# Do you like your Atlas??



## Tazzysmalls (May 1, 2021)

So...considering a 2021 Atlas. Do you like your Atlas? Any issues? 
What are your thoughts?? TIA


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## ReignMKR (Jan 28, 2014)

Owned mine for two weeks. Love it so far. Lots of people complain on here. I still think they’re good cars. 
I’ve owned a lot of vw’s and Audis tho so I’m used to the little issues and things people complain about. Still worth it to me. 

Good luck! 


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## MMeachGLI (Feb 1, 2014)

We have a 2018 SE w/ tech 2.0t. We love the vehicle. It checked off a lot of boxes. There are a couple things that bug me though. The user settings per key never worked right. Often we have issues with conflicts between users and the infotainment system just goes to default mode. Minor but frustrating at times. We decided to tune the 2.0 turbo and that was the best decision. Plenty of get up and go for a large SUV. Decent gas mileage from such a large vehicle. The features, fit, and finish for the price point sold us. It drives so much better than the competition.


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## kocyk123 (Mar 23, 2021)

2019 SEL Premium. Bought it with 4k miles ago about a month ago and now at 9k. Love the car so much. Only issue I had was no A/C freon in the system which was fixed under the warranty the second day of owning the car and I have 360 camera misalignment issue that is being taken care of under the warranty. All cars have issues but I get it and I am fine with it. We are all different and some of us are more sensitive when it comes to some details. Some people don't understand the nature of some car's behaviors and these can quickly become a big deal on the forums. I love my Atlas and will not hesitate to buy one again or recommend one. I love the technology, I love the way it drives, I love the way the engine sounds I love the smell of leather and I love the space! It is not the greatest on gas and everyone knows it. I knew it before buying it so I have no right to complain now and I will not. There are a lot other things that make up for bad gas millage. You get a lot of car for the price.


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## BSM (Jul 4, 2020)

kocyk123 said:


> no A/C freon in the system which was fixed under the warranty the second day of owning the car and I have 360 camera misalignment issue


Sounds like a poor front collision repair


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## kocyk123 (Mar 23, 2021)

BSM said:


> Sounds like a poor front collision repair


What do you mean? Car had no collision. There has been quite a few owners that they got their Atlas brand new with no freon in their A/C system and looks like my car was one of them too because they said it was empty.


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## BSM (Jul 4, 2020)

kocyk123 said:


> What do you mean? Car had no collision. There has been quite a few owners that they got their Atlas brand new with no freon in their A/C system and looks like my car was one of them too because they said it was empty.


ADAS calibration issues are strongly correlated with collision damage, and AC problems can be as well - that’s what I’m saying 🤷‍♂️


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## kocyk123 (Mar 23, 2021)

I agree, but that is not the only reason to have these issues.


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## shadytheatlas (Jul 5, 2018)

Old timer here. Bought ours in the fall of 2017. I never knew what a love/hate relationship was until owning the Atlas.


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## ToadStool (May 2, 2021)

Tazzysmalls said:


> So...considering a 2021 Atlas. Do you like your Atlas? Any issues?
> What are your thoughts?? TIA


I've owned mine for 6 days. Prior to 6 days ago I don't remember hearing of nor seeing an Atlas. Went to VW dealership to just browse a used car in their lot - not even seriously looking to buy anything. As my wife and I were making our way to the used car section we had to walk thru the new car lot to get there. Clever, eh? Well, it worked. Had to walk by about 7 Atlas' to get there. At every encounter I had to stop and study each one. I was like, wow, VW's got some talented designers working for them.

The fact that I got mine at $6k under sticker sure sweetened the deal too. This one is their V6 x-sport SE 4M and just about smack dab in the middle of their version line up. Except for a 2000 M5 with DINAN options  I've never owned a German vehicle. But always loved the old Bugs.

*6-Day Summation*
Styling - 8.5 out of 10, maybe a 9/10 if I had the 21" wheels. Very nice lines, very wide stance, and it just sits well. Seems to have just the right amount of everything I prefer to have in an SUV. Not too much, not too little. Just right? Maybe.

Performance - 7.5/10 
- Straightlight. IMO, it has just enough git-up and go. It's brand new so I'm not pushing things at least until I've got a few k miles of break-in. Nothing much to write home about regarding straight line performance. But it's enough to put a little smile on my face. Oh, I notice it (or me) seems to wander a bit within its lane. I hope it's just me so I can learn from it. It has rather effortless steering so it could be just me getting used to differences.

- Handling - Not so sure yet. I've only got 200 miles on it with a few short trips outta town. So far I think it pretty good as it it seems like a variable handling that can almost seem a bit sloppy or sloushy but when stressed firms right up. For example. I'm taking some tight 2 lane backroads in the mountains at higher speeds and it's handling S curves up and down hills rather nicely. Hopefully I'll have a better idea after break-in. 

