# Tell me why I should buy an Atlas



## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

Hello all. Happy to be here. I am in need of a larger family vehicle to replace my 535i m sport, and have become intrigued by the Atlas SEL Premium. As a longtime BMW/Volvo owner, the Atlas would be a VW first. 

There are many aspects of the Atlas that I do find to be appealing, however I keep going back to a few areas of hesitation. As such, I am hoping to glean some insider perspective from true owners in order to make the best decision. 

Of note, the VR6 engine performance is what I find to be most concerning. All other competitors I am considering (XC90, Q7, Discovery V) are offering greater power output options with better fuel economy, so I am genuinely hesitant about taking the plunge into what seems to be an underwhelming powerplant. Can anyone provide real world insight into the VR6? Does the Atlas feel sluggish or lackluster around town? What about highway passing – are you often hammering the throttle in order to maintain routine highway speeds and/or highway passes? Does a full load of people and gear hamper things even further?

Additionally, commentators have mentioned a lack of traditional VW “fit and finish” with regard to the Atlas. Is there any justification for this criticism? (Again – potential first time VW owner so I do not have a basis for comparison).

The top rival in terms of what I am cross shopping would be a Q7 3.0T Premium Plus. However, I do have four kids so I fear the practical space, e.g. third row usability, may take the Q7 out of the running. 

Thank you in advance for the time.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

Had my Atlas for almost 1.5 years. Been very happy with it . In my view the V6 is not short on power and has served me well. Fit and finish on mine was all great 

My only recommendation for you is to go and test drive it yourself and see if it meets your power expectations. Mileage depends on your driving habits. Calm driving nets me about 27 mpg on the highway while being a bit shredding this comes down to the 20 to 22 mpg range. City driving, well it depends on how many stop and go. I netted 19 with not too much stop and go and as low as 14 with lots of stop and go. 


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

It is a great family vehicle but engine/transmission performance is it's weakest point. Sport mode is better than normal mode. It's not an issue on the highway, I find it has plenty of passing power. It's the accelerating from stop or at low speed where the performance lags. It's a big vehicle so it isn't going to perform like a sports car or sedan, but it should be better than it is. That said, go drive one. It's the only way to know if it will cut it.


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## Mrprice (Jul 30, 2013)

Wait for 2021 model year. Rumor has it the highest trims will be available with the turbo, all wheel drive and the r-line body kit. Add a tune from APR and your power concerns will all disappear and you won’t ever think of that Q7 again. 

To answer your original question, I have a 19 SEL-P. For what it is, the VR6 is just fine and so far, I’ve enjoyed every bit of this car. Good luck!


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## giowop (Apr 30, 2019)

1. I agree with the other comments about the power. I think it is up to each individual owner. It has good to very good acceleration when needed on the freeway so that’s what I care most about. But I am no expert.

2. The mileage does suck. But unless you are getting a hybrid you’re probably not going to care that much about the mileage on an SUV

3. The features we got on the SEL premium line, in comparison to an XC 90, ran us about $20,000 less. That was a dealbreaker for us. I can’t imagine what those features (adaptive cruise, pano moon roof, heated 2nd row, vented front seats, heated steering wheel, heated mirrors, birds eye camera, premium audio) would run on a Q7.

4. The second row is absolutely cavernous! Super huge! And even the third row in use still leaves you a good chunk of room in the second row. 

5. 6 yr, 72,000 mile warranty! Others may be doing that now but at the time it Outpaced everyone else that we could find

6. Super-quiet and smooth ride. 




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## Central Connecticut (Jan 2, 2020)

I purchased my Atlas three months ago. It replaces a Toyota Tacoma 4WD pickup truck which had almost identical curb weight, horsepower and torque. The Tacoma's towing capacity was 6,500 lbs. versus 5,000 lbs. on the Atlas. My observations thus far:

I find the engine performs very well, even when towing;
The fit and finish are superb.
The fuel economy--though not impressive--is less disappointing than my Tacoma. And I'm really enjoying the German engineering and styling which I have enjoyed in the past.


