Thoughts on the 2021 VW Crosssport. DISCLAIMER our commute suddenly went from 10 miles per day to 50 miles per day about 1 month after delivery. We were putting $7.50 a day in the gas tank.
Been a vw tech for 29yrs. I am a fan of the brand. So my opinions are bias of course. After watching your video, I am surprised you are expecting higher fuel mileage....just my opinion! Trading it in after 4 months....you definitely have finances the rest of us don't have! Cheers!
We were not expecting higher milage our commute suddenly went from 10 miles to 50 miles. With this used car market we "only" took a $1000 loss selling back to dealer. This used car market is crazy!
I researched other cars from the same category and their better mpg comes with premium fuel. So 20% more mileage but 20% priced fuel. I have both atlas and glc43 amg and the delta is the same fuel cost/mileage
Just a $1000 .. I find that hard to believe. So you drive the car for 4 months, sold it for $1000 less than what you paid for.. meaning you paid $250 a month !! No way. .. that means the dealer now has to sell it over the original purchased price to make a profit. OR, sometimes they make it look like they are paying you a lot fir your trade-in, but the jack up the price of the new car. But there is no way that you only lost a $1000.
Researching on the gas mileage of a vehicle is the easiest part before buying!!! Looks like you dint do any research before buying this vehicle and then put the blame on the vehicle!!! Atlas is a heavy vehicle and more solid than a v6 honda pilot. So if you want a solid/heavy SUV, V6 engine and GOOD gas mileage, ha ha ha, thats not the right combo!
@@laurenzdeganos9875 have you had a new Honda Pilot? That’s what I traded in for an Atlas. Fit and finish on interior panels was shit, pop the hood and welds were very sloppy on body panels. I paid for the Ex with leather and Navi. The Nav after multiple updates would project my location to the side of the highway on the screen as though the car was floating around the screen. I performed several map updates and never got a resolution. The finish dye was coming off the passenger front seat which had less wear than the driver seat. That was my fifth Honda. Over the years I’ve had seven VW and all have been good to me so long as I stay on too if maintenance. The pilot carpet was also awful, you couldn’t vacuum grass and dirt out easily and it would retain debris even after a full detail. In short the Honda did not impress
I have a 2018 Atlas, MSRP was 50k. Super comfortable, cruises smooth - have got over 30mpg round trip in the mountains- to the beach on the highway - If I want to go fast, I jump in the F150, if I want to be comfortable, I take the Atlas. Love the Atlas! The vehicle has been very reliable. Edit: one thing I did not like, was a common issue, and is the fact it does not come with a spare at all, let alone a full size spare. Purchased OEM Rim online, got a brand new tire from the tire shop, and keep it in my garage, just in case.
@@toddhaynes7145 Pure highway tho. We average 17/18 cruising around town. If you are going down hill, and let off the pedal, it will go into eco mode. Drift as much as possible. My truck, I drive opposite, I press the gas a bit going downhill, gaining speed and drifting up the hills going slower at the top. I use the pedal going uphill, and drift downhill in the Atlas. Try keeping it in ecomode?
@@jesse4589 Nope it’s the v6 with 4-motion. Stock tires and everything. Just cruising to work on 10 miles highway 2 miles city I get 25-28 mpg at 62mph. Our Atlas is a 2018 tho.
@@bigf1502 Wow....we get 25mpg sometimes on trips that there isn't really any stop lights or hills and keep it around 55-60mph. Highway we usually run 70-70 so that is probably a factor LOL! We average 20ish. We are from Pennsylvania, lots of hills here.
There’s a Chinese saying ; if you like the way your horse rides, don’t be stingy about feeding him the best meal in the world.. hope that helps anyone buying a car that drinks whole lot of gas
We bought the Cross Sport V6 4 MOTION all wheel drive R package. We have put 16,000 miles on it in 10 months. Excellent for road trips, love traveling in it.
We use our 2019 Atlas SEL P for travels 90% of the miles that's on the car now. Bought it new in Jul 2019. It's about to roll over to 17k miles. We do have a 2011 T&C that the wife drives and my daily driver is my 09 Jeep, which gets 10 city, 15 hwy (it's tricked out). I only live a little over 2 miles from work so it's no big deal. But comes in handy getting around in the snow, flooded roads, etc.
I did Toronto-Montreal (542 km) and the consumption was 8.5l/100km (27.67 MPG) on regular fuel, which I consider very nice because I previously owned a 2011 Mini Cooper S 1.6L 189hp getting 8.7l/100km with premium gas.
I have a 2021 atlas cross with exec with v6 and I when moving to Berta from Ontario got at one point 950 km on a tank I have photo to prove was unbelievable genuinely love vw also if the guy in the video wanted quality they should’ve just paid for a better package
Well if you’re looking for gas mileage then an suv with a 6 cylinder would be out of the question. We recently upgraded from a Chevy equinox, that had great fuel mileage ( 41mpg best on highway). But it had a 1.4 L turbo. It was selected awd which was nice but as far as towing it had like a 1000lbs. But you can’t even compare the two next to each other. So you need to decide what you want, a fuel efficient vehicle or something with the roominess, towing capacity, and the other options available of the atlas. We agree that the fuel mileage is less but overall we love it. We own a 2021 atlas cross-sport R- Line edition $ 58,000 sticker price. This vehicle has everything and we couldn’t be happier. Btw we live in Wisconsin too…lol
We traded our 2018 traverse on a 2021.5 atlas premium. It’s a nice vehicle for sure. The problem with the atlas and fuel economy it is awd full time. Traverse had the same size engine and got about 2mpg better in front wheel drive.
