# We are considering the Atlas but after reading reviews I'm not sure



## jewl495 (Nov 19, 2018)

We are test driving new cars and I fell in love with the Atlas but after reading so many bad reviews I'm on the fence. Which model do you own and would you still purchase it if you had it to do all over again. We are considering the Atlas, Pathfinder and Sorento


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## Drive by (Mar 13, 2017)

What you read here is true. Sometimes folk’s frustrations make them push a bit but if you read enough reviews of any brand you’ll never buy any of them. Having said that I wouldn’t put the Sorento and Atlas in the same category, I’d be shopping Tiguan. And in my personal taste the Pathfinder is not at all my style. Can’t speak to the that reliability as I never shopped that. Having said that we have a Kia in the family (2012 Forte) that the kid drives. It’s boring but super reliable.

If I had to rebuy today I would. I’ve been an owner for 6 months and while I’m about to make my first dealer appointment (passenger door rattle and strut noise) it’s not something I’m in a rush to do as both are super minor things.

Good luck on your quest. Remember most people will post negative things because they need help. Fewer people post things like “I drove to work today and nothing went wrong!” Regardless of brand or forum that much is true.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

I agree with the reviews. One can’t rely on them much. So far one reads all over and sees most of the times over the different sites that the same person has posted his/her displeasure all over while very few write about their good experience. I read all the reviews and still get my SEL Premier. So far I love it and has not disappointed me (1 month). As to Kia I can’t speak much about it. For the pathfinder, well the car I had befor was a Murano and this is where things went the wrong way. Transfer case had a leak and the cost quoted with parts and labor was $3,000 and power steering rack for also about $3,000 and it only had 35k miles on it and always serviced as required by the dealer. They needed to drop the CVT to get to transfer case. The Pathfinder is with CVT. It is good but seeing some off-road tests the CVT just gave up. Look at TFL’s you tube comparison of the 2. Above all research the reviews about the service of the dealers you will be dealing with, to me the service side is what determines the end result of your experience with the SUV you decide on. 

https://youtu.be/AKEh__wVjn0 For the link to the review


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## Fgv1it (May 23, 2017)

*Long term Atlas experience*



jewl495 said:


> We are test driving new cars and I fell in love with the Atlas but after reading so many bad reviews I'm on the fence. Which model do you own and would you still purchase it if you had it to do all over again. We are considering the Atlas, Pathfinder and Sorento


OK, if it helps, my wife and I have been driving an Atlas for a year and a half - an SEL 4WD bought and driven off the lot the first day that they were available for sale at our local dealership - and not a single problem to report. Has had a number of recalls and "service campaigns" performed on it, all for items that had NOT failed on the car. In terms of the driving experience, it is outstanding. Easy and comfortable, lots of space and practicality, and handling that is amazingly good for the type and size of the car.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

Going on 1 year and 10K miles without a single real issue. You coudl buy one and it is a lemon, that's how new cars are. Accept the risk and buy what you want. Online reviews/forums are heavily skewed towards problems b/c of the nature of people wanting answers/needing comfort.


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## jewl495 (Nov 19, 2018)

Thank you, it helps hearing from all of you, hopefully others will chime in with their experiences as well. As for reviews the Kia and pathfinder don't have very many bad consumer reviews. I expected to see some with any car but I was just disappointed that the ratio of complaints on atlas seemed higher. Thats why I wanted to hear from other owners. Even ones that have had issues but would make the same decision to purchase.

We were looking at the SE with Tech 4 motion package.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

jewl495 said:


> Thank you, it helps hearing from all of you, hopefully others will chime in with their experiences as well. As for reviews the Kia and pathfinder don't have very many bad consumer reviews. I expected to see some with any car but I was just disappointed that the ratio of complaints on atlas seemed higher. Thats why I wanted to hear from other owners. Even ones that have had issues but would make the same decision to purchase.
> 
> We were looking at the SE with Tech 4 motion package.


This has been discussed ad-nauseum both here and on the primary Atlas group on FB if you do some searching - it's easy to read 100 posts saying "no issue" along side "oh my god this is the worst car I've ever owned". Consumer Report will likely say "unreliable" which isn't totally off-base w/r to VW in general. Keep in mind, what is "reliability"? To me, it's my car not starting/stranding me. To me, it's NOT a rattle, a squeak, a funny noise, something that I think should be one way that isn't. THAT is what you are getting with a good chunk of the negative bits...non car people complaining about things that really aren't issues or big deals. Sure, the Atlas has had some REAL issues namely (from my take here and FB):

cooling system leaks/low

a/c system not working per design

noisy front struts/mounts

loose sway bar end links

transmission issues

leaky sunroof (other VWs do this as well)

batteries prematurely failing

evap purge valve failing

That's all I could remember off the top of my head.

