The large crossover from Volkswagen is the German brand’s answer to the demands of the American market, where buyers are traditionally sensitive to the ratio of size and price.
No one has yet succeeded in making a full-fledged seven-seater SUV cheap, but it is quite possible to build a crossover based on a sedan, in this case the Volkswagen Passat.
Externally, the new car is easiest to recognize by the modified front end, where LED headlights of a new shape appeared, which are now connected by a glowing LED strip running over the grille. Accordingly, the grille itself has changed, as well as the front bumper
The rear lighting is also new, as is the upper spoiler. By the way, not only the Atlas has changed, but also its Atlas Cross version with a coupe-like roof silhouette and the absence of a third row of seats. The latter received a distinctive rear bumper with an imitation of a diffuser.
In the cabin, Volkswagen abandoned the attempt to save on finishing materials and brought the interior of the Atlas almost to the level of the Touareg SUV. In addition, the central display has been enlarged, and most active driver assistants, including the lane keeping system, are now standard equipment.
The main news, however, was the final rejection of the naturally aspirated VR6 engine. Now the only alternative will be a four-cylinder, two-liter turbocharged engine, which has been boosted to 269 hp. It works exclusively in tandem with an eight-speed automatic, but the drive can be either front or all-wheel drive.
In addition to North America, the Atlas is also sold in China, and from there pre-restyling cars are already being brought to Russia via parallel import. This means that we will also have an updated version.