Definitely loving my Atlas SE. Just hate I didn't get full tech package but I'm going to add some things. Should have gotten an Atlas. You can pull the seats down from the truck. I don't the V6 but I feel like my gas mileage is doable. I can go like 7hrs on road trip before having to fill up
I just recently purchased a Pure Gray 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 2.0T SEL Premium 4Motion. Which for me is much better on gas than the V6. The power is the same for me. But better on the gas mileage. I agree that there is more plasticy interior however, this SUV did extremely well we took to the 4x4 beach. Drove it on the beach and its power is amazing. I love my car.
Turbo direct injection well good luck with that piece of junk . When it start running like crap due to carbon deposits . They are nothing but trouble . I will see how good you will feel . They are trash .
Don’t listen to low iq people who have no idea about anything. The gen3 is leaps & bounds better then gen 1 & 2. It’s essentially a gti engine & even has the same is20 turbo. Many examples have already exceeded past 200k miles & others who are tune’d have over 100k hard miles on them. Most of us have to deal with carbon build up at around 100k miles & that is bc of direct injection. If you need more power without sacrificing the warranty, I would look a jb4 from burgertuning. I would join the jb4 VW Facebook group as well. You have same power & more torque then the vr6 just by using this piggyback tune. The most imp things to maintain is 1. Oil changes no more then 5-7k miles depending how you drive it. Transmission service needs to maintained & also the haldex since you have 4wd needs to be serviced as well. I would service the haldex when you change the oil in the trans. Good luck, keep researching & enjoy it!
@@hectorlopez1196 Yeah trash on Kia's that everyone is raving about in this comment section. VW has been making Turbo'd 4 cylinders for decades. They're amazing, if you cant get 300k + miles out of one you don't know how to care for a vehicle. period.
@@europeanlegend9347 more reasons to make them better but that is not the case ok . I font care how long they have been doing it but howbgood are they doing it today ang they have a lot of problems
@@hectorlopez1196 I haven't had a single problem with my 2016 GTI for the 5 years i owned it. I traded it in for a newer, low mileage 2019 this year because the MK8's are here for a while and i absolutely hate the designs. This is my 5th vw and aside from the small recall's here and there that every company has (non related to the engine) these cars have been nothing short of amazing. So either you had a rotten apple or you've never owned a VW yet alone driven one.
I own and operate a 2021 Cross Sport SEL Premium and manage 19-21 mpg in the city by using the manual shift to keep the rpm's under 2,000. Many time on level ground I start up in second gear and quickly shift to 3, 4, 5 & 6th gear. You can watch the mileage from last start soar to 18>19>20+. It also takes a light accelerator foot at stop lights and docile driving style. The car does a very low gear ratio in first, second and third which helps with towing but you can minimize those low gears with manual shifting when driving in town. Paddle shifters would be much more convenient but VW doesn't want get too sporty. Hope this helps someone........
Small advice: next time before buying a car, make sure to calculate daily fuel consumption to see if it fits in your budget, instead of loosing money when you trade in your car…
Small advice: read the video description before commenting. Also, as i stated in video the used car market is WHITE hot right now. We sold it back to dealer (not trade in just sold) for only a loss of about $1000. The dealer sold it above MSRP 4 days later. Our fuel savings on our new vehicle will pay for the loss in about 7 months. Over 5 years of ownership with our replacement we will save roughly $5000 in fuel. Stay tuned for our replacement!
I don't know how you are calculating!! Let's say you drive 50 miles a day with gas price at $3.20. if your mpg is 20, that would add up to $8 a day or $2400 fir let's say 300 days. If you can get a magical gas engine SUV that goes 30 miles per gallon, your daily drive will cost you $5.30 or $1590 per 300 days. That is a saving of $810 per 300 days ( roughly a year) . In 5 years, your saving will be at $4050. And again, that's assuming you can get 30 mpg from your new SUV. Please tell me how you did your calculation? BTW, I am still not buying that the dealer purchased the car back fir $1000 less than what you paid for it just 4 months ago because the market has been red hot for over 4 months. Didn't just happen last week.
@@switchex I have no reason to lie, its the only reason we got out of it. It made financial sense. Our new replacement will more that double our fuel economy. We actually just got a notification this morning that its being built today!
@@switchex I am stunned that a person who is doing this video made such a bad comment to you. I also agree that dealership is not buying back a car, there is a reason why they are selling. I checked for fun with my dealership, I bought VW SEL-R Tiguan for 50k, 3 months later I asked how much would they buy back with 700 miles on it, they gave me 22k price hahah.
@@switchex Agreed. What about the sales tax and dealership fees that he has paid? That money he lost for sure, and if we put them to the gas spending... well, it's easy to calculate. His math is def off, as is of a lot of ppl at the moment who's trying to get rid of the freshly-bought vehicle towards to gas savings.
We traded our 2018 Atlas in on a 2021 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro. You want to talk about cheap interior or horrible gas mileage?!? That thing hasn’t been updated since 2008, and we were getting about 10-11mpg in the city. After only 6 months we traded it in on another Atlas. 2022 Cross Sport SEL R-Line with every single possible add-on and couldn’t be happier. 18-19mpg from a full size AWD SUV is great mileage as far as I’m concerned. Such a great, comfortable, capable SUV. I love it.
All your points are spot on but people also tend to overlook the safety factor of the Atlas. I looked at the 2019 Highlander, Pilot, Kia Teleride (sic), Durango, Grand Cherokee (I'm a jeep guy) and even a Tahoe. Atlas won and what pushed it over the edge was how it did in the crash tests.
