Please -- I'm not a fan of 'shorts' but a series of compilation videos of funny moments (3rd row reactions, launches, glamour shots, etc.) would be awesome
Void the warranty, put an APR Stage 3 package on this thing, run it on E85, boost it to the moon, then wait for it to defecate its rod bearings all over an Illinois farm road. Do it for us, your loyal viewers, Jack.
I've been waiting for a Savagegeese review of this for a while. They love the Telluride and this is cheaper and more functional if you have kids. I drove everything in the segment and we got this because it was 7k cheaper than the Telluride. It's been great so far having put 25k miles on it. (Update: vehicle now has 65k and has been flawless.) 2024 update: 75000 miles and still zero issues. Regular oil change every 4k.
Same here. I bought in 2019 since the Hyundai/Kia twins were just coming out and had a major premium even before Covid/supply chain issues and every other major competitor wanted 10-25k more than I got my SE 4motion. It’s a family hauler and does what I need serving that role.
Same. Got it a few years ago for the monstrous interior space with the 2.0T. I knew there were reliability and power concerns for the 2.0T in such a large SUV but so far at 80k miles not a single thing has happened. It’s been perfect. Not to mention it’s quicker than the VR6. I hope Audi launches their own variant of the Atlas because the Q7 is very small on the inside compared to the atlas.
Very true and no worries of being without a vehicle for a few months and no free rental due to blown engine or being stranded. All of our VW’s have been flawless even though they are lesser quality interior wise. Still a nice place to be for thousands of miles.
I can relate to Jack’s comment about the service department familiarity. I used to own a GTI as well, which broke so often I kept meeting the same roadside assist flatbed driver so many times he remembered me by name 🤦♂️
@@Fabulousprofound168 I did not have the GTI, but I had a Mk5 Rabbit which once spent 78 days at the dealer while I was waiting for a new transmission to be built in Europe. I went through 6 loaners in that time. However other than that, the Mk5 was okay for me. The Mk7 though, that was another story - total piece of crap. New engine at 23k, engine stalling with no codes, limp mode... I paid it off early and sold it to CarMax just to get rid of it. It felt like it would be the death of me.
@@JustinConley my personal best was three loaners over 28 days. Started off with a Tiguan after bringing in my gti for scheduled maintenance, which I returned the following morning and drove my gti to work from the dealership, but had to be towed back after work because no engine start. Ended up going home on the same day in a Jetta. One week later they asked me to come back because the Jetta was being rotated out of the loaner fleet and had been sold, and they put me in a Passat CC instead, which was pretty nice.
@@mckylecfc I didn’t make it past 5 years. I was in direct injection hell with a lean condition because of the heavy carbon deposit issues (back then walnut blasting was not a thing yet, just straight labor with a dental pick ☠️ ), and finally a chunk of carbon jammed an exhaust valve open… the end 😔
I can't wait for the new CX-90 full review. My folks are currently in a 2017 CX-9, and I'm really excited about all the new design for the CX-90. Hopefully it drives like I imagine, being a double wishbone, rear wheel based, design with what seems like is gonna be a wonderful inline-6 engine.
I'm very excited too. Double wishbone in and of itself doesn't guarantee great handling (look what the Germans can do with front struts!) I would be shocked if Mazda didn't dial it in pretty well. I can't recall if the top trim offers adaptive dampers... I hope the CX-90 doesn't drive too stiff.
We bought an Atlas SEL V6 after test driving a Highlander, Explorer, CX-9 etc. We liked the space, price and practicality. So far it's been headache free and perfect for our family. Like you mentioned the handling is just adequate but that's ok in my opinion. Not going to track this thing or push it on the back roads. That being said the ride is very comfortable also.
I just did a bunch of test drives today. Switching to the sport mode instantly changed the responsiveness of the steering. I really liked this and am heavily leaning toward the atlas over the overpriced highlander. I did not get the chance to try the cx-90 anywhere
@@danielray1558 if you not going offroading, the 4 cylinder turbo with front wheel drive is amazingly fast and fun to drive in sport mode. The HP is understated plus you can do an APR stage 1 tuning if you’re a speedster.