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## comish (Oct 3, 2005)

I have a Golf R, we have had 2 previous Q7's, a 4.2 V8 and the recently departed 3.0 Supercharged (both the older body style/generation). Before that nearly everything has been Audi's because we are a ski family and require AWD or 4wd. Driving of the SUV is from SoCal to Mammoth every weekend and around LA during the week for perspective.

With that background out of the way here is my $.02. 

Your concerns are spot on. The engine is definitely the weak point. It cruises fine. No issue at 77mph, even at elevation. Passing requires quite a bit of runway compared to the either of the Q7's we had. This is probably my biggest complaint. It's fine on the freeway going for a normal pass, it's the 2 lane road passing someone at 55mph when you are in a 65mph zone that requires runway. Ahh I miss the Q7 here... Around town it is fine. Nothing special, but not a disaster. Contrary to many opinions I think the transmission is fine. I do keep it in sport mode mostly, but find it quick to downshift and smooth. It does quite well and better than the old Q7 when shifting manually which I do a lot in the snow. It is a slight upgrade on the old Q7's transmission, I can't compare to the current generation Q7 as it was just too small inside.

The fit in finish is fine. Again, nothing terrible, but a couple of steps down from the Audi's and a solid step down from the German made Golf R. Things like more hard plastics, some of the seems between plastics are a bit rougher (where you put your hand to close the front door on the inside), some hints of rattles. Again, nothing deal breaking or a disaster, but they did save a few pennies here. 

That said, we actually do really like our Atlas. We have 3 kids, and the amount of room inside and general interior packaging is SIGNIFICANTLY more/better than the Q7. Our 11yr old is perfectly comfortable in the 3rd row, while in the Q that wasn't going to work much longer. The 3rd row is high with great leg room and totally comfy for an adult. The room behind the 3rd row is also significantly more than everything we saw with the exception of the Telluride. Way bigger than the Q which was important to us. The 2nd row seats fold and tilt forward super easy enabling anyone to get into the 3rd row and our 9yr olds can operate them easily. Go check out the BMW X7 and wait 10 seconds for the 2nd row to electrically slide forward!?!? This is simpler and works way better in the Atlas. We have the captains chairs and there is a ton of room between them down the middle isle which everyone appreciates on our weekly 5hr commutte.

The tech is also pretty sweet! The ACC and lane keep assist work quite well and the central screen is bright and clear and the whole tech suite works very well and is a significant upgrade over even my '15 Golf R, but especially our old Q7. 

The SUV handles quite well considering the interior space. Brakes well, suspension is pretty well tuned for cruising without feeling like a boat. A smidge softer than the Q, but it's fine. I have found the AWD better than the Quattro in the Q7 in the snow. This is because you can put it into snow mode and not have to rely on the computer to distribute power which I find great at speed, but not so great when starting or moving very slowly in parking lots or on hills. Being able to adjust the mode and have power to all 4 wheels before things slip, enables you to not slip and lose traction.

Oh yeah, last point is value. For the price paid it's great and we would buy it again. At $36k+/- for SE V6 AWD w/ tech there is nothing else in that price range that worked as well for our family. I wish I still drove a Q7, but it was too small on the inside for our family of 5 and sometimes 6 with gear. The Telluride was the only thing close, but they still wanted $5k over sticker rather than VW's +/- $5k under sticker. That is a big shift in real pricing...


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## Tiddy14 (Oct 3, 2019)

I recently bought an SEL Premium and I am pretty happy. I retired my Expedition and my three kids swear the second row has more room than the Expeditom.

I do think the V6 should have more power and lags off the line, but when on the freeway passing is no issue. We have a place in Tahoe and it cruises through the mountains. It’s also great in the snow.

As far as the interior goes, I owned an Audi and it reminds me of that interior. Overall, you can’t beat the warranty and the vehicle feels like a luxury SUV. Hope this helps.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

comish said:


> I have a Golf R, we have had 2 previous Q7's, a 4.2 V8 and the recently departed 3.0 Supercharged (both the older body style/generation). Before that nearly everything has been Audi's because we are a ski family and require AWD or 4wd. Driving of the SUV is from SoCal to Mammoth every weekend and around LA during the week for perspective.
> 
> With that background out of the way here is my $.02.
> 
> ...