Egonomics / Interfaces / Options - Jury's still out. I really like what I see but I now realize I must change my mindset. Coming from a fully loaded 2013 Ford Explorer Limited, I now have certain expectations on how to get things done. And with the Atlas I'm missing a few options. It's gonna' take some time for me. But still enjoying it. Cons? The driver's seat is a bit sloppy in handling my 6'2" 220 frame. I would prefer my seat engage my frame a bit more. It's not too bad but it seems my body is swaying in the seat a bit too much. A bit sloppy here but not the end of the world.

Volkswagen Customer Service / Warranties, etc - Seems pretty top flight in what they offer thus far.

Music Sound Quality - 3 / 10 - Just the basic units here that I think comes with all but top-of-the-line Atlas'. Oh, well.

To sum it all up in my 6 short days, I think the Atlas an excellent find. It sits and drives if not well, at least well enough. Hat's off to the VW design team 'cuz there are some ugly lookin' vehicles out there. If the Atlas doesn't give me issues, it may be one of my better decisions in recent years.


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## Utilimuter (Jun 22, 2017)

I've got a Launch Edition 2018 with a VIN less than 1000 and have had it since June of 2017. I love the car when it's working. I'm at 80,000 miles and most of those miles are highway miles. My prayer is that now that I'm beyond the warranty, that all the bugs are out of it. I've had the entire coolant system replaced in the vehicle (radiator, reservoir, hoses, etc.) , A window motor unit replaced, A/C issues fixed, Issues with the sunroof fixed, and quite a few others issues. . . honestly more than I can remember.

With all these issues, I've considering trading it in, but I have to say, again, when it's working, we love it. I have a family of 5, we slap a big roof box on the top and road trip across 1200 miles at a time, multiple times a year to grandma's house. It is very comfortable, it has lots of room to keep the wife and kids happy, and, in my opinion, looks nice. We keep the third row up so the kids can spread out, hence the need for the roof box. For road-tripping, I can't imagine a more comfortable experience. It loads up well and with its size and length, cruises very well.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

I like it. We bought in Sept 2018 and it now has almost 35k miles. No issues, so far.

We just bought a 2022 Odyssey Touring. It's faster and handles better, much more like a car than the Atlas, but the Atlas still appeals to me. Probably even more so, in its own way.


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## gthoffman (Oct 27, 2014)

We love ours, 2019 SEL-P bought Nov 2019. We haul a camper, bikes, roof box, etc and have only loved it for the entirety of the 30k miles we have on it. Comfortable on long trips, capable in bad weather, easy to see out of, etc. would buy it again in a heartbeat before anything else in its price range.


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## miles99 (Jan 9, 2009)

I truly hate this car. It's our second Atlas because wife likes simple cars.
To me it's the most generic, undermotorized, cheap plastic gondola one can imagine. We had tons of problems with the 2018 (SEL) model. With the 2021 model (SEL AWD) interior trim come off after only 8 months and 3,000 miles. Infotainment system stops working with out reason, Safety features (lane assist, traffic sign recognition, back camera) stop working randomly.
Everything is designed to be as low-cost as possible. E.g., why put in TPSs into all tires and then saving pennies by deciding not to indicate which tire's pressure is low?
8 months into the second Atlas my wife agrees that her next car is a real car. Stay away from it.


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## mtbsteve (Dec 6, 2011)

miles99 said:


> I truly hate this car. It's our second Atlas because wife likes simple cars.
> To me it's the most generic, undermotorized, cheap plastic gondola one can imagine. We had tons of problems with the 2018 (SEL) model. With the 2021 model (SEL AWD) interior trim come off after only 8 months and 3,000 miles. Infotainment system stops working with out reason, Safety features (lane assist, traffic sign recognition, back camera) stop working randomly.
> Everything is designed to be as low-cost as possible. E.g., why put in TPSs into all tires and then saving pennies by deciding not to indicate which tire's pressure is low?
> 8 months into the second Atlas my wife agrees that her next car is a real car. Stay away from it.


While I echo your comments on the cheapness and that the safety features as well as infotainment is slow to turn on and sometimes flaky from time to time, the tire pressure monitor does tell you which tire is low. I just picked up a nail in my front passenger side tire this past Saturday and it indicated the correct tire that was losing air. This is in 2021.5 SEL R Line AWD, should be the same for you unless it was a .5 model year upgrade.