Also, when you buy a vehicle, you need to drive it...I mean without the salesman for more than 10 minutes. Stop at a parking lot and get out, crawl around, open the hood, look at the damn thing. Drive it on the highway. I always do this before I sign the papers on any new/used vehicle. Someone had body panels misaligned...how the @#$# don't you see that before you buy it? How don't you hear the front end clunking? Then they report "not reliable". Not an excuse for poor QC on VW's part, but could save some drama by making sure anything obvious is sorted before taking delivery.


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## RCDheliracer (Jan 7, 2012)

jewl495 said:


> Thank you, it helps hearing from all of you, hopefully others will chime in with their experiences as well. As for reviews the Kia and pathfinder don't have very many bad consumer reviews. I expected to see some with any car but I was just disappointed that the ratio of complaints on atlas seemed higher. Thats why I wanted to hear from other owners. Even ones that have had issues but would make the same decision to purchase.
> 
> We were looking at the SE with Tech 4 motion package.


The Atlas is easily the best SUV I have ever owned. This is compared to a 2016 Tiguan and a 2017 Explorer. Yes it's had it's share of teething issues but honestly, this is to be expected with any 1st generation, 1st year vehicle. VW has addressed these as they have come about and nothing has been catastrophic or stranded me on the side of the road. I would recommend an Atlas to anyone that is looking for a very capable, full size SUV.


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## Icantdrive65 (Nov 8, 2001)

13,000 miles on our SEL 4Motion. We have been very happy with it. It looks like our battery is failing. Two no-starts in the last two weeks. Jumped it and it is fine. Otherwise it has been great. 

The third row space and accessibility was very important to us. Safety, ride and handling were also important. The closest competitor was the Chevy Traverse, but we liked the Atlas better after driving both.

We would definitely buy it again.


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## danporges (Dec 31, 2017)

I have a 2018 Atlas SE Tech 4Motion R-Line with over 15,000 miles and never a single problem at all. The car is fantastic. My wife just bought a 2019 Sorento EX-V6. That is also an amazing vehicle with a great engine and good tech for the money. However, between the two there is no comparison. The Atlas is nearly a foot larger in every direction, or at least it feels like it. The 3rd row is usable, where my 3 year old is uncomfortable in the 3rd row of the Sorento. Like others have said, the Tiguan is the better comparison size wise to the Sorento, but between those two the Sorento is a much better vehicle, though pricing is more comparable to the Atlas overall.


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## nyca (Apr 15, 2002)

The Mazda CX9 wins every magazine review I see on 7 seater SUVs. However, the third row is too small. If you can live with that, get a CX9. The Traverse is the same size, and the Traverse costs more for the same option set, and you cannot turn off the engine start/stop.


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## sayemthree (Mar 2, 2006)

]dafter one year we love ours even more . Definitely made the right decision


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## sayemthree (Mar 2, 2006)

after one year we love ours even more . Definitely made the right decision


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## acoz (Apr 9, 2018)

I have had an SE w/tech R Line for 7 months and love it. Would totally make the purchase again. I will say about the reviews, that the Atlas is a brand new line for VW so yes, there are probably more complaints out there than the others at this point. Mine has fared well so far, and I'm sure VW will be very responsive to problems that come up.


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## B-5 (Oct 14, 2006)

After 2 months and 1000 miles, heck yeah I would buy it again. I would buy a second one if my 18 Passat wasn't paid for. We looked at EVERYTHING before settling with this one. My opinions of the others:

Kia Sorento: I couldn't even get into the third row. With 2 girls ages 13 and 10 standing 5'7 and 5'5, they may need that third row at times
Subaru Ascent: Noisy boxer/CVT combo. But most of all, I felt like I was sitting on one of those pool noodles in the front seat.
Ford Explorer: Uncomfortable and if I am dropping almost 40k on a car, I think the second row should require less effort to move the seats around.
Dodge Durango: See Ford Explorer
Nissan Pathfinder: Again, the CVT trans mission with the motor just seemed noisy. Quiet was #2 on our requirements.
Used Audi Q7: Third row was almost as much of a joke as the KIA.
Honda Pilot: We were selling a 2012 Odyssey, I felt like the Pilot was the butt ugly love child as a result from a minivan/Crossover affair.