All excellent points. I too drive mostly in Sport until I get to cruising speed then I dip down to D so it shifts to a higher gear. I find driving in normal (D) is painful in "city" areas. I just hate the shift patterns...VW is dumping gears as fast as possible to keep MPG's up but at the cost of decent acceleration. We came from a Sienna minivan, and while nothing will compare with the amount of cargo and passenger space, this was literally the next best option (we wanted AWD and Sienna AWD requires runflats - no thanks). The Telluride has pretty good numbers, BUT not as good as the Atlas.

Not sure how they measure 2nd row legroom in the Telluride, but that number is misleading...they must measure it at its MAX with the 2nd row slid all the way back into the 3rd leaving nothing for the 3rd. Where the Atlas shines is having adult legroom in all 3 rows at the same time.
Also, while the Telluride does have 0.4 cu ft more cargo room behind the 3rd row, it's when you start folding down seats that the Atlas really dominates. With 3 kids and captain's chairs like you, we usually travel with half the third row folded down and one kid in the way back. I don't think anything short of an Expedition or Suburban/Yukon XL (which are not fitting in my garage!) can match the combination of Cargo and Passenger space.....well except a minivan of course!


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

Hfqkhal said:


> Had my Atlas for almost 1.5 years. Been very happy with it . In my view the V6 is not short on power and has served me well. Fit and finish on mine was all great
> 
> My only recommendation for you is to go and test drive it yourself and see if it meets your power expectations. Mileage depends on your driving habits. Calm driving nets me about 27 mpg on the highway while being a bit shredding this comes down to the 20 to 22 mpg range. City driving, well it depends on how many stop and go. I netted 19 with not too much stop and go and as low as 14 with lots of stop and go.
> 
> ...


27 mpg highway?? That is impressive! I don’t think I’ve seen VR6 figures that high.


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

Thanks to everyone for the extensive feedback thus far. Very good info here!

The 2021 suggestion sounds interesting, esp with a tune on the 2.0t motor, 4motion, and R line trim with SEL-P features, just don’t know if I can wait that long.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

I don't know that I would mess with the warranty on a new vehicle by tuning it....


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

Tim K said:


> I don't know that I would mess with the warranty on a new vehicle by tuning it....


With you 100%


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## Mrprice (Jul 30, 2013)

Hfqkhal said:


> Tim K said:
> 
> 
> > I don't know that I would mess with the warranty on a new vehicle by tuning it....
> ...


2 points:

First, just to clarify, as of 2020, the warranty is down to 4yrs/50k miles. The 6yr/72k miles was only for 18-19 model years - most likely to attract new buyers to the brand.

Second, and it’s worth investigating - there are many VW dealers that are also APR shops and install tunes on newer vehicles. From my understanding, VW is far more lenient on tuned vehicles than Audi. I’ve had several vehicles tuned under warranty and never ran into issues. Even on service related repairs or warranty work, there has to be proof that the tune was totally responsible for the damage. 

However, I understand your concern and so does APR. For that reason, APR has multiple tunes available: APR plus increases Atlas HP to 291 and TQ to 317 and carries its own warranty for peace of mind. 

Their Stage 1 tune increases HP to 319 and TQ to 348. These numbers are still well within tolerance for the transmission, etc. 

Regarding mileage, I drive 100% in ECO mode on my V6 4mo. When I first got it, I was seeing 23-25 mpg. Now, at 11k miles, my average on Fuelly is 22.6 and I’m pretty light on the throttle and try to utilize hypermiling techniques as much as possible. Granted, Im using 87 octane and it is winter and I expect that number to increase a little in summer but 27mpg...damn. Do you have FWD or something? How many miles?


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## AudiVW guy (Feb 7, 2006)

i won't tell you to buy it for the mileage as it sucks.. but the practical is why we got it.. plus the customer service is pretty good at the dealer we attend.. 
it is a beast, large and does the job.. but thats about it.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

AudiVW guy said:


> i won't tell you to buy it for the mileage as it sucks.. but the practical is why we got it.. plus the customer service is pretty good at the dealer we attend..
> it is a beast, large and does the job.. but thats about it.


THIS. I didn't buy it for me, I bought it for transporting my family and our stuff. It does that very well. When my kids are older maybe then I can buy another ME car....