To the OP, there are other better options but it all depends on what you want out of your car. Even though the Korean twins are better in many ways and if it were my car and not my wife's I would probably have been in one of them, we still preferred the look of the Atlas, the overall interior space and the simplicity of the interior design. You can get the Atlas in real colors vs the gray tones of many others, we love our green r-line with brown interior. It feels more truck like and has been a good vehicle for us even if it has only gone 2k miles in 3+ months since she isn't in the office yet. I get to contrast that with the same infotainment and safety features in my new Sonata N Line (same or similar as in the Palisade I would have went for) and the radio is on in a second or two (Atlas takes seemingly forever, 10-20 seconds), Nav map (w/free traffic) or AA up in seconds when plugged in (Atlas takes 10-60 seconds - long enough to make me pause at the end of my street if trying to decide which way to go due to traffic), safety features that always work vs the Atlas that sometimes has hiccups. 
There are many other things to either praise or nit-pick but in the end we are happy with it and it has already proven to be an excellent people and gear hauler as well has allowed me to fit boxier / slightly larger items than the Enclave we had before it. We were going down the path of picking a car based on test results (well, I was anyway) and test drives but I could tell that the style of the Atlas was what my wife wanted, instant mood change when she drove it, she loved it, and that is what matters most. In the end, as long as the size inside and out works for you, the competition is really tight on 3 row family SUVs and they are all splitting hairs at being better or worse than the others, there really are no horrible options on the market. And don't let MSRP fool you, no one would buy an Atlas at full price, it isn't as competitive vs other vehicles at full price but the Koreans are still selling close to sticker and the VW will be less when all said and done.


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## miles99 (Jan 9, 2009)

mtbsteve said:


> This is in 2021.5 SEL R Line AWD, should be the same for you unless it was a .5 model year upgrade.


Clearly not present in our SEL. It's either a .5 thing or an R-line feature.
The size of the Atlas is indeed a plus. The only thing that is sad about the size is that they made just small enough to not fit a full sheet of plywood.

My disappointment comes from having a T-reg before the Atlas. They are worlds apart.

As for the Koreans: When we looked at them the dealers asked several thousand $ over MSRP (LA Area 08/20). I just laughed and left the lot.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

miles99 said:


> I truly hate this car. It's our second Atlas because wife likes simple cars.
> To me it's the most generic, undermotorized, cheap plastic gondola one can imagine. We had tons of problems with the 2018 (SEL) model. With the 2021 model (SEL AWD) interior trim come off after only 8 months and 3,000 miles. Infotainment system stops working with out reason, Safety features (lane assist, traffic sign recognition, back camera) stop working randomly.
> Everything is designed to be as low-cost as possible. E.g., why put in TPSs into all tires and then saving pennies by deciding not to indicate which tire's pressure is low?
> 8 months into the second Atlas my wife agrees that her next car is a real car. Stay away from it.


What vehicle do you like as a "real car" in the under $45k 3 row SUV segment?

I actually love the engine, sounds good, gets pretty decent MPG for its size, plenty of power compared to its competitors in its price point. Plastic interior bits make cleaning up after pets and kids super easy. I have experienced the lane/traffic system randomly being turned off when starting the vehicle, but if I go to vehicle settings and click the box it turns back on. 

As far as TPMS, you should be checking the pressure of your tires regularly no matter what the dash says.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

miles99 said:


> As for the Koreans: When we looked at them the dealers asked several thousand $ over MSRP (LA Area 08/20). I just laughed and left the lot.


^ THIS LOL They wanted over $55k for a Kia... GTFO.


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## The Road Warrior (May 23, 2006)

miles99 said:


> Clearly not present in our SEL. It's either a .5 thing or an R-line feature.
> The size of the Atlas is indeed a plus. The only thing that is sad about the size is that they made just small enough to not fit a full sheet of plywood.
> 
> My disappointment comes from having a T-reg before the Atlas. They are worlds apart.
> ...


Don’t waste your time with Hyundai Kia. They have real engine failure problems. They’ve acknowledged them for some model years but they effect many more than they say. Case in point, my 2012 Veloster that spun a rod bearing at 130k well cared for miles. Not covered! That was a fun $5500 engine replacement! A guy got fired for making a tiktok at his dealership showing how many engines were waiting to go into customer cars. It was insane, I will never trust them again.

That being said I’ve owned a lot of cars and I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy owning any of the others as I am with our 2018 Sportwagen and our new 2020 Cross Sport SEL-P in Pure Gray. We’ve only had the Atlas a few months and got a killer deal with it being a leftover 2020 but it’s a late year build and I love it. 

We used to own a 2006 Lexus GX and that was a big vehicle but I feel like I could fit two GX interiors inside this Atlas. The backseat room is just massive. I know that comes from being a Crossover vs a body on frame truck but I’ll take it. 