19 mpg is pretty good for a non-turbo SUV box with an automatic transmission. I have a 2015 Sportwagen TDI with a manual and it averages 47 mpg around town and 55 mpg highway. It has a little less cargo space than the Atlas Cross Sport and cost less than half as much. When traveling I can go over 700 miles on its 13.5 gallon tank before needing to refuel. Where I live when you buy a new vehicle you have to pay sales tax and the first year registration cost. For an Atlas Cross Sport it would be over $3000. So selling a new vehicle after 4 months would be throwing away the sales tax and registration to just do it again. At $4/gal and 19 mpg you could go over 14,000 miles with that $3000.
@@amentauto3610 B'caz due to chip shortage in whole world, there is long delay to get a new vehicle. Even If you book new Tesla right now, don't expect delivery before 4 - 6 weeks.
Not sure how you’re expecting great MPG out of any SUV, especially a V6 tank. We went from a diesel truck to an Atlas. Yes the diesel got better MPG, but the fuel costs more so in reality it evened out. If you want economy from VW then get a Jetta. I’ve gotten upwards of 45mpg in my GLI.
@@houseyoung7148 VW doesnt do Hybrids and it's probably better. They're on the right track with EVs and Toyota are good at Hybrids, they should all stick at what they do best, instead of trying to get involved in multiple platforms.
Well, I just got the new 22 Atlas V6 SE with technology package and towing . While I Iove the car, the gas efficient is really bad, 18.3 MPG, exactly what was mentioned in this video. I traded in my GMC 2019 V6 Arcadia SLT, I was getting 23.6 MPG, it is a huge difference. We always keep a SUV V6 in the house, this one is by far the less efficient. I love the driving, the ride, super quiet and smooth, and more........ and BUT the efficient should be better, I think 18 MPG in 2022 is really bad performance compare with same size V6 cars, I had Lincoln, Mazda, GMC...all of them V6, this one is way bellow them. Obviously the time could not be worse to get this car, oh boy, going to refuel and so often, it is a pain in the neck...I don't think that we will trade it, I think we will get used to it, but If the gas reaches 6 or 7......probably I will change my mind Lol. Thanks for your video.
Amazing how they "lose" things as they come out with newer models. We bought a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium. The rear seats have little flip handles near the headrest to "pull" and the seat goes down. The middle seats have handles on the side of the seat. I now have 3 cars (including the VW). 2011 Minivan and a 09 Jeep (which is daily driver even though it gets 10 city, 15 hwy thanks to all the mod's I've done to it). I knew all about the MPG before going in but watching how it does in crash tests sold me. We drive the Atlas on long trips mostly. It's almost 3 years old, 16k miles. I get 25hwy, 16/17 city. It's quiet, smooth, fun to drive and it's my 4th VW. Before that, had the 2013 Passat TDi SEL P. That would be a great car for your fuel use but IMO, for your family use, think of a minivan. I've seen young families with one kid swear they wouldn't be seen dead in one. Then they get 2 and complain their ford edge just doesn't hold all the "Stuff" they need it to carry. They rent a minivan for a trip. Upon return, they end up getting one. I've been driving a minivan since 1993 and even though I have the Atlas, there is not a family vehicle for the price that can beat them. Get a hybrid. Good MPG and you will never complain about needing cup holders ever again. And if you need to haul a few 4x8 sheets of plywood, no problem.
While clearly more expensive and definitely smaller our Q5 gets over 30mpg on most drives (avg over 16k miles is 26) and the powertrain is borderline fast. The torque curve of the Audi specific 2.0t is absolutely flawless and the dsg really comes alive when driving aggressively. It’s a shame audi doesn’t share these benefits with vw In the us market. And the interior also is day and night. Too bad Audi does give vw their longitudinal chassis to use :/
I was getting a good mileage on my 2018 2.0L atlas, running on cruise control going the speed limit ! it saves on gas! a lot actually but now i decided to change, i dont need the space since i dont have kids, and the warranty is about to be over in November, so i'm trading it for a 2021 GLI full ! More fun to drive and better value for money!
I've got a 2019 GLI, you're going to love it. It's the best bang for your buck sports car you can buy. It's always putting a smile to my face when I get going on that pedal
@@jamesmedina2062 Yeah, it's a Jetta. It also doesn't get the same level of love from VW as a GTI. (I had a 2016 GTI, now a 2019) They skimp a little on the interior, and the ride quality isn't as good as a GTI. GTI is also more expensive, so it makes sense.
Bought 2018 Atlas SE, w/Tec Pkg. FWD, not AWD. No need for AWD. Put on almost 100k miles - have not paid a penny for service, aside from oil change. Fuel economy is normal for an SUV this category. Taking it in for brakes and inspection soon. Changed air filters myself. I don't keep tires at 35psi, it's around 40. Once in a while the engine auto start/stop deactivates due to braking habits, which eventually resets after a couple days regular driving. If this happens to you, don't panic. The airbag sensors are.... very sensitive, so keep floor areas under seats clear. Very spacious vehicle. Great for long road trips.
I drove the 4cyl and the V6. The acceleration noises from 1st to 2nd and possibly 3rd was a turn off for me on the 4. A car that size, a V6 is a must. It is a tank !!!! I would never touch a 4 same as I would never touch a Jeep Grand 4 cyl.
You bought a car that clearly stated the mileage on the window sticker. Not sure of your driving style as I get 24-25 mpg on a highway trip with my 2021 R line SEL V6. Around town about 19-20. Could I get a better gas mileage car? Sure, but like you said, nothing comes close to this size with regards to space. And the fact it weighs over 4500 lbs just may play into the mix. I love mine. The mileage is no surprise to me, but then again I’m retired and don’t need a “commuter” car. Lucky for you there is a used car shortage and dealers will give you a decent trade…hopefully.