Came down to Atlas and Highlander. Was a tough call, but our #1 requirement was a 8 way adjustable front passenger seat so that it can be lowered to address our aging knees. 8 way adjustable was on the SEL line and that was it. Turning 40 sucks.

Even the "most reliable" make of cars can still produce issues. Our 2012 Oddy needed rotors replaced at 25k miles, a bad starter left us stranded in PA for 2 days at 38k, power steering pumps went at 55k, rear wheel bearings went at 65k, rear trunk carpeting always seemed damp, power sliding doors started making an occasional "boom" when they opened at 50k, and a few other items that just made it aggravating.


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## Jetta32696 (Mar 22, 2001)

Got ours in April of 2018, SEL 4 Motion with R-Line and haven't had an issue to complain about. Software update was recently done, only had on check engine light, but that's was an easy fix, gas cap was not even screwed on. Very happy with ours and would definitely buy it again over the Pathfinder and Sorrento. We also looked at the Passport, Explorer Sport and the GMC Acadia.


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## Liza5783 (Nov 2, 2017)

*Atlas*

My dad has had the Atlas for a little over a year now at around 25k miles he came from a honda pilot. And he loves his Atlas he has had no issues just the regular oil change and a recall done here and there. He drives a lot for work to Canada and says it is super comfortable.


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## tharsis (Apr 8, 2006)

Just chiming in to say that our SE w/4mo has been great. Coming up on a year now and around 11,000 miles, no problems at all. We love it and wouldn’t trade it for any other SUV on the market. I’ve been a VW guy a long time but it’s my wife’s first and she can’t say enough good things about it. We get asked about it a lot by strangers when we’re out and about and I can’t think of one complaint either of us has had.


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## Chris4789 (Nov 29, 2017)

*I would buy another Atlas if this one was stolen or totaled.*

My Atlas is 13 months old, 14k miles and we have had zero problems. I agree some posts/reviews highlight real problems people have, but I also believe the 2019’s will be better. The 2018 Atlas was so much better than the Highlander, Pilot, Explorer and others, so I took a chance on the first year of production. If I had to replace this SUV today I would definitely get another Atlas. I would also assemble some of the complaints and have them when test driving so you can see if that car has a specific problem and I'd use those complaints to negotiate a better deal.


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

One year and loving it.... runs great....good gas milage....had one problem "fuel tank system error" nothing major...fixed the first time.


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## Jmbbabson (Oct 18, 2018)

Icantdrive65 said:


> 13,000 miles on our SEL 4Motion. We have been very happy with it. It looks like our battery is failing. Two no-starts in the last two weeks. Jumped it and it is fine. Otherwise it has been great.
> 
> The third row space and accessibility was very important to us. Safety, ride and handling were also important. The closest competitor was the Chevy Traverse, but we liked the Atlas better after driving both.
> 
> We would definitely buy it again.


Had my atlas for about 8 months now, 6k miles on it and I was having battery troubles too. Brought it in to the dealership last week to get it checked and turns out the battery from the factory was a dud. Sounds like this might be a reoccurring issue for the atlas so might be worth taking yours in for a check!


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## jewl495 (Nov 19, 2018)

*I appreciate all your feedback*

Thank you all for your feedback, I really appreciate. We are going with the Atlas after all.


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## vdubfan35 (Feb 14, 2009)

The Rs had battery problems as well so if it makes you feel any better it's not just an Atlas thing. Ha.


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## Icantdrive65 (Nov 8, 2001)

Jmbbabson said:


> Had my atlas for about 8 months now, 6k miles on it and I was having battery troubles too. Brought it in to the dealership last week to get it checked and turns out the battery from the factory was a dud. Sounds like this might be a reoccurring issue for the atlas so might be worth taking yours in for a check!


It's at the dealer right now. They checked the battery and it failed. New one in there now.


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## kirk_augustin (Jul 21, 2012)

Icantdrive65 said:


> It's at the dealer right now. They checked the battery and it failed. New one in there now.



The reality is that many new cars have battery problems.
It is not just that they put cheap batteries in new cars to begin with, but that they sit so long in parking lots, after being assembled, shipped, distributed, waiting to be sold, etc.
They try to cycle then to not let them sit too long, but with all the parasitic electronics on all the time, a battery can easily be killed in a week.
The main problem is the system for the key remote.
The receiver has to always be on, and can't be turned off.
It is a significant drain on the battery.