I honestly don’t think there is a better deal in vehicles than VWs offerings. They feel and drive nice, you can get 5-7k off msrp just about any day. Engines are powerful and mostly reliable and efficient. I think they’re the best bang for the buck going right now. 


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## miles99 (Jan 9, 2009)

skydaman said:


> What vehicle do you like as a "real car" in the under $45k 3 row SUV segment?
> 
> As far as TPMS, you should be checking the pressure of your tires regularly no matter what the dash says.


My wife does not really decide on a car based on the sticker price. E.g., she wouldn't even test drive a Q7 because the center console cup holder was too small and there were too many buttons. But I'm hoping that they bring back the T-Reg to the USA. If not it will be a Cayenne or Q7. 
The Atlas is by no means a German car. It's banged together in the South with serious QA issues. When we drove it off the lot the arm rest of one of the captain seats fell off. Or just look at the tolerances for panel alignment. That's down there in Tesla territory (can't get much worse).

As for tire pressure: My daily driver is 11 years old and shows the exact tire pressure for every tire in the cluster. That is probably not more then a few lines of code VW did save pennies on.
It's 2021 and I'm supposed to manually check tire pressures with TPSs installed? Seriously?
It's the lite things that annoy me. E.g., the saved another ~$0.10 by omitting the trip odometer reset button with the digital cluster. Instead you have to navigate through submenus to find it. How impractical is that?

BTW: Does anyone know how to reset the oil change reminder with the digital cluster? The dealer left it counting down from production date and not from purchasing date.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

miles99 said:


> My wife does not really decide on a car based on the sticker price. E.g., she wouldn't even test drive a Q7 because the center console cup holder was too small and there were too many buttons. But I'm hoping that they bring back the T-Reg to the USA. If not it will be a Cayenne or Q7.
> The Atlas is by no means a German car. It's banged together in the South with serious QA issues. When we drove it off the lot the arm rest of one of the captain seats fell off. Or just look at the tolerances for panel alignment. That's down there in Tesla territory (can't get much worse).
> 
> As for tire pressure: My daily driver is 11 years old and shows the exact tire pressure for every tire in the cluster. That is probably not more then a few lines of code VW did save pennies on.
> ...


I get it, I wasnt a big fan of the Q7 infotainment center console either. 

Atlas is still an MQB chassis so its German engineered, but many built on that chassis are not manufactured in Germany. I havent had any problems with captains chairs or panel alignment. 

I dont care if a car is $500 or $500,000, I check tire pressure manually no matter what the dash says. Same as checking the oil I don't wait for an idiot light to tell me somethings wrong. 

Assuming you have the digital dash, scroll over to Range, hold the OK button and the service options pop up on screen, scroll down to reset oil change service and click OK. Few other options in there as well.


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## miles99 (Jan 9, 2009)

skydaman said:


> I get it, I wasnt a big fan of the Q7 infotainment center console either.
> 
> Atlas is still an MQB chassis so its German engineered, but many built on that chassis are not manufactured in Germany. I havent had any problems with captains chairs or panel alignment.
> 
> ...


Oh, excellent! Thanks a lot. That worked. There's even the Trip odo reset


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## ragingduck (Dec 9, 2003)

Entering week 3 and love it! I got this for my wife and it's an '21.5 SEL 4Motion with the V6. We took it to Newport Beach to take a boat out and it got compliments even though this is a pretty affluent area. Interior is nice, ride is comfy, features are decent, I love the space vs our old Subaru Forester and vs the Ascent we also considered. My frame of reference is our former Subaru Forester Touring (top trim level) and our two current BMWs–a 2018 M3 CS and a 2019 i3. I will not be comparing it to our Honda because frankly the Honda is a bare bones economy car that doesn't compare.

*Pros: *
Handsom styling
Spacious interior vs the competition
Just enough power to navigate traffic unlike our Forester without feeling like we are punishing the car
Adaptive Cruise works well, better than the Subaru
Lane assist is helpful
Entertainment system is much better than Subaru
Digital dash is nicer than BMW's
Seats are comfy
We love the huge sunroof
More value for the money than BMW
Came with a full towing package unlike our Forester (I'm not sure if this is standard even though it should be in my opinion)

*Cons (SEL non-Premium):*
No homelink
I wish it had auto folding mirrors
I wish I got the top down 360 camera
No ventilated seats in this trim level
No automatic 3rd row, although it is very easy to operate
Hands free trunk doesn't always work for my wife (but works for me)
Infotainment gets confused who's phone to connect to when a call is received. For instance, my wife gets a call but I am connected to carplay and her call over-rides listening to spotify. In our BMWs and Subaru, only one phone connects at a time, which is preferable for us. 
I wish the wheel telescoped more, but I had the same problem in the Subaru. BMW has more adjustability than both.