Dealers gave us a wonderful deal. Only a couple thousand off of new price! Yeh we knew gas milage wasn't great but we didn't anticipate a career change increasing our daily milage to over 50 miles a day :/
Good point, Michael. The mileage is clearly indicated on the window sticker. I knew it would not be fuel efficient when I bought our 2019 Atlas SE/Tech. In our case being semi-retired, we only put 7,000 miles/yr. on it and buy our gas at Costco so it's not costing us nearly as much as daily commuting would. We love the interior space and V6 engine. I agree the interior materials are not very premium. Then again, we paid just under $37K back before prices went nuts. It's my wife's car and she loves it so that's all that counts.
I think your family would have been better suited for the SEL model which has premium interior. I can’t say much for the fuel economy because this is something I considered prior to purchasing and I personally don’t think the fill up is that bad. As an Atlas Xsport owner myself, the only other SUVs i would consider are Acura or Audi. I am curious to see which vehicle you replaced this one for.
Good Video. I really wanted one of these having had a Passat for almost 10 years and 170,000 miles. Unlike you, the dealer wouldn't deal with me and wanted full MSRP. I ended going back to Ford and got a 2019 Edge ST performance package and like you I needed the tow hitch and AWD. The Edge has a twin turbo and quite fast. I am getting about 21-22 mpg with mostly city driving. Haven't had it on a road trip yet. My Passat, with V6 had to run premium so I am happy the Edge does not. The Edge with ST package is around $50k new.
literally every dealer is charging MSRP lmfao. Its called an inventory shortage, supply and demand. That Edge will be in the shop more than you drive it
I’m surprised the twin turbo ford doesn’t require premium. My 2015 Malibu LTZ was turbo and i could feel the difference when I used premium so I stuck with it. Traded for a VR6 cross sport last year and I love it so far. I’m not sure the economic difference between the turbo and the vr6 makes up for the higher price you’ll pay in gas. I had a loaner turbo cross sport and I wouldn’t trade my vr6 for it. Turbo felt cheap to me
I bought the base model SQ5 exclusively for the analog gauges. I look at screens all day long. I don’t want to look at another one when I drive. I bet analog gauges cost VW more than a screen too.
I also have a 21 SE W/Tech V6 and 4 Motion. in 2 months I've racked up over 10k. I traded my Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee on this Crosssport. MY highway mileage is in the upper 20s just like the diesel cruising at 75+. Around town mileage is 19-20. I ALWAYS drive for economy. This vehicle is WAY more comfortable than the GC. I won't be trading anytime soon. Love the size.
when I drive the atlas economically I also get those numbers. When my mom drives it mostly city it gets around 10-14 mpg because she drives it like she stole it. Lol
Totally true about the gas consumption of this car, it’s a gasoline gourmand even in eco-mode. I was surprised and a bit terrified the way it drinks fuel after purchasing it from the dealership. If you’re a daily commuter, it’s not for you. Space is the most advantage of this car, especially the 3rd row compared to the 2021 Toyota highlander, which was our first choice because it’s a hybrid but 3rd row was miserable and plastics looked more cheaper and fragile than the Atlas. We are not a very road tripper so it’s fine for us.
@@amentauto3610 I am looking forward to seeing your new car. I also was wondering if you were able to sell your Atlas Crossport for a profit, actually? Because the used car sales thing is HOT these days
@@ryanfgrantjr3009 yes! This car market is absolutely mental. We just called a local VW dealership and they straight up bought it off of us for only slightly less than we bought it for. The dealer flipped it and sold it above MSRP 4 days later... Crazy.
@@amentauto3610 thanks for that. I am buying my 3 yr old BMW X2 as the lease is expiring. Payoff is a crazy low $24,000 and online and at dealers my car, my miles, 3 yrs old re listed for sale at $29,000 min....I'd like to try and see if i could score. If not, i'm good, i love my car so much anyway
@@ryanfgrantjr3009 just call dealer you bought it from with VIN and milage and ask them if they want to buy it. I'm sure you have significant positive equity.
I have the Atlas V6 SE and I put in 10k miles on it within 4 to 5 months. I really enjoy driving it long distances and so far I have no problems with it other than MPG. If anything I might trade it in for a new model cause mine is 2018.
The car 100% excels at long road trips. Perhaps the best road trip car i've ever used. Minus the bad fuel economy. Even on highway with AC on we were lucky to crack 22 MPG sitting at 78mph in the left lane.
I found out the hard way it’s all relative with mpg because I owned a Ram with a 5.7 Hemi that got 15 mpg with combo city and hwy driving. When I drove it in the city only I got 13 mpg. Got rid of it for an Audi A4 2.0T and got 18 to 20 mpg in the city. I gave up space and a V8 for only 5 mpg. I now own the Cross Sport getting the some 18 to 20 as the A4 in the city which I can live with because I continue drive spirited and it’s the perfect size.
“Drive spirited” love that! Me too 😁 the mpg is worth it when I LOVE driving it and I don’t feel like my kids are on top of me when they are in the car.
Atlas was a slug test drive and this video proved it. Kudos to the video. About 300,000 hits, and same question over and over. He sold it because his commute changed. Also kind of funny, lots of interest in how much stuff he has in his car during the recording. Thumbs up. Honestly, the Atlas I test drove, I kept looking for the economy or sport mode setting. Salesman said there was no setting to change. I was waiting for some acceleration or performance. BLAH!!!!
Other than gas, which didn't actually seem very expensive, I didn't really hear a lot of reasons to get rid of it. It's a great looking car; though, I do agree that they could have added some premium materials for that price. Good luck with your next pick.