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## acoz (Apr 9, 2018)

*DesertFox* said:


> One year and loving it.... runs great....good gas milage....had one problem "fuel tank system error" nothing major...fixed the first time.


"good gas milage" ....you sure you're talking about the Atlas!? Ha!


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

acoz said:


> "good gas milage" ....you sure you're talking about the Atlas!? Ha!


For me 22 mpg is good.....


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## G60ed777 (Sep 27, 2004)

We love ours! 18 SEL Rline


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## Atlas-Rise (Dec 22, 2018)

*Just do it*

2 months so far, not one issue. I tested everything in the market. This vehicle is in a class of its own. It does its job in spades while looking like it costs 75,000. My wife has no concept of what vehicles are priced or what they are capable of. She absolutely loves this SUV. We bought an SEL AWD in silver and get stopped and questioned constantly about it. "What is that?" "That's a Volkswagen?!" It checked all our boxes for what we needed and we couldn't be happier with our decision! Volk-swaggin wagon for sure!


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## Passatsquared (Oct 26, 2014)

We have an atlas and a tiguan. 
My wife drives an sel-p 4motion atlas, and i a tiguan sel-p rline 4motion tiguan.

We compared to everything new in the price range and nothing was even remotely close. Disclaimer: we love vw, so there is some bias. Lol.

The altas is too big for me compared to the tiggy. It is a hell of a car. 10 months/6k miles and no issues. 
Everybody who comments on it, loves it. All who ride in it love it.

I love the motor. What a sound! They could use better plastics IMO
My wife would get another in a heart beat.

My tiguan is a beast. I will do the pedal tuner and either a jb4 or a tune when they finally become available. 
My orange chariot has gotten me out of 2 tickets so far (we got to talking about the tiggy) 
I am going on 5 months and 10500 miles with no issues. I have noticed recently that the vaccuum operated door for the climate system creaks on startup. While annoying, i dont care enough about it to get it fixed. 
I will buy again too. I was half considering the buick cross-x wagon (i love wagons!) As the only alternative. The tiggy, being the result of a buyback, was a way better deal. 
Of course a euro passat wagon 4 motion with a twin turbo diesel would be my ultimate ride.

I had 2 passats, and my wife 1, prior to our suv acquisitions. While i loved the passat and thought it was the classiest looking car in it's class, the tiguan suits me better.

VWs have their own feel. I feel more engaged compared to toyota and honda. You either like it or you don't.

the most reliable brand IMO is toyota.

My wife had a 2000 camry 4cyl that we sold with 200k. Between 60k and 220k, i did 2 timing belts, tires twice, brakes once, one fuel injector, and a battery.
The family driving it now has taken it to 350k and it is still going!

It was about as exciting to drive as a couch though.
Big difference.


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## RotationalAth (Jul 3, 2018)

acoz said:


> "good gas milage" ....you sure you're talking about the Atlas!? Ha!



Get a 2.0T if you are worried about gas mileage. I have one and I am averaging about 24mpg combined. Really great car. You can even tune it to deliver a ton more power.

Honestly Atlass 2.0T SEL is a poor man's Audi minus the Quattro.


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## bcfleischmann (Jan 4, 2019)

I’m happy with my Atlas after the first two weeks of ownership. Nicest vehicle I’ve ever purchased. I’ve read about issues from many folks but I’ve read the same issues for many different vehicles. I’ll deal with things as they arise but I’m happy to have this.


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## rmel77 (Jul 27, 2007)

Looking to get some updated feedback from 2018 Atlas owners. I’ve been looking at used ones for the last month or so and I’m finding that all the used ones I’m coming across have at least replaced struts, battery replaced and ECU reprogrammed. Is this something to be concerned about? Would most agree that the 2019 would have less issues as 2018? Really interested in hearing if 2018 owners still feel the same way with there Atlas with 15k+ miles? 

Thanks all in advance for the feedback.


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## Liza5783 (Nov 2, 2017)

*Atlas*



rmel77 said:


> Looking to get some updated feedback from 2018 Atlas owners. I’ve been looking at used ones for the last month or so and I’m finding that all the used ones I’m coming across have at least replaced struts, battery replaced and ECU reprogrammed. Is this something to be concerned about? Would most agree that the 2019 would have less issues as 2018? Really interested in hearing if 2018 owners still feel the same way with there Atlas with 15k+ miles?
> 
> Thanks all in advance for the feedback.


