styling matches that of the present Passat and Jetta models. Clearly, this straight away approach is what Volkswagen’s stylists think Americans want.

Eventually, the Atlas will be available with 2 engine choices. The quality power plant could be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder putting out 235 horsepower at 4,500 revolutions per minute and 258 pound-feet of torsion from a low 1,600 revolutions per minute. VW’s 3.6-liter VR6 is elective on all trims.

New Volkswagen Atlas Car will be First Drive in 2018

The larger six is rated at 276 HP at 6,200 rpm and 266 lb-ft of torsion at 2,750 rpm and that is the sole engine that’s available at launch. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels or all four in vehicles equipped with VW’s optional 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Thus equipped, a dial in the center console permits the driver to choose from On road, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad settings. And finally, the top-grade SEL Premium that we tested rings the register at $49,415 and comes standard with the V6 engine and 4Motion.

Volkswagen Atlas Car – Attractive  Features

New Volkswagen Atlas Car will be First Drive in 2018

The Custom mode permits the driver to alter the behavior of the steering, engine, and transmission, and the sensitivity of the Hill Descent Assist and Hill start Assist. In earlier testing, we found VW’s 4Motion system worked good in the frigid climes of Quebec’s Laurentian region. Standard Atlas S models get LED lights front and rear, a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and android auto, 18-inch aluminium wheels, and a rear view camera.

For about $3,000 more, the SE advantages from things like keyless entry, faux-leather seats that are heated in the front, and an eight-inch screen. The $36,615 (or $39,815 with all-wheel drive) Atlas SE with Technology Package gets a float of active safety equipment that features adaptive cruise control, Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian monitoring, and Lane Departure Warning. We’d like to see most of that safety stuff come standard on a vehicle designed primarily to haul family and friends.

If you can live without any fancy gizmos like that Digital Cockpit, real leather seats, and a 12-speaker Fender-branded sound system, the regular Atlas SEL is fairly well equipped at $40,085 or $43,615 with the V6 engine and all-wheel drive. Some of the obvious cost cutting you will see and feel in an Atlas could be acceptable at the CUV’s starting value of $31,425.

New Volkswagen Atlas Car will be First Drive in 2018

However once the trim level rises and buyers are expected to shell out just shy of $50,000, it suddenly feels objectionable. And that is the main issue we’ve with the Atlas. VW required a credible entry into the seven-passenger crossover segment, and now it has one.

However the company did not break any new ground in the process. We’re sure the brand can sell a whole bunch of Atlases here in America, land of the free and home of buyers who base decisions on value by the pound. However we still wish the Americanization of VW’s traditionally European-tinged lineup aimed for a lot less bland and a little more premium.

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