When we purchased the Durango 2016 we had cross shopped the Atlas 2017. I picked the Durango because my history with the VW dealer was on a first name basis! (should have never gotten that jetta) The Dodge dealer in town has been very good, Durango has been a reliable SUV 120.000 km (new water pump on warranty & regular maintenance is at reasonable prices) I did not see the Durango on your list and wanted to share my experience as a owner. You guys are the pinnacle of car reviews.
I'd prefer the Pilot or Highlander. I guess a big selling point is the "old" but very much more usable infotainment. Mark was positively inhaling that hot dog. Thanks for sharing!
Great job on this video jack. I really appreciate the very few cuts you had on the driving impressions section and your thoughts on the SUV in general.
Normally I wouldn't even be interested in a video like this, as this vehicle seems very mundane, but the sense of humor from SavageGeese is insanely hilarious. That picture of Mark eating that hotdog had me dying laughing!
I just Love how every person doing a car a review having such an attitude and charisma as if he designed it himself. I really admire how smart you sound.
I've owned two of these and your video is absolutely spot on. Contrary to popular belief, the 2.0T is the better engine for this vehicle. And no, it's not going to fall apart like 2.0Ts of old. With some cash on the hood, these vehicles make a great buy.
As a current VW Atlas owner to haul Irish twin boys I approve this video. Your description and everything you said is accurate about the ride, handling, space and VR6.
We bought one of these - it was one of the few in the class where you could get a bench in the middle with a lot of the extras. One of the best things about the transmission was it didn't hunt. We took out a new Pathfinder and it could never decide which gear it wanted to be in.
Nissan dumped the CVT in the Pathfinder for the only transmission on the market that was worse: the ZF 9 speed. I've despised every vehicle I've driven equipped with one. They hunt gears like mad, and it's one of the only automatic transmission designs to employ dog clutches, so certain gear changes will always be jerky and highly unpleasant.
Your VW dealer is a good one. Harper is one of the least-BS dealership groups in the state, from my experience. I've never bought from them, but have considered a few cars from their VW and Fiat dealerships. They never seemed like they wanted to push anything on me that I didn't want, nor did they engage in stupid pricing games (other than VW's usual college/military $500 incentive being in the advertised price sometimes.) Also, I love that the Atlas is built right down the road in Chattanooga. If I could afford to feed one of these, I'd consider it just for the positive impact it has made on our state's economy.
Really? That's great news, as so many of these 3-row unibody SUVs do exactly that. I'm bemoaning the fact that the CX-90 and almost certainly the new Grand Highlander will also force me to get captains chairs if I want all the goodies, which I do. On the CX-90 there's quite a list of things you lose. Until the GH configurator goes live, I won't know for sure about what's left off the last trim with a 2nd-row bench, but if we look at the current Highlander Platinum and compare it to the next trim down, that's probably what we can expect. So, there's this, the Pilot (and MDX), the Explorer (I'm too old to sit in the lines at the dealership waiting to talk to a service advisor), and I've heard maybe the Nissan product can be had in top trim with a 2nd row bench but that's not on my list for the same reason. Are there any others?
With the new Mazda CX-90 with its new inline 6 with 340 HP and 369 LB/FT of torque, the bar has been raised and competition in this segment has become literally more ferocious with the introduction of the new Highlander, Pilot and even the Grand Highlander.
I love my 2021 Atlas, family of three with a dog, packs a load of space for soccer and riding gear plus pets and other luggage! smooth ride and great service from VW!
I have VW Atlas comfortline It has these disadvantages so far 1- water gets inside the engine room once you wash my Atlas 2- you have to put the driving mode on Eco every time you start the car , it is annoying 3- the car is rattling a lot from the doors and seats 4- the sound of the heating fan is loud 5- it doesn’t have the windshield heater inside the frond window glass , Toyota rav4 has it 6- line assist is not very efficient, try it and you will know what I mean 7- the radar system doesn’t work in the snowy and rainy conditions 8- the fan of climate control is only controlled by the screen, if the screen damaged then you may freeze or get very hot until you get to a mechanical shop 9- the engine turns off once you shift the gear from R to D
We did too, ended up selling the palisade after 2 years due to a lot of quality issues. Maybe next gen atlas will be nicer inside to warrant another look.