*Other observations:*
ACC is better than Subaru's Eyesite, but not as good as BMW's. My BMW is completely automated in stop and go. Both VW and Subaru require interaction to go again after a long stop. VW–press resume, Subaru–ACC stops and you have to press on the brake again or you will idle crawl into the car in front of you, then you have to press resume to have it engage again.
Reverse camera aspect is a little off. BMW's camera is higher definition and a wider angle. Front sensors are a little conservative, as I find I can get a little closer than it indicates. Not a big deal parking in public, but I'm trying to fit a lot of cars in my driveway.
i have not found a way to set the remote start temperature setting. 72 is a little too warm in hot Southern California. I like 69 and my BMW simply remembers the last setting.
Suspension is a little floaty for my taste, but it's not a sports car, so that's okay I guess. I have not tried Sport mode over twisties and big bumps yet. The Forester handles much better, but it is a lighter smaller SUV and is a rougher ride. Tradeoff is fair in my opinion.
In retrospect I would have searched harder for a Premium for the cameras and vented seats alone, but honestly quantity is scarce right now in my area.

Here's a pic I took the day I picked her up. It came with a few extras like the step rail and front deflector, which I think both add to the look of the car nicely:
2021.5 VW Atlas 3.6L V6 SEL 4Motion by JMG, on Flickr


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## Chimera21 (May 10, 2021)

Have had my 21 3.6, 4 motion, technology package, IDK if its a 21.5, a few weeks and only about 500 mi on it. For the $ point I am happy with it. 

what would indicate if its a 21.5 model?


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## bboshart (Aug 6, 2012)

Chimera21 said:


> Have had my 21 3.6, 4 motion, technology package, IDK if its a 21.5, a few weeks and only about 500 mi on it. For the $ point I am happy with it.
> 
> what would indicate if its a 21.5 model?


The spec sheet posted a while ago listed a few things. Since you have an SE tech, it’s not quite as much new stuff added as higher trims so it’s harder to tell but one thing would be front door mounted entry/puddle lights. There should be lights on the bottom edge. 

Another is wireless app connect. I’m assuming ‘21 still had wired?

And it lists a “new” leatherette steering wheel as well. Maybe the redesigned VW logo one?


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## Chimera21 (May 10, 2021)

bboshart said:


> Tone thing would be front door mounted entry/puddle lights. There should be lights on the bottom edge.
> 
> Another is wireless app connect. I’m assuming ‘21 still had wired?
> 
> And it lists a “new” leatherette steering wheel as well. Maybe the redesigned VW logo one?


I have all the above. Sales guy never delineated there was a .5 version but did say "wireless" car app was new which it has.

Options listed are:
AutoDim/Homelink RV mirror
Monster Matts w/HD cargo liner and CarGo blocks
VW 30k mi prepaid maintenance 
First Aid/Assistance kits

I got $3200 off sticker $ and they also included roof rack X bars

I did find after buying the trailer wiring "connector" was not on the car but got one from Amazon for little $. Not sure why a trailer hitch package would not include that but it was very simple to install

I also bought the Muddy Buddy by weathertec cargo/backseat liner from Amazon. The cargo liner otherwise was a dog hair magnet so I am liking the Muddy Buddy liner

I like the size and look of the car. Have not owned a VW for over 30 years but had no problems with the Jetta and Audi I once had so ideally this Atlas will be the same. Have to keep it in Sport mode which it stays in automatically but wish the stop/start thing could be on all the time but have just become used to hitting that button after the start button as SOP. I did see the aftermarket defeat harness for start/stop delete but not having a issue with hitting the button to stop it


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## cookie monster 88 (Jul 3, 2021)

I'm in SoCal. Prices for cars out here are currently ridiculous b/c of covid. Sold my 2019 tacoma for $600 than what i paid for it new. Ended up buying a 2021.5 Atlas SEL 4motion.

Not sure why people buy a European car then complain about issues. All European cars have issues. But they are still nice cars. If you want trouble free ownership buy a toyota/lexus.

Was surprised how comfortable the Atlas is, the space, easy third row access, and included features. Before the tacoma I was driving an BMW X5M. x5 was great but **** wore out on it all the time. Expensive to maintain ($2k-$8k service bills all of the time). Would have kept the taco but with two kids it's not comfortable at all. Tacoma is a kids car.
My previous cars have all been lexus, bmw, audi, benz, land rover. I'm pretty old school and like things simple. I'm happy with the interior of the Atlas, it's ride and comfort. For $20k-$40k less than my previous luxury cars it's a fantastic deal and family ride. As I get older i tend to love my money more and don't want to waste it on paying for expensive cars that i only keep for 2-3 years. I've got two really young kids so the massive space of the atlas is welcomed. Kids like it way better than the wife's rover. European luxury cars all have quirks. Lexus has the least amount of issues that my family has had from new cars. Still have the OG Lexus GX470.