My wife is currently on her way home from a trip to Kentucky. She's sending me messages and video of snow and ice on the road as well as the TPMS telling her she has a tire inflation issue. But...it doesn't say which tire. We assume it is weather related considering she doesn't feel any pull or tilt. Aside from that, our R Line, just like yours, has been a really neat ride. The problems we have had, especially when she was driving home with our toddler granddaughter, is that the "Infotainment" went berserk and turned the radio volume all the way to Peak Power, on its own, and it could not be turned down or even turned off. When my wife pulled into the driveway, I thought she was just jamming out to a favorite tune. Nope! She had to endure head thumping noise for about 20 miles. That thing has a mind of its own. It craps out completely, requiring a "soft-boot" reactivation, or it has had to go in for a manual, out-of-the-dash full reconfiguring of the system. I think she has done about 4 "soft-boots" on her own. We are getting rid of ours this coming week as well. We've had it just under a year and have only put about 8,000 miles on it. Other than the issues addressed, it is a very sweet machine. I will admit to that. It has plenty of pep in its step and is really fun to drive. Well, other than the ultra-high lipped front seats. They make it a little cumbersome to access and egress. Either way, it has to go.
VW Atlas was on our list of cars to look at that morning. We went to Genesis, but except for the GV80 SUV I test drove, there was no inventory. Then we diverted to Cadillac and saw a beautiful red XT 6 with black wheels and black grille. Bought it on the spot.
I love the look of this thing, it almost looks land rover-y…wish i could combine the interior of something like a genesis GV70/GV80 with the exterior of this.
I priced GV80's and the reason I didn't bother was a amount of very low mileage and high price for a used 2021. 2022 are now a fulld 18 K over my 2022 Atlas SEL Premium Rline
Towing capacity is 5,000 lbs if you get a hitch on the vehicle from the factory, if you have a hitch added to the car by the dealership, the towing capacity is 2,500 lbs.
I purchased a 2021 KIA Telluride for my family of 5. We got the SX model with FWD instead of the AWD because of mpg. I modified the intake and the exhausted plus added a oil catcher. The over mpg improve to 25 city/ 29 Hwy (solid at 70mph).
@@patrickgroff5399 my background is chemical engineer and my work involves working with automotives. I paid about 2,000 under the msrp price because I was negotiating with the dealership and the manufacture at the same time. To answer your question it’s yes and no. If you do your own routine oil changes and follow the owner’s manual, than NO, you do not void your warranty. If you install or replace a part to the vehicle that is different than the stock item then YES. You can always just remove the part if you decide to get it serviced to not void your warranty. I don’t use any dealership service because they take forever and it’s a waste of money. Plus it’s I enjoy doing my own repairs and maintenance.
Screw this. Thanks for the review. I guess I only liked this car because of the beautiful exterior but it doesn’t compete with the others in its class when it comes to everything else
Gas has been crazy high for six months, it seems. Out here in California we're at $.4.60 a gallon. You mention $200 a month in gas being a pain....I spend that in gas commuting 23 miles in my Mini Cooper. I had a Tundra with a 4.6L and at 19 mpg I easily spent $500 a month. It definitely feels good to now get 30 mpg.🙂 Really enjoyed the video....completely agree about the interior.
Just drive in sport mode, steering feedback is improved. And on freeways sports mode will not cause a dent once you are cruising in 8th gear. It just improve the response curve and removes up shifting eagerness in Normal mode. 23 mpg and regular grade gas is good as 26mpg premium. And while towing expect 13-16 mpg, which is not the best, so needs some planning on refueling. A bigger gas tank is all this car needs. Thanks to market adjustment by Kia and it’s likes, this remains my top choice. I can live with this.
My daily driver is an 09 Jeep Liberty. I put bigger tires, 3-inch lift, skids, rock sliders and side railes, class III hitch, customer front steel bumper w/winch. With that said, it gets 10 city, 15 hwy. Drive just under 3 miles to work, half of it is 25mph, rest is 35-50. All it takes is owning one gas guzzler to make the Atlas seem like a sipper. :-) I also have a 2011 T&C Minivan and the 2019 Atlas SEL P (with 4Motion of course). Car is almost 3 years old, 16k miles. Use it for trips and yep, I stop every 300 miles to fill up.
There is just something off about these to me. I feel like they don’t do one particular thing very well. It’s just okay overall. Excluding the exterior styling, that is fantastic.
I can’t see paying 40k plus for an SUV that can’t get out of its own dust. It’s a joke. VW group offers a “quicker” and overall more perfect SUV in the form of the far superior Audi Q7. 330 plus hp turbo V6. Yeah you’re gonna pay a premium, but that’s how VW does it. The high end luxury vehicles get the high performance..
@@nelsonvanvickle8862 agreed but it shouldn’t have to be a high performance SUV to not be as lethargic. Take for example the Passport, Blazer and Sorento. Quick, 14 second SUV’s. For what they are, those are respectable numbers. The downside to the Q7 is space and overall maintenance, which shouldn’t be too high. The market for spacious 2 rows is huge and it sucks that VW made this so lethargic. At least it has tons of space i guess.
really needed a 350. I did E-mail some people in the Netherlands and they said they could chip it up, and the price wasn't bad, just didn't want to void the warranty to go a little faster besides the VR6 is rated at 300 so really it should be a 300 hp a minimum but hey I enjoy my 2022 ATLAS SEL Premium Rline got lots of room, and it is comfortable.