I’d buy the VW over a Hyundai/Kia any day. However, neither would be my first choice in this class, a Highlander or RX being my first and best selection.
@@alexnutcasio936 we needed a usable third row. We also test drive explorer and didn't like it. New passport wasn't out yet. Wife did not want a minivan even though I strongly pushed for a sienna. Got the palisade at MSRP thankfully.
We love our 2019 VR6 4-Motion. It's been reliable, my wife loved the way it drove compared to the Telluride, and the interior space is uncluttered and simple to use. Too bad they're ruining the 2024s with the updated infotainment.
Yeah, as soon as I saw the 2024’s lack of buttons and having to go into the menu for HVAC controls, I decided we were gonna go for the Mazda CX90 as soon as our dealership gets the trim we want. It’s probably the closest thing in terms of interior legroom to the Atlas as far as I’m aware. Plus the mileage for an Inline 6 because of the hybrid is that honestly incredible at 24 city and 28 highway
Not to mention the 4 cylinder (i.e. no VR6 anymore.) I don't care how many car companies shift to a I4, it's simply too much vehicle for a 2 liter engine to haul around reliably for a decade or more.
@@japanwatchconnectionI own the 2023 vr6. It’s a terrific application. Fuel economy can be pushed to 26 on the highway and it does tow up to 5k pounds. And it’s not soulless like the lot of i4s out there these days.
We own a 2021.5 SEL with the VR6 and that is a fairly accurate assessment. Smooth, quiet, and good ride are what we experience every day. It's not particularly zippy, but we don't try and drive it that way. The third row can hold adults for long trips (if you adjust the second row) which our old Highlander could not. It's funny to say but the headlights are exceptional, and light up corners as you turn. The infotainment system sounds good and brings all of your favorites station (FM, SXM, Internet) onto the same screen. It is more spartan, compared to the Palisade but it's not missing any crucial features. Yeah, it's functional and we like it.
You nailed it 100%. After buying a 2022 Acura MDX and returning it due to problems that Acura couldn't fix, we bought a top of the line one of these. As a kid hauler - this thing is still the market leader in the segment and is still relatively easy to park and fit in low height parking garages. The interior size really makes things easier with kids, dogs, lumber, furniture, whatever you need. With kids' car seats in it, it's the only car I've driven where I could still put the front seats as far back as I wanted. I agree, from a driving experience perspective, it does not raise your heart rate even 1 bpm.. but we'll look for something more exciting when the little b**t**ds are a bit older.
Hey i always enjoy you guys real reviews, but one thing i never see or hear is how does the adaptive cruise control functions or maybe while you guys are driving you could possibly show in future videos or sometime thankz!
I agree that would be nice. You don't have to demonstrate it on camera necessarily, just some sort of observation as to how well it works. I seem to recall on some Kia/Hyundai vehicle you mentioned how well the systems worked.
This doesn't have lane keep only SEL and SEL premium have it. So for this it's just radar cruise. Which works great. My 17 Passat SE with tech had it. Set the distance and speed and it does the rest. My 20 Atlas Cross Sport SEL has the camera so I can let go of the wheel for up to 30-60 seconds and it keeps tracking along on the road. It's awesome. Great on long trips. This feature and the emergency braking are two of the best features for long drives. Love my 20 Atlas Cross Sport.
I really think this is the best looking VW they offer here atm. Though it's getting old. I am suprised they aren't updating it. VW keeps just refreshing stuff.
Like it was benchmarked against 2004 Tahoe and drives like one too but smaller. Not a bad car and bone simple. Hope to avoid repair deals down the road due to the simplicity.
The KLR of SUVs... we have one after test driving the Pilot (we were surprised how cheap the new interior felt in the brand new 24 Pilot even top trim), the CX90 - wonderful drivetrain but too cramped, the Telluride (great but way over priced going 10-15% over MSRP here still in 2023) and even the Q7, which didn't feel refined and inspired enough to be TWICE the price of the Atlas. Yes the fuel economy isn't great and it's a muted ride but it's a 7 seater family hauler. Everything is well thought out the use of space is phenomenal, the AC works well across all 3 rows, the leather and fit and finish is nice clean and timeless (or 'corporate" as others call it) and those second row swiveling seats are a LIFE changer compared to our previous ride which was a Benz Gl350. At under $60K for top of the line Execline R line with PDI, hard to beat (considering dealers here want $71K for a comparably equipped Telluride!