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

Tim K said:


> THIS. I didn't buy it for me, I bought it for transporting my family and our stuff. It does that very well. When my kids are older maybe then I can buy another ME car....


I said what I said before. I had 5 adults and a 10 year old with 2 adults in the third row. Drove for over 2 hours and not one complained about discomfort or anything. Now here is something new that just happened yesterday. My new neighbor is hi had the Telluride asked me for a drive around in my Atlas. Took him around and let him drive it. The next day he traded his Telluride for an Atlas. 


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

Hfqkhal said:


> I said what I said before. I had 5 adults and a 10 year old with 2 adults in the third row. Drove for over 2 hours and not one complained about discomfort or anything. Now here is something new that just happened yesterday. My new neighbor is hi had the Telluride asked me for a drive around in my Atlas. Took him around and let him drive it. The next day he traded his Telluride for an Atlas.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I bet he did fine on the trade-in though, those things are selling at or above MSRP in many places. My friend had to drive 2hrs out to the middle of the state to get one for $1000 below sticker.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

the new Highlander Hybrid, while smaller inside and out, the 36 mpg with the on-demand AWD (separate electric motor in the back) does pique my interest.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

BsickPassat said:


> the new Highlander Hybrid, while smaller inside and out, the 36 mpg with the on-demand AWD (separate electric motor in the back) does pique my interest.


Hope it does not have the same issue as the RAV4 hybrid which seems that filling the tank is actually much less than the specs 


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

Hfqkhal said:


> Hope it does not have the same issue as the RAV4 hybrid which seems that filling the tank is actually much less than the specs
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The Atlas tank is relatively small, which many complain about. Still 35 mpg is a whole lot better than my Tiguan at 26 mpg, and especially the Atlas

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## sheaffer (Jun 25, 2003)

If money is not an issue I would not buy a VW. I'd definitely go for BMW x7 or GLS. However, it seems you are trying to be a thrifty buyer, thinking with your wallet not your instincts or what will my rich neighbors think  OMG you bought whaaaaat, a VW? 

Atlas in the SEL Premium trim is definitely a luxurious vehicle. Real leather, all the safety features/gadgets are up to date. I have the 3.6L engine in mine and it feels adequate for driving in any condition. We drove from PA to FL last summer, with 2 kids in the back and trunk full of cargo. No issues accelerating, passing tractor trailers or merging. In my opinion people who claim the car is slow, must be former Porsche/Ferrari/Lambo owners. Atlas is a family vehicle, and I don't think anyone buys it to race it. I'm in my 40s (early), and I like to drive fast (sometimes, conditions permitting) and enjoy driving the Atlas, never felt the car is slow. 

The amount of room you have in this car is just incredible. Had my parents in the 3rd row for 2 hour trip, father is 6ft. He was in shock how comfortable the 3rd row was. 

My cousin just bought Atlas SEL Premium. Loves it. The 21 inch optional wheels are super good looking. Also the 2019 72k/6yr warranty is the best in the class. Find yourself a brand new 2019 SEL Premium and you will not regret it.


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## kazimir80 (Mar 15, 2019)

As being said, its family vehicle. Some kids suffer from kinetosis (fast change of speed or direction). So if you dont wish to have vomit all over just dont race.

Second, me and my wife have other cars for daily driving for better fit in city and mpg. Atlas can take 6 people and some cargo or roof rack just fine. I tried mine AWD 3.6 and it is accelerating just fine and can keep 80-100 miles per hour running even some safe overtaking. These are speeds driven in Europe. 

And it can be serviced quite easily, VR6 is reliable and very well known and wont hurt your wallet as many other powertrains.


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## hxgaser (Mar 22, 2011)

comish said:


> ... The Telluride was the only thing close, but they still wanted $5k over sticker rather than VW's +/- $5k under sticker. That is a big shift in real pricing...


^^This... At the time of our Atlas purchase last year around August, I walked into a Kia dealer and asked to negotiate on price. They laughed... I drove across town to a VW dealer and got our SE 4 motion with captains chairs, tow package, and miscellaneous goodies for $6K below MSRP. 