I traded in my 2020 Cross Sport SEL because of to many issues, Sway bars went out at 12K, Steering gears started grinding at 25K, Gremlin electrical issues one after the other, driving once and all of a sudden it sounded like my muffler fell off and and became increasingly louder and louder then miraculously went away, cruise control disengaged on a road trip for a few days and poof it's back, most recently the trans started feeling a bit off so I figured I better trade while it's still worth some money.
I just test drove an RLine Cross sport Atlas and came away with a feeling of very average and utilitarian. It had the full digital tach compared to the analog ones you have in this video. My biggest problem is the interiors feel like the old VW's I've had back in the early 2000's and it hasn't gone through and significant redesigns...it feels old. I've been looking at the Hyundai Santa Fe's and Kia Sorentos and they just feel better and the quality and materials feel properly good.
I can't speak 100% on the SUV's but I agree with the interior, at least when it comes to anything other than a GTI or Golf R. However, i've driven Kia's and Hyundais in the same "class" as the GTI and they just don't compare when it comes to the overall fit and finish, ride quality and handling. But have to admit, Kia has come a verrrrry long way. Especially after they snagged Audi's old designer.
Omg 😱 people, don’t put the design of a VW vs Kia and Hyundai, it’s definitely not the same category. All of it is still just fake leather but the style and class it’s completely different, even with the new design.
U sure u were in a rline mine is luxury with 2 tone interior and wood grain and all the above. Idk maybe mine was customer built or something cuz it doesn't look like any of these it looks luxury and I have a panel digital pit none of those gages it's a lcd screen . This guy's is weird compared to mine
How many mile do you drive a year? If you want an SUV with 40' cubic feet of cargo you will have to give up some gas mileage. Maybe a Mazda C5 should have been a better choice? We are on our second Atlas V6 and knew going in that gas mileage was going to be poor. We only drive 10,000 miles a year so gas mileage was not a deal breaker.
Not necessarily. A CRV has 39 cubic feet of space and those things, awd or not, are rated at over 30mpg hwy, high 20’s in the city. Something like a cx5 only has like 31 cubic feet, though the handling is pretty stellar (though not enough to counter the CRV’s space efficiency, imo.)
@@DainLaguna I am impressed with the cargo area but I am not really sure a person (as I was) looking to lease an Atlas again, would cross shop the CRV. I did look at the Passport as well as the pilot. But hey, if MPGs are a very important criteria for a next purchase, the CRV is impressive.
Keep your vw atlas since you already have all your stuff in it and you could be ready for a road trip. Bare in mind that that these cars are heavy and there are no economic replacement
Anyone looking at it, would be able to tell that gas mileage won’t be great. I do agree on the cheaper interior finish. With that price , should be Audi quality
I think this is decent mileage for a near full size SUV with awd. Its better than a Tahoe and the like but less than a Traverse. Unless you are getting a hybrid truck not many this size do much better. Now MPG has improved in many SUVs for 2021 so it may have fallen in mileage ranking recently but this has class leading storage behind the 3rd row. And if its regular gas instead of premium that provides a savings. Looking into getting a Atlas R Line premium trim in about 8 months. Im looking at other trucks with at least 20 cubic feet behind 3rd row...so it stacks up pretty decent against the comp in sticker price as well and not huge like a suburban. Im aware this version only has 2 rows.
Looks like you might need to move out of your Atlas before you trade it. 😂 I recently traded a Jeep wrangler for a 21 Atlas v6…….. enjoying the great gas mileage of the Atlas compared to the Wrangler, not to mention all the amenities the Atlas SEL supreme offers!
The exterior design is beautiful, but the interior is SO dull and boring with cheap materials. VW needs to step up their game for the price-point. MPG is too low and repair costs are too high. I've considered it since I'm looking at this class, but, to me, it isn't even worth the test drive. The Honda Passport is a great option, but still low MPG. I'm banking on the new Kia Sorento X-Line.
My son has the 2021 VW Atlas ! When you have a SUV you comprise with the gas! His is top of the line with quad captain seats running boards 7 passenger ( I have 2016 MDX) very comfortable and the digital cockpit is wonderful! It is soo aggressive when you are not in lane it literally moves the vehicle to the center. My MDX moves you as well 🥰 his Atlas was $61 k .
I have a 21 Cross Sport SE and love it. I have the 4 cyl and get 22 mpg. Its got tons of room and all the bells - for the money! This is not an expensive car - I think the sticker was like $42-43K. My wife's Rover was $86K - almost double. We use the Atlas for long vacation hauls and for day to day. We take the Whip when we go out. I recommend this vehicle. Like others have said, if you want great gas mileage don't get a big SUV !
Or get a diesel, we got VW Touaregs in Europe with diesels and 50+ is possible, but those VWs start at 90k euro and go up to 150k, true luxury cars. Canada gots many diesels though, but 55 or even a bit more MPG in an X5 or GLS is not an issue.
Hey man, you communicate really well as do most people from Wisconsin. This vehicle seems like a very utilitarian vehicle. I would have liked seeing you incorporate driving dynamics and a short drive. How can a review of a vehicle be complete just parked? As for mileage, I get 42 on the highway going average 70 mph in my Civic but that's not a house-on-wheels the way these SUV are. I have 1.5 Liters and 2900 curb weight. I see the Toyota products in the new Sienna and RAV4 or Highlander to have hybrid options and more economical drivers. I had two VR6 vehicles back in the day in two Passat sedans and I loved the engine but mine did not want to last very long. I hope VW has made the new ones more reliable and long-lived. Take care and good speaking. Just remember to drive the vehicle on camera. Cheers
@@nicoyoung259 How so?? I had zero carbon issues with my port-injection, and zero timing chain stretch issues with my timing belt, and zero VVT issues because it had no VVT. Most of my service costs were in the complex front end.