I think the atlas looks nice and is a good value for the money. We'll see how well it stacks up over then next few years. The 15 yr lexus GX will probably out last it lol. It can't be any worse than an audi and rover to maintain. And it's a money saver compared to the x5M which required new brakes, rotors and tires (staggered set up) every 15k miles. Damn v8 twin turbo made it impossible to drive slow.

For those of you considering the Atlas as a family car it's definitely worth a look. It's not the fastest suv out there, but it's comfortable for the family and full of safety features. Protecting the family is more important to me than the speed. Plus most people I know who have fast cars hardly ever drive them fast. And slower is better for me since my last ticket of 150 mph cost me a few grand in court and increased my auto insurance like crazy (The stupid things we do when we are young). Slow and safe is the way to go with the family.


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## Alpinweiss2 (Jan 9, 2017)

cookie monster 88 said:


> I'm in SoCal. Prices for cars out here are currently ridiculous b/c of covid. Sold my 2019 tacoma for $600 than what i paid for it new. Ended up buying a 2021.5 Atlas SEL 4motion.
> 
> Not sure why people buy a European car then complain about issues. All European cars have issues. But they still nice cars. If you want trouble free ownership buy a toyota/lexus.
> 
> ...


Welcome to VW Vortex! Thank you for the great write-up on your new Atlas. Post pictures when convenient.

🍺


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## anorine (Jul 29, 2019)

I love the 2021.5 SEL my wife has. The tech in it is just ridiculous. That said, there are a handful of things that VW cheaped out on that is just mind numbing. A couple items are just observations. 

1. Incandescent turn signals in the front (fixed this with deauto key set)
2. Incandescent cargo lights (fixed this with spare leds I had on hand)
3. The joke of a horn (fixed this thanks to a fellow forum member)
4. The transmission is way too eager to shift which makes it feel like it is missing the torque band
5. No paddle shift
6. Occasional vibration from handed engagement, feels like the clutches are slipping
7. iPhone 12 is extremely difficult to charge wirelessly 
8. Sound system is…. Not great. 
9. Fake exhaust - just ugh 
10. SEL wheels are definitely not my favorite. R lines were non existent in the state due to the chip shortage 

Complaints aside do I regret buying it? Heck no. It is a very nice vehicle that handles well and is comfortable for the family. I’ve started fabrication on a catch can mount to keep carbon build up at bay and fully intend to keep the vehicle for the next 10+ years. If I had to do it all over again, I feel like I would have pressed the wife to consider the SEL-Premium. The better sound system plus a couple of the other features would have pushed it up over the top.


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## Blind1 (Jun 30, 2021)

Purchased our 2021.5 SE 2.0T Memorial Day weekend. During COVID we dropped to a one car household (and then had a baby) so we went shopping when I went back to the office.

We love it. It’s spacious, smooth and has plenty of power for a family hauler. My wife loves the styling and features. All of the tech is fine, and we’ve been able to address some infotainment issues pretty quick. It’s our first Euro car so we figured we’d have some teething issues.

We looked at and test drove numerous other mid-size SUV options. The Pilot was bloated and the transmission sucked, Highlander was too small, Ascent was small and too quirky. My wife hated the palisade styling and Telluride was too faux Range Rover for her taste. Dealers also wanted $3-10k over MSRP for the Korean twins. No, Thank you.


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## Alpinweiss2 (Jan 9, 2017)

Blind1 said:


> Purchased our 2021.5 SE 2.0T Memorial Day weekend. During COVID we dropped to a one car household (and then had a baby) so we went shopping when I went back to the office.
> 
> We love it. It’s spacious, smooth and has plenty of power for a family hauler. My wife loves the styling and features. All of the tech is fine, and we’ve been able to address some infotainment issues pretty quick. It’s our first Euro car so we figured we’d have some teething issues.
> 
> We looked at and test drove numerous other mid-size SUV options. The Pilot was bloated and the transmission sucked, Highlander was too small, Ascent was small and too quirky. My wife hated the palisade styling and Telluride was too faux Range Rover for her taste. Dealers also wanted $3-10k over MSRP for the Korean twins. No, Thank you.


Congratulations on your new Atlas! Pictures are always welcome….

And around here Kia and Hyundai were asking about $5000 over for the Telluride and Palisade. Ummm…..no thank you.  