BTW, the biggest reason that we bought the Atlas is just that... The biggest! It actually has more usable space than a Tahoe. Only thing that may have bigger interior space maybe Suburban or Expedition MAX, as others have already stated.

As for your concern about the HP, I for one, don't really notice it. I didn't buy 4,600 lbs SUV to swing it around corners. It does fine climbing California Sierra Nevada mountains, fully loaded, including loaded roof box with all the family, including our four legged boss. It has no issue passing anyone. (BTW, VR6 WOT sounds better than it has the right to.)

As for the fit and finish, it is fine. I had other luxury vehicles in the past ranging from BMW, Audi, Volvo, and etc. Atlas is fine. I am not sure what chassis 535 you own, but Atlas probably feels better than an E60, may not be as fancy as a F10. The price bracket is not really trying to compete with a luxury vehicle anyways. It is fine nonetheless.

I haven't regretted the purchase yet. And I look at that thing everyday and think, "it is a good looking ride." Yes, I am vain.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

hxgaser said:


> ^^This... At the time of our Atlas purchase last year around August, I walked into a Kia dealer and asked to negotiate on price. They laughed... I drove across town to a VW dealer and got our SE 4 motion with captains chairs, tow package, and miscellaneous goodies for $6K below MSRP.
> 
> BTW, the biggest reason that we bought the Atlas is just that... The biggest! It actually has more usable space than a Tahoe. Only thing that may have bigger interior space maybe Suburban or Expedition MAX, as others have already stated.
> 
> ...


For me fit and finish is great, performance meets my demands, mileage just right for the size. Above all it has not
Failed me. Love it and will in now way choose any other than the Atlas 


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

sheaffer said:


> If money is not an issue I would not buy a VW. I'd definitely go for BMW x7 or GLS. However, it seems you are trying to be a thrifty buyer, thinking with your wallet not your instincts or what will my rich neighbors think 🙂 OMG you bought whaaaaat, a VW?
> 
> Atlas in the SEL Premium trim is definitely a luxurious vehicle. Real leather, all the safety features/gadgets are up to date. I have the 3.6L engine in mine and it feels adequate for driving in any condition. We drove from PA to FL last summer, with 2 kids in the back and trunk full of cargo. No issues accelerating, passing tractor trailers or merging. In my opinion people who claim the car is slow, must be former Porsche/Ferrari/Lambo owners. Atlas is a family vehicle, and I don't think anyone buys it to race it. I'm in my 40s (early), and I like to drive fast (sometimes, conditions permitting) and enjoy driving the Atlas, never felt the car is slow.
> 
> ...


If money were not an issue I wouldn’t be shopping an Atlas ;-)

Thanks for the input.


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

hxgaser said:


> comish said:
> 
> 
> > ... The Telluride was the only thing close, but they still wanted $5k over sticker rather than VW's +/- $5k under sticker. That is a big shift in real pricing...
> ...


F10


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but I’ve also become intrigued by the Telluride SX AWD. I think they look badass and seem to come well equipped. However, I have not driven one and would have similar fit and finish concerns going in. Old habits die hard. 

Prices still seem above msrp also.


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## LenE (Dec 23, 2002)

Last May, we were looking for a new vehicle for my wife. She was driving an older Suburban, and wanted to replace it with a minivan. Our oldest daughter often needs to use a wheelchair or walker, so we need space. This kind of forced a crisis for me, because I just don’t do minivans.

I started looking for good mid-size SUV candidates, and the short list ended up being the Toyota Highlander, VW Atlas, and the Kia Telluride. My wife was initially dead-set against any of them, and wanted me to include the Pacifica Hybrid (puke). 

Well, we hit a VW dealer first, and her first impression of the Atlas with the captain chairs in the second row got her to stop bringing up the Pacifica. There was an adjacent Toyota dealer, and going through the highlander knocked that off the list. We saw Tellurides on the road, but couldn’t find them on any dealer lots, and all dealers were almost boastful about how much above sticker they could get. We got her a SEL Premium Atlas in Pacific Blue, and she has been ecstatic with it ever since. It is great for family camping trips and handles snow like a champ.