We almost bought one when it first came out. But to be honest, I just couldn't commit to a 50k VW given our past experience with the brand. We ended up getting an AWD Sienna. Which is the best vehicle that I never wanted to buy.
I think they might have given up on the Arteon in my country (Canada) because I don't even see it as a listed model on the site anymore. Did they even sell?
My father just got a new Ram "Rebel" and the bloody screen in the truck is enormous. Bigger than an iPad for sure. I think he would have grown to hate the truck had I not gone in and switched off a lot of the annoying features. The truck would lower music volume and beep really loud if you went over the speed limit and the screen defaulted to being as bright as possible, even during night driving. I switched it over to forced darkmode at all times. Of course, they bury these settings behind as many menus as possible.
Minivan > CUVs, all day, every day. Can you put plywood and everything you need to refurbish a bedroom in a CUV? No. Can you carry half a junior hockey team and their bags with gear to tournaments in one of these? No. When the answer isn’t Miata, it’s minivan, the vehicle for people who don’t need a car for as an avatar to a pretend lifestyle they don’t have.
Always like your reviews. Honest and open compared to most who just do a sales pitch of it. Heated windshield visibility: what’s your take on how annoying it is to see through the filaments on this technology that’s becoming standard on VW lately. It’s terrible at night. Thoughts?
As always, a great and fair evaluation! However, I would have thought Jack might have waited for the recently released 2024 Atlas that has been considerably revised - the interior for the better! I rented an Atlas in Montana in 2019 and felt it was a great people mover and very easy to live with! I would just like to add that along with Throttle House you guys do the absolute best job of evaluating cars and car culture - I even bought your t-shirt!
Well, they review what the VW folks provide. They will *hate* the new infotainment if they've removed most of the intuitive buttons and put those functions in the infotainment.
@@jsfbay1 Well, I'm not going to say the new infotainment is perfect - what system is. However, I own a 2022 VW Golf R and have found the system intuitive and easy to use. All the haptic buttons on the steering wheel are where all VW buttons have dwelt. The other functions are fine - no issues at all with the climate control; in fact, I prefer it on the screen. I have read the criticism - but having owned an R for over a year I have to disagree with much of it. I rented a RAV4 in Florida a couple of years ago - and even with every button known to man it was a crap system.
Cant wait for your bashing of the 2024 model where they went backwards with the infotainment, same as the iD4- capacitive touch everywhere and sliders that don't light up and all that crap
I actually looked at an iD.4 when i was in the market about a year ago. Infotainment is borderline unusable IMO and caused me to immediately remove it from consideration. I think i remember reading that VW basically fired the current guy in charge of in-vehicle stuff and is planning to pretty much completely redo their system.
@@paulbugoni2846 that's true. I think the effort to re-engineer their infotainment is going to take a few years. My current car is a 2021 Mustang Mach-E and even though Ford Sync 4 is to me a better than average infotainment system, Ford had been slow to really get a grip on delivering updates/system improvements via OTA in the way modern systems require. Looking across the industry it seems like most OEMs have only slowly realized that they need to devote significantly more resources to software development. As an aside, wasn't the poor state of their software unit one of the things they hung around Herb Diess's neck when they sh**canned him?
I’ve had 2 of these. 2018 vr6 4motion and a 2021.5 2.0t 4motion. Though I loved the vr6 sound and also have on in my Touareg, the 2.0 awd is the way to go with this. Don’t need to rev it out, nice low torque, the trans software is way better on the 2.0t and the awd is amazing in all weather. Test drive a FWD one and it was horrible with torque steer and feeling unstable in bad weather. I’ve driven both of mine in deep snow and on a 4wd beach by where I live. Also about to buy a 3rd 🤡
I've got a 22 Tiguan with the 2.0T and the AWD is very good in this harsh Canadian hellscape. Never felt I was in danger when I probably should have been when driving 100 kilometers in one of the worst storms we've had recently.