🍺


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## anorine (Jul 29, 2019)

Alpinweiss2 said:


> Congratulations on your new Atlas! Pictures are always welcome….
> 
> And around here Kia and Hyundai were asking about $5000 over for the Telluride and Palisade. Ummm…..no thank you.
> 
> 🍺


I was interested in the Kia Carnival but the 1 option that is absolutely non-negotiable is LED headlights. In order to get LEDs on it, you have to get the top package which is around $48k - for a minivan... On top of that, there was no AWD option. The one thing it really has going for it is dual injection.


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## Alpinweiss2 (Jan 9, 2017)

anorine said:


> I was interested in the Kia Carnival but the 1 option that is absolutely non-negotiable is LED headlights. In order to get LEDs on it, you have to get the top package which is around $48k - for a minivan... On top of that, there was no AWD option. The one thing it really has going for it is dual injection.


Agreed.

LED headlight technology has now been available for several years. Incandescent lighting is obsolete, and (in most cases) inferior to LED. But, I notice some manufacturers are still using the older style incandescent halogen headlights. 

I understand there are economic pressures on the automobile industry. On the other hand, SUV’s are selling well, and have a significantly better profit margin than equivalent sedans. It seems some of that profitability could go for better lighting, without paying for a $$$$ option package. Even a stand-alone LED option would be better than the expensive bundled options.

🍺


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## cookie monster 88 (Jul 3, 2021)

Alpinweiss2 said:


> Congratulations on your new Atlas! Pictures are always welcome….
> 
> And around here Kia and Hyundai were asking about $5000 over for the Telluride and Palisade. Ummm…..no thank you.
> 
> 🍺


Thanks. I'll post pictures up tomorrow after the new rims get put on. Bought the car 4 days ago. Had the front windows tinted today and added the JL Audio 8inch w3 sub (powered enclosure) pulled from my previous car. The added bass makes a big difference in the car. 









JL Audio ACP108LG-W3v3


MicroSub+™ 250-watt 8" powered subwoofer




www.crutchfield.com


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## VolInGa (Jun 18, 2021)

Alpinweiss2 said:


> Agreed.
> 
> LED headlight technology has now been available for several years. Incandescent lighting is obsolete, and (in most cases) inferior to LED. But, I notice some manufacturers are still using the older style incandescent halogen headlights.
> 
> I understand there are economic pressures on the automobile industry. On the other hand, SUV’s are selling well, and have a significantly better profit margin than equivalent sedans. It seems some of that profitability could go for better lighting, without paying for a $$$$ option package. Even a stand-alone LED option would be better than the expensive bundled options.


If Toyota can put them in every Corolla, no automaker has an excuse.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

anorine said:


> I was interested in the Kia Carnival but the 1 option that is absolutely non-negotiable is LED headlights. In order to get LEDs on it, you have to get the top package which is around $48k - for a minivan... On top of that, there was no AWD option. The one thing it really has going for it is dual injection.


Agree, over $35k AWD and LED is a requirement. 



cookie monster 88 said:


> Thanks. I'll post pictures up tomorrow after the new rims get put on. Bought the car 4 days ago. Had the front windows tinted today and added the JL Audio 8inch w3 sub (powered enclosure) pulled from my previous car. The added bass makes a big difference in the car.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Kinda shocked people want more bass than the stock system provides, it almost seems a little too biased towards bass. I did put some damplifier pro on the thin sheet metal in the spare tire well under the stock sub and it jams pretty well, enough for a family car anyways. But I get some people want more as my pickup truck has 2 JL amps, two 10's and components and its a lot louder but often not with the fam in that vehicle.


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## cookie monster 88 (Jul 3, 2021)

skydaman said:


> Agree, over $35k AWD and LED is a requirement.
> 
> 
> 
> Kinda shocked people want more bass than the stock system provides, it almost seems a little too biased towards bass. I did put some damplifier pro on the thin sheet metal in the spare tire well under the stock sub and it jams pretty well, enough for a family car anyways. But I get some people want more as my pickup truck has 2 JL amps, two 10's and components and its a lot louder but often not with the fam in that vehicle.


what bass? I have a 2021.5 SEL. There is no sub by the spare. I think you have a different option and sound system. My stock speakers had as much bass as a 40 inch Samsung led tv. With the sub the bass is almost like stock at 10% of the volume. Between 11-40% of the volume the audio sounds full and is like having a surround system to your tv at home. Above 50% volume it booms like a night club. So at low volume when the family is in the car it’s not obsessive and doesn’t drown out any of the highs.


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## Blind1 (Jun 30, 2021)

From the perspective of a non-audio snob/phile - the base sound system seems fine. I don’t think it’s the best I’ve ever heard but it is certainly serviceable and the majority of buyers simply won’t notice. The average soccer mom just wants to put on Disney tunes or SXM Pop2k and won’t care. 