My dad has a 2018 with 40k miles on it now, he still loves it like the day he drove it off the lot. The replaced struts and ecu programmings things you are seeing I believe are part of a few recalls that happened and those things got replaced or updated.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

rmel77 said:


> Looking to get some updated feedback from 2018 Atlas owners. I’ve been looking at used ones for the last month or so and I’m finding that all the used ones I’m coming across have at least replaced struts, battery replaced and ECU reprogrammed. Is this something to be concerned about? Would most agree that the 2019 would have less issues as 2018? Really interested in hearing if 2018 owners still feel the same way with there Atlas with 15k+ miles?
> 
> Thanks all in advance for the feedback.


I have a 2018 and zero issues with it for the past 8 plus months. Never regretted the purchase and if I look back I will do so again. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## TablaRasa (May 12, 2008)

rmel77 said:


> Looking to get some updated feedback from 2018 Atlas owners. I’ve been looking at used ones for the last month or so and I’m finding that all the used ones I’m coming across have at least replaced struts, battery replaced and ECU reprogrammed. Is this something to be concerned about? Would most agree that the 2019 would have less issues as 2018? Really interested in hearing if 2018 owners still feel the same way with there Atlas with 15k+ miles?
> 
> Thanks all in advance for the feedback.


We have had ours for a year now, no issues or problems so far. Recalls for the brakes and headlight came in, but ours didn't need anything to be replaced when I brought it in. We already took few road trips with it, farthest was a 9 hr trip up to Toronto. We are very satisfied!


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## SCTyler (Aug 18, 2019)

rmel77 said:


> Looking to get some updated feedback from 2018 Atlas owners. I’ve been looking at used ones for the last month or so and I’m finding that all the used ones I’m coming across have at least replaced struts, battery replaced and ECU reprogrammed. Is this something to be concerned about? Would most agree that the 2019 would have less issues as 2018? Really interested in hearing if 2018 owners still feel the same way with there Atlas with 15k+ miles?
> 
> Thanks all in advance for the feedback.


Love mine, but I am selling it.

If you're remotely (within 12 hours) close to me, would you be interested in purchasing a 2018 SE Technology w/ 4Motion? Tour. Blue w/ Beige Interior

26,000 miles

Tinted Windows

Paint Protection Film on the front and side mirrors.

2nd Row Captains Chairs 

Stock Wheels and Tires have less than 5,000 miles on them (Had an aftermarket set of wheels installed)

Looks like it just rolled off the lot. 

IF any interest, shoot me a personal message on here.


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## kturek (Dec 28, 2018)

2018 here, with 32 000km. The only two things what went wrong so far are dead battery and failed shifter. Both fixed under the warranty. It is my wife"s car, she loves it and would not change it for nothing. We actually fight over, who is going to drive it on weekend. Whoever rides with us is supprised, how well this SUV rides. That includes our Friends with Mazda 9.
Harsh winters ? No problem, we are toasty inside. My wife is in love with VR6 sound. Recently test drove KIA Teluride and while it is nice car, it is much smaller than Atlas in size.
This is by far easiest car to drive from all the cars we had so far, that includes GMC, Ford ,Hyunday. Our last VW was 2005 AWD Passat. That was love , hate relationship. Loved the ride, maintenance was nightmare. Atlas is pure love.


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## KurtK (Feb 13, 2012)

jewl495 said:


> Thank you all for your feedback, I really appreciate. We are going with the Atlas after all.


You are making a good choice. We have the SE with Tech and really love it so far. Over the the past 15 years, we have owned four Passat's, one Jetta, a Tiguan and now the Atlas in our family. All have been reliable and I would probably not buy a different brand unless I decided to splurge on an Audi. We have cross shopped VW and Audi on previous occasions but always ended up buying the Volkswagen model. I think that VW's offer great value considering the design, features, and build quality relative to the price you pay. I would say this is definitely true of our Atlas too. I cannot speak for the other competitors in the segment but Car and Driver has rated the Atlas as its top mid-sized SUV for families. 
https://www.caranddriver.com/volkswagen/atlas


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## Icantdrive65 (Nov 8, 2001)

Coming up on 25k miles on our SEL 4Motion. No regrets. Our battery was replaced under warranty. It looks like the bad batch of batteries has been failing around the 15-20k mile mark. It seems that the recalls caught some minor issues that were present on a few cars. The only problem that really seemed to be a big deal was the faulty LED dash on some earlier SEL Premium models. I believe they have all been updated by now.


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