She drives a lot. It now has 24,000 miles on it with absolutely no problems ever experienced. If you didn’t catch that, she will have around 28,000 miles on it in the first year. We were so impressed with her Atlas, that I bought another one this January to replace my GLI. With my daughter’s equipment, it was easy for us to justify.

Now, about the Telluride. We see a lot of new Hyundai’s and Kias around here because they have a test track located near by. Both brands have moved light years in quality, but they are still not as good as I wish they were. I have a friend who got a Telluride From a dealer that was over 100 miles away. He generally likes The vehicle, but he had a major issue at 200 miles on the odometer when he drove onto a ramped entrance to a local business, and his windshield cracked from top to bottom. Apparently Hyundai/Kia had designed the car with an extremely thin windshield, to shave weight for improved fuel economy. His experience was not unique, and he had to wait almost 6 months to get a replacement windshield due to low supply and high demand for replacements. I am sure Kia will address this issue, but in my opinion, they shouldn’t be anywhere near MSRP with this built-in quality and safety problem.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

LenE said:


> Last May, we were looking for a new vehicle for my wife. She was driving an older Suburban, and wanted to replace it with a minivan. Our oldest daughter often needs to use a wheelchair or walker, so we need space. This kind of forced a crisis for me, because I just don’t do minivans.
> 
> I started looking for good mid-size SUV candidates, and the short list ended up being the Toyota Highlander, VW Atlas, and the Kia Telluride. My wife was initially dead-set against any of them, and wanted me to include the Pacifica Hybrid (puke).
> 
> ...


I am always wary of buying a first model year vehicle....and would be more so from Kia/Hyundai.....throw in pricing at or close to MSRP and you can forget about it.


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## Taco1933 (Nov 1, 2017)

The fit and finish comments are because it isn’t a Touareg. The Touareg was/is more upmarket and would be more comparable to the Q7. They share a platform. The atlas is a bigger and cheaper SUV purposely designed for us bigger and cheaper Americans. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a great value for what it is. It’s just not really fair to compare it to SUV’s that cost $10-20k+ more. My aunt had a 3.0T Q7 Prestige. Phenomenal car. I think it stickered for over $80k.


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## swedesc (Jan 13, 2019)

Taco1933 said:


> The fit and finish comments are because it isn’t a Touareg. The Touareg was/is more upmarket and would be more comparable to the Q7. They share a platform. The atlas is a bigger and cheaper SUV purposely designed for us bigger and cheaper Americans. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a great value for what it is. It’s just not really fair to compare it to SUV’s that cost $10-20k+ more. My aunt had a 3.0T Q7 Prestige. Phenomenal car. I think it stickered for over $80k.


It also shares a platform with the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus. Personally, I'd take the new euro spec Touareg over the Q7 any day. I wish they hadn't discontinued it as imo it looks much better than the Q7, has better tech, and is cheaper.


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## -->Gforce (Mar 17, 2020)

LenE said:


> Last May, we were looking for a new vehicle for my wife. She was driving an older Suburban, and wanted to replace it with a minivan. Our oldest daughter often needs to use a wheelchair or walker, so we need space. This kind of forced a crisis for me, because I just don’t do minivans.
> 
> I started looking for good mid-size SUV candidates, and the short list ended up being the Toyota Highlander, VW Atlas, and the Kia Telluride. My wife was initially dead-set against any of them, and wanted me to include the Pacifica Hybrid (puke).
> 
> ...


My wife and I are in the market for a new car also, long story short I created and account here because we've settled on the Atlas. By the way hi all. Hope to share news about a new Atlas in the near future. We hope to get a 2021 SEL Premium R-line when order-able. I want to share a copy of the order guide I got from the local dealer as soon as my post count is high enough. Anyway, I LOL'd about your Telluride comment because the salesman on our test drive also boasted that they are getting $5k over sticker also. I just laughed at him, not surprised when he didn't ask to take my info after the test drive. He also said you can't order one either because they don't want to stop production (maybe that is just his dealer not wanting to). It's a nice car though. Aside from the general niceness of the interior one of the features she really liked was that LCD in the cluster switched to a camera view of the side of the car. Like an accompanying feature to the blind spot monitor light on the mirror housing. The SEL Premiums have a 360 degree parking camera also like the Telluride and the full LCD cluster. Do the Atlas have a blind spot camera as well? The one we drove was not an SEL P.