Appreciate the review! I will say the mpg is well documented as not being the best. Seems like a silly buy for 20+ mile commuters. What are you getting as a replacement?
Significant other recently had a career change that Increased daily commute from 10 miles to 50 miles! Car was wonderful but definitely needed to make a change. I plan on showing the new vehicle in a few weeks (hopefully) when it arrives from manufacturer!
At one time I considered one of these vehicles but they're just so plain inside and the cost cutting on materials just doesn't give you a premium feeling. I've owned several VW products and it seems like this has been a trend over the last 10+ years.
Same here. Next vehicle will be an SUV after owning (Jetta/Golf) for the last 12 years and I don’t think I’m going with VW this time around. Ford Bronco or Jeep Rubicon
We have the 4cyl turbo has a more features in inside but roughly the same we got it because it only had 2ft/lbs of less torque was not a bad trade off to get 450 miles of range on sport mode
I think $45k for that vehicle is kind of a bargain. An equal model Audi would have easily been an additional $10k or more. I think VW went a little cheap on the interior because of the 4motion option. That is an expensive option, but if VW cuts a few corners with the interior they're able to somewhat keep the price down. Nice looking vehicle. I'm a big VW fan and driving my second GTI. Loved the first GTI I owned and I love my current GTI.
Lol, I like the Atlas but that thing is a boat with a big anchor. You need 300 plus hp to move that 4400 lb SUV with any fervor. My 17’ stage 1 GLI has the same hp/ torque in a compact sedan that weighs 1200 lbs less. It’s a rocket. You should consider a Colorado/Canyon for towing, storage capacity and power..
@hon solo LOL..And you obviously haven’t done your research homeboy. Every car magazine on the planet has the V6 powered Colorado/Canyon 0-60 between 6.1-6.5 seconds. I have an extended cab 19’ Colorado and I can tell you it’s every bit as fast as it’s been tested. The V6 Atlas will barely break 8.5 in the very best conditions. Power to weight ratio is EVERYTHING and the power to weight ratio of those two trucks is FAR superior to the Atlas.
I've owned 2019 standard Atlas, and now a 21 Cross sport.. Gas mileage it's in my own opinion, the worst part about it. They should have used the V8 that's in the Touareg. I would have gone to the Touareg if it were in my market. Or V6 with Turbo. Aside from that it's a great vehicle. Interior is fine better quality than most vehicle on the road, and hasn't changed since it's inception. I'd purchase another if I had to do it all over.
Vw use to have beautiful interiors I have been a huge VW fan for years the drive and interiors were all so nice until 2011 it went downhill really fast it’s a shame I bought a VW Alltrack has a super nice interior. The VR6 has always been a gas hog.
@@joecool9739 yes the Arteon has a nice interior like the Alltrack however it will be killed off soon just like the Alltrack was. We owned a Tiguan the interior was nice but nothing special however the newer interior Jetta Passat Atlas leave a lot to be desired .
Yes before the 2011 cars, they had beautiful interiors, with a lot of features (especially for the year). Very plain after that. 2009 Jetta has a 3 prong outlet that didn’t even start coming back till recently.
Used to own a Jetta in the early 2000s and back then was considered entry luxury. Today, it is a joke. They are done cheap. It all started when VW aimed to be the #1 automaker in the world. The could only do this by mass producing with price appeal while cutting in the quality and luxury.
The interior looks very cheap!! VW needs to bring their VW lineup aesthetics up a notch. When KIA is creating cars that look as good as they do, it makes you wonder if VW is even watching automobile market trends.
Kia should probably spend less money trying to look premium and more money on making their engines reliable. That's the difference between vw and kia. Your VW engine isn't going to blow up after 2500 miles
@@Rocketfish17 Well, I am a Honda/Toyota person... But, speaking to your response. A lot of people are driving KIAs that ever before and I do believe KiAs stylish appearance has a lot to do with that. Also, KIA at the moment has better reliability ratings than Volkswagen.
@@mav_from_the_loo3549 then why is that you can ask any KIA tech how many engines they're waiting on and the answer is always going to require more then 1 hand to count.
Curious, what was the mpg on the highway on its own? Don't know if you tracked that. And what average speed do you drive on the hwy? I'm typically between 70 to 80 mph.
I test drove atlas, palisade, CX 9 and telluride. Ended up with the CX 9 and never regret my decision one bit. Telluride was the best out of all I test drove but driveability and the gen 2 mazda CX 9 reliability was the best for me.
Dude stop it, am trying to figure out the issues here, THIS IS V6 AWD OR 4MOTION. you are talking about. I have 2018 Atlas 4motion and I get around 350miles on full tank. way better most of the SUVs around. Maybe you will better with a sedan car instead. I have driven in Infiniti Jx 35, V6, Highlander Limited V6, and the Atlas is better on fuel economy. So come again on your dislikes. Thanks.
I LOVE mine and I drive a lot too. Kinda comes with the territory for me. But I can't get in anyone's care and feel good anymore. 🤣 I'm like "yuk your car has no room "
I have a 2019 Golf Alltrack (6 speed manual, 4-Motion) which I love to death. The Atlas honestly smells too strongly of "vehicle designed specifically for Americans", which to me, as a long time VW fan, triggers warning bells. No offense to anyone who loves the American market Passat, but market specific vehicles like those tend to lag behind VW's global vehicles in features, quality, interior materials, and lots of the little touches they're known for. They also get refreshed a lot slower and get full updates rarely (if ever). I agree, it's not a bad car, but their global vehicles have tech that this Cross Sport is lacking and if you compare it to the new upcoming 2022 GTI, you really start to notice the wide gap between them. One of the glaring things I noticed were the rear seat fold down handles that are on my Alltrack, but weirdly missing on the much larger Atlas (located on the sides near the hatch opening and let the seats fold down without having to walk up to the rear doors). Just one example of a small thing that makes a difference but they omitted, likely due to cost cutting. Again, not saying its a bad vehicle, just that VW dilutes their brand reputation by delving into market specific vehicles like this while withholding popular global vehicles from us.