The 2.0 obviously has a turbo charger, which means, having ram extra pressure in the engine. Add GDI and you're putting lots of strain on that small engine. VR6 is naturally aspirated, no intercooler, no turbos, meaning less shit to go wrong.
@@bmw803 My neighbor let me drive his 2.0T Tiguan. Told me it was 'surprisingly quick'. To me it felt like one of the plug wires had fallen off. My daily driver is a V6 RAV4. It would've outrun his Tiguan while towing another Tiguan.
@David Ryder Remember that VW owns many "race car" brands. Tiguan is a family, daily commuter and average Joe's vehicle. Anyone wants speed and performance, get the GOLF GTI, Audi R8, or even a Bugatti , which they own.
You have to add that VW are shipping these without modules that allow you to use the gps navigation, Bluetooth microphones and other features that the car has. And yes, this module is not available and no one can tell when it will become available. Kinda sucks!
Grew up around multiple VW air-cooled busses, then my own Scirocco, GTI, diesels, etc. VWs historically were exquisitely built, robust, Teutonic, humble, timeless (if slow) machines that never tried to copy the flashy junk trends from other OEMs. Even the ads were self-deprecating. These Atlas models are the antithesis of VW brand values. Macho, bulky, butch inefficiency. ....Little of the "function over form" ethos of their glory years. Hoping ID Buzz reverses course before it's too late.
We have a 2021 Atlas SE V6 4Motion. We love the car, it is BIG on the inside, the only thing I don't like is the fuel economy, but again, it is a huge vehicle and maybe I shouldn't expect high fuel economy.
I did my laundry while having this review on. And suddenly the vid. was finished. I just could pick up that it was not worth buying it. So missed nothing about this video. Next: - Ferrari Purosangue 'Pour some sangria'. Would be actual interesting review due to the fact it has lots of wind noise of 85 dB and the high price tag. ...and much more.
My daughter just picked up a 2019 off lease - with 2 kids and 2 big dogs, it's a lot of SUV for the money. Not a driver like a Mazda, but a ton more interior volume.
Actually in the market for an SUV for my wife and love the don’t hold back style of this channel. But I have searched all videos and can’t find one of the acadia or traverse!
If VW wants to win as an economy brand, it needs to win the confidence of people. If the company believed in the products , they need to go Hyundai Kia route of promising a lengthier warranty. After hearing horror stories about repeated break downs and costly repair costs , it’s hard to consider them seriously even with the hefty discounts.
Exactly what I was thinking when I first considered the Atlas. I'm looking for reliable transportation, not added drama in my life. I've driven nothing but Toyotas for the past 20 years...I'm not even sure if I HAVE a warranty on my cars; they never get used.
They do have longer warranties occasionally they just flip flop too much. The atlas last year had a 6yr 100k mile warranty. Always can purchase one to feel more comfortable. Plus reliability has come up besides the occasional lemon as with any brand.
I really like my 2018. Been very reliable. It was a great price for what I got. I wish it had a little more HP out of the VR6 or MPG. only issue I have is with some transmission noise That seems to be on all the early models.
Genuine industry question: Why buy a FWD "suv"? I've never understood accepting those interior constraints without the benefit of AWD/4WD. But maybe I just grew up in the golden age of minivans and have a special place in my heart for their incredible versatility.
Having plenty of the last gen (and even older, circa 2010 or so) Pilots coming through our inventory, along with a half dozen Atlas', what I found most appalling about the Atlas is feeling the chassis flex. Taking it out on a quick test loop, there's just a little bit of twist and wiggle in these that the recently replaced Pilot doesn't exhibit. Instead, the Atlas felt more like the older, second generation Pilot in that way. That's not something I would have expected from a VWAG vehicle, but then, it is the biggest stretch of the platform, and the older version of the platform like you mentioned. My nieces was actually interested in the Atlas for her family to replace a 2010-ish Explorer, and I suggested the two generations of Pilot instead for that reason. I didn't feel that the premium of the German marque was going to be worth it for them.