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## Tim K (Jan 31, 2001)

-->Gforce said:


> Aside from the general niceness of the interior one of the features she really liked was that LCD in the cluster switched to a camera view of the side of the car. Like an accompanying feature to the blind spot monitor light on the mirror housing. The SEL Premiums have a 360 degree parking camera also like the Telluride and the full LCD cluster. Do the Atlas have a blind spot camera as well? The one we drove was not an SEL P.


No. It would be nice if they had that blind spot camera like Kia/Hyundai is now using, but nope. The Atlas doesn't even default to the 360 view on reverse. It goes to the reverse only view and you have to manually select another view. They should split screen between the reverse and overhead view in my opinion.


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## -->Gforce (Mar 17, 2020)

Tim K said:


> No. It would be nice if they had that blind spot camera like Kia/Hyundai is now using, but nope. The Atlas doesn't even default to the 360 view on reverse. It goes to the reverse only view and you have to manually select another view. They should split screen between the reverse and overhead view in my opinion.


Thanks for the info. Bummer, it seems like the equipment is already there. I agree that should be the default camera view, that's exactly how it is in the Telluride. Split screen with reverse cam and 360.


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## JBkr (Jun 18, 2018)

How much weight are you towing?



Central Connecticut said:


> I purchased my Atlas three months ago. It replaces a Toyota Tacoma 4WD pickup truck which had almost identical curb weight, horsepower and torque. The Tacoma's towing capacity was 6,500 lbs. versus 5,000 lbs. on the Atlas. My observations thus far:
> 
> 
> I find the engine performs very well, even when towing;
> ...


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## Taco1933 (Nov 1, 2017)

swedesc said:


> It also shares a platform with the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus. Personally, I'd take the new euro spec Touareg over the Q7 any day. I wish they hadn't discontinued it as imo it looks much better than the Q7, has better tech, and is cheaper.


Yeah, I’d agree but most Americans wouldn’t. As a whole, we don’t seem to like paying premium prices for non-premium badges. The Touareg just wasn’t working here. The atlas is though. I see those things everywhere.


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## swedesc (Jan 13, 2019)

Taco1933 said:


> Yeah, I’d agree but most Americans wouldn’t. As a whole, we don’t seem to like paying premium prices for non-premium badges. The Touareg just wasn’t working here. The atlas is though. I see those things everywhere.


Yeah that was it’s main issue. Also many reviewers said the second generation was just too plain Jane for its price. I really liked it personally but most did not care for its styling and interior. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sheaffer (Jun 25, 2003)

0% for 72 months with up to 6th months no payments. You can probably get a deal of a lifetime


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## Central Connecticut (Jan 2, 2020)

JBkr said:


> How much weight are you towing?


I am towing a little over 2,000 pounds.


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## Nasdamus (Mar 21, 2020)

sheaffer said:


> 0% for 72 months with up to 6th months no payments. You can probably get a deal of a lifetime <img src="http://www.vwvortex.com/Anthony/Smilies/smile.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Smile" class="inlineimg" />


Is this a thing? Looking to pull the trigger in a few weeks but an probably going to hold out for 2021’s. I’ve seen a few hit lots this week, most said the SEL Premium’s should be in mid-April.

Any chance that kind of promo would apply to them?


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## sheaffer (Jun 25, 2003)

0% for 72 months is advertised under specials on vw.com for 2019 and 2020 cars. 







Nasdamus said:


> Is this a thing? Looking to pull the trigger in a few weeks but an probably going to hold out for 2021’s. I’ve seen a few hit lots this week, most said the SEL Premium’s should be in mid-April.
> 
> Any chance that kind of promo would apply to them?


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## -->Gforce (Mar 17, 2020)

Nasdamus said:


> Is this a thing? Looking to pull the trigger in a few weeks but an probably going to hold out for 2021’s. I’ve seen a few hit lots this week, most said the SEL Premium’s should be in mid-April.
> 
> Any chance that kind of promo would apply to them?