If you don’t fit into the above category you are likely going to make tweaks and changes anyway… so there is very little incentive for the manufacturer to cater to that need.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

cookie monster 88 said:


> what bass? I have a 2021.5 SEL. There is no sub by the spare. I think you have a different option and sound system. My stock speakers had as much bass as a 40 inch Samsung led tv. With the sub the bass is almost like stock at 10% of the volume. Between 11-40% of the volume the audio sounds full and is like having a surround system to your tv at home. Above 50% volume it booms like a night club. So at low volume when the family is in the car it’s not obsessive and doesn’t drown out any of the highs.


Weird I thought SEL would have one, my SEL-P came with one with the Fender audio.


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## anorine (Jul 29, 2019)

skydaman said:


> Weird I thought SEL would have one, my SEL-P came with one with the Fender audio.


This is a sore point with me and VW. They _only_ put the Fender system in SEL-Premiums. IMHO they could make a crap ton of money if they made that an option rather than a bundle in the SEL-P. I would gladly pay an uncharge for it.


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## Gruemeister (Jun 14, 2021)

I've had my 2021.5 for a couple of months now. I LOVE it.


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## TXAtlasCS (May 3, 2021)

Put 40k miles on a Launch Edition V6 FWD Atlas and now 5k miles on a Cross Sport 2.0T 4motion. The only issue I ever had with either was a leaking sunroof in the V6 - poorly designed drainage issue. Got the Cross Sport without the sunroof


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## Juneau21 (Jun 20, 2021)

I have a 21.5 V6 R line with 4Motion and love it. We've already done a couple road trips in it and the cargo space has been great. I've also found the ride to be very smooth, quiet and comfortable. We've had a couple Tahoe's and the Atlas feels much more refined for something that is still relatively large. Great value for the money and has exceeded my expectations


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## Alpinweiss2 (Jan 9, 2017)

TXAtlasCS said:


> Put 40k miles on a Launch Edition V6 FWD Atlas and now 5k miles on a Cross Sport 2.0T 4motion. The only issue I ever had with either was a leaking sunroof in the V6 - poorly designed drainage issue. Got the Cross Sport without the sunroof


Yup, we ordered our Atlas without a sunroof. A solid steel roof is the most trouble-free design.  

🍺


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

Funny how we all like different things. The models with no sunroof seemed a bit claustrophobic to me, and other brands smaller split sunroofs seemed cheesy especially at higher price points. If cleaning out the drains turns out to be a maintenance item so be it, seems worth it to me as I use it just about every day. It was 70* this morning cruising with the windows down and roof open making VR noises was a perfect commute.


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## skydaman (Dec 16, 2005)

Juneau21 said:


> I have a 21.5 V6 R line with 4Motion and love it. We've already done a couple road trips in it and the cargo space has been great. I've also found the ride to be very smooth, quiet and comfortable. We've had a couple Tahoe's and the Atlas feels much more refined for something that is still relatively large. Great value for the money and has exceeded my expectations


Totally agree, for some reason the Tahoe/Suburban seemed more awkward than my SuperDuty to drive.


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## B0RNAGA1N (Dec 9, 2021)

Just bought a 2018 Launch Edition (No 4Motion) It has 59,000 miles and after reading all the comments about them I am pretty nervous. It smells like coolant when I shut it off after driving it a bit. It makes me a little nervous. I am going to monitor the coolant levels. It was certified pre owned so I have a warranty until 84,000.

Other than our nervousness, we came from a 2004 Acura MDX, so this thing is like an alien spaceship for us (was baffled when it just shuts off at red lights?? Had to google it). It so awesome!


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## cardude944 (Nov 2, 2007)

Took delivery of my 2022 Cross Sport SE with tech Wednesday and I've already put around 400 miles on it. I love everything about this car. I do however wish I could hear more of the 3.6 from the exhaust. I plan on doing the ecs res delete so we'll see if that works. Also hate that I have to turn off the auto start stop every time I start the car. I plan on buying obd11 and turning it off permanently once I confirm it works with the 2022. Otherwise I think it looks great, drives great, and has all the tech I could possibly imagine. I'm looking forward to getting some snow here in PA to see how 4motion handles it.


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## mhjett (Oct 16, 2000)

I have the ECS res delete pipe and think you'll like it. It opens up the VR nicely but stays just as quiet as stock when you're only crusing.


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## cardude944 (Nov 2, 2007)

mhjett said:


> I have the ECS res delete pipe and think you'll like it. It opens up the VR nicely but stays just as quiet as stock when you're only crusing.


Yeah that's exactly what I'm looking for. I was on AFEs website and saw the catback for $700 but I'm worried it would be too loud.


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