Euro VWs are low quality now too. MK8 is just a really redrawn Mk7, all cars got facelifts when they should be new gen. Golf, everything that’s not facelifted, just new, uses hard plastics. Headlights are worse than ever before. Mom got a T-Roc and I like it lots but has material issues, not quality, but it’s not MKV golf she had which was as good as my BMW, even MK7 SV was partially better, but MQB cars were the first to start cheapening out
The sport wagons are great all arounders and not boring to drive like Subarus and Hondas. Rolling a 2.5 JSW. I'd love an all track but they're astronomical ( over 30k!) Right now
The interior cheapness is shocking considering how much it costs. The bad mpg is a big bummer too. A Highlander Hybrid is the way to go, unbeatable mpg and resale value.
@@Odat what's not simple?? Reality? I used to think the same until I realized it's all perception. If you bought the 2L, then sure, it's a bad choice. We have the VR6 and no problems. As I mentioned, all those plastics are probably all made in the same factory in China. What's so special in plastics that Toyota uses, just because it's in a Toyota???
@@bmw803 a Highlander will last 200k miles problem free. A Volkswagen won’t. If you don’t believe me, just wait :-). Sure the plastic might be the same but the whole package is definitely not!. Toyotas have high resale values for a reason!.
@@Odat They have higher resale, because someone is willing to pay. I have a Jetta TDI sitting outside. 188,000 miles. No issues. Had an 06 Jetta TDI and scrapped it at over 300,000 miles. Had a 2001 Jetta TDI, sold it at 359,000 miles without issues. Check "what does 500,000 miles do to a car" on youtube. It was an Audi. Toyota doesnt have the monopoly on long lasting cars. Sorry!!!
Dude I almost bought a 2021 Atlas but just didn’t do it... Reviews weren’t great but they sure are sharp looking. Got a 2022 4Runner SR5 Premium instead. I think I made the right choice. I found the steering wheel to be weirdly small to me. Cheers.
Just traded in my wife’s 2021 VW atlas s 2.0t with 20k miles on it. It was in the shop more times in the past year than all other Vehicles I have owned combined for water pump issues and low oil/burning oil. We will be picking up a 2022 4runner sr5 premium today!
I feel like VW's look so nice from the exterior, but their interiors are several years behind. I love the look of this SUV but immediately crossed it off my consideration list when the interior was revealed. For the price they sell these things for, the cheap interior is extremely unacceptable.
Everybody has a different taste, I like the Atlas because they integrated the infotainment in the dashboard , look at them luxurious cars it’s like they forgot to install the cluster and they just glued the iPads there… looks so ridiculous… at least for my taste
I just downgraded(well upgraded to me) from a 15 Chevy Traverse to a 19 Hybrid Fusion Hybrid. I miss the space but don't miss 17 mpg. And since my commute has changed significantly, I'll take 41mpg over 17 all dayyyyy.
I have the SEL 21, and i've been back to the dealership three times already with issues. I've thought about trading it back in as well, but now its in the shop for approximately two weeks for a new part. My vehicle kept popping up numerous error codes, and I was old not to drive the vehicle. Now, we wait :) .
Same 2021 sel premium. Fuel Injector needed to be replaced. Dealership that did the replacement didn't do it right and I had a major fuel leak. Had to get it fixed again. But I love my Atlas
I have a GLI. Can’t relate to that 😂. Fuel economy is great for a car you drive fast and hard. But the fuel tank is just too small. 11 gallos with 25-30 mpg is just a very small range.
@@geodot595 I know drove it 4 months and gave it to my wife, and guess what, got me the Atlas 2 weeks ago, 😃 And that means go to the gas station every week 😬
@@halildjencic1612 if u need more room & towing, atlas. crv is fine otherwise. one of those had metal shavings in the oil change on a 2016 model, but i think honda issied a service bullitin on this. i happen to own a toureg tdi, 30mpg. and it outtows the atlas by 2700lb. but low mpg milage is a given with a big vehicle.
If you’re only getting 17-18 mpg on a 50 mile commute, then something’s wrong. Either it’s a more than average stop and go or you got an extremely heavy foot. I’ve had two regular Atlases. A 2018 SEL 3.6, and a 2021 SE V6 R-line and I drive spirited and with a 40 mile each way commute each day and I’m getting 25mpg.
Nope. That’s actually about right. An atlas is a low spec suburban with a gas guzzler motor. And probably lives somewhere with ethanol mix gas too. I can get 19 average 2nd. my wife who drives less aggressively (normally) always gets lower mpg than I do. City is crap, and the cross sport is less seats to get a sloped rear glass.
@@Onizukachan915 I don't know then. Like I said, on my daily commute's I'm averaging 24-25 mpg and that's in Sport mode going 65-70. I just did two 3 hour plus trips across Pennsylvania with the cruise set at 73, and got 27mpg. That's just as good as the 2012 Dodge Durango V6 I used to drive daily. I love how everyone refers to the Atlas as a Suburban. Park next to one or an Expedition and you'll feel like your're driving a Tiguan.
I have friends with an Atlas that get better gas mileage with heavy footing than I with my atlas cross sport. I barely drive mine and don’t have a heavy foot and get 19mpgs on my atlas cross sport.