In the same boat as you. You've actually seen 2021's on the lot? I would be waiting for an SEL Premium R-Line myself. That financing would be awesome, I have a feeling we just may see it with this COVID19 stuff. GM already offered the same on new cars and I think Ford offered no payments for 90 days. I just saw a Hyundai ad for 0% for 72 months too.


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## Nasdamus (Mar 21, 2020)

One of the local lots has a few SEs. They said to expect the premiums in mid-April. I meant the SEL premium R-Line as well.


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## Phil37 (Jul 5, 2015)

Mrprice said:


> Wait for 2021 model year. Rumor has it the highest trims will be available with the turbo, all wheel drive and the r-line body kit. Add a tune from APR and your power concerns will all disappear and you won’t ever think of that Q7 again.
> 
> To answer your original question, I have a 19 SEL-P. For what it is, the VR6 is just fine and so far, I’ve enjoyed every bit of this car. Good luck!


Thanks for sharing :thumbup:. 4MOTION with the Turbo 4 seems like an interesting combination. Curious about how much it would cost. The Atlas is going to be my next purchase. As much as I like 4MOTION and that VR6 is super smooth, I will probably end up getting a fwd 2019 Atlas S 2.0 TSI. It’s a lot of car for the money.


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## HS2Esq (Mar 5, 2020)

Phil37 said:


> Thanks for sharing :thumbup:. 4MOTION with the Turbo 4 seems like an interesting combination. Curious about how much it would cost. The Atlas is going to be my next purchase. As much as I like 4MOTION and that VR6 is super smooth, I will probably end up getting a fwd 2019 Atlas S 2.0 TSI. It’s a lot of car for the money.


I almost feel like I should start a new thread 2.0T v VR6.  That is, IF I end up in an Atlas. 

The current finance deals are enticing, but so is the new model. I'm really liking the idea of R Line with SEL-P appointments.


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## Mrprice (Jul 30, 2013)

SEL-P R-Line means you’ll go V6. If they end up offering the turbo, it will be later availability. Here’s the the 2021 order guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U5deFXj7dejGVaV0FeUDCJ8wX9S5AEPw/view


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## Nasdamus (Mar 21, 2020)

-->Gforce said:


> In the same boat as you. You've actually seen 2021's on the lot? I would be waiting for an SEL Premium R-Line myself. That financing would be awesome, I have a feeling we just may see it with this COVID19 stuff. GM already offered the same on new cars and I think Ford offered no payments for 90 days. I just saw a Hyundai ad for 0% for 72 months too.


Not sure where you’re located but two of the dealerships in NoVA have 2021’s. The first v6 SEL Premium landed on Wednesday.

Lindsay VW Dulles and Fairfax VW


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## zohhan (Mar 30, 2020)

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and current BMW owner. So instead of creating a new topic, I'm going to ask here, I think it's relevant. 

So currently I own F10 with 3.0 liter turbo motor and absolutely love the vehicle, however, I need a bigger one. 

My wife likes Atlas and the plan is to get this to her and later I'll get another bimmer to myself :laugh:

I also own a VW Jetta and while I was at the dealership I spoke with SA and we took a look at some of them. I mentioned to him that I'm interested in 0% APR and I got a message from him couple days ago, that they offer 0% APR for 72 months and no payments for 6 months. 

I think I'm ready to pull the trigger, but, wanted to check with you guys first and see your opinion on price/model etc. 

From the engine perspective I'm 99% positive I'll go with 3.6. Not sure about a model to go with, leaning towards SE w/Technology. 

I think I haven't seen a heated steering wheel option on any of them, did I miss it? 

New 2020 Atlas 3.6 SE w/Technology is listed at 37.875$ currently at the local dealership, is it a "good" price? Is there any room for negotiation? 

Thank you all very much!


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## wweeiichen (Feb 25, 2020)

zohhan said:


> Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and current BMW owner. So instead of creating a new topic, I'm going to ask here, I think it's relevant.
> 
> So currently I own F10 with 3.0 liter turbo motor and absolutely love the vehicle, however, I need a bigger one.
> 
> ...


Aim to 20% off msrp


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## Mrprice (Jul 30, 2013)

Heated steering wheel should be standard on SEL and above for 2020 if I’m not mistaken.


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