Major kudos go to VW for raising the third-row bench up off the cargo floor, the higher hip point improving comfort even for adult passengers. The tilt-and-slide release affords third-row access even with a child seat installed. The bench is flat as a pancake, but tall folks will appreciate a seat bottom that’s long enough for some thigh support. The second-row seats slide fore and aft, and in their forward-most position, there’s enough space for kids and young teens – adults will want to kick them back a few notches. Front passengers have more than enough space to get comfortable on a long trip, though the cushy, heated seats might be a bit too shapeless for all-day support. Somehow, the Atlas features large-crossover interior space in a midsize footprint. It looks nice, but a little suspension lift and some taller rubber would really sell the accessory’s off-road pretensions more. The dealer-installed Basecamp kit costs $2,500, plus another $1,000 for the wheels. It also sports Fifteen52 Traverse MX 17-inch wheels. The vehicle we drove added the Basecamp accessory kit, which includes a satin silver front bumper guard, dark fender extensions with splash guards, satin silver rocker panels, a satin silver rear valance with a trailer hitch cutout, and unique Basecamp badges. The side profile and rear views are all but unchanged for 2021, with slightly redesigned taillights and not much else. A more delicately styled grille, beveled headlights, and nearly horizontal hood help the Atlas look more German – to this author’s eyes, the front end somehow recalls the lauded Golf Mk4 sold in the early 2000s. The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas is an okay-looking machine, particularly since its facelift did away with the blocky front end that made it look heavy and ungainly. Nevertheless, the seven-seat Atlas is VW’s number-three vehicle in terms of sales, and we appreciated its overall competence during a test of an SEL V6 4Motion model with the Basecamp accessory kit. But former Volkswagen owners will find themselves let down by the SUV’s disappointingly plasticky interior and forgettable (if inoffensive) styling. Perfectly average styling and driving behavior draw no ire, and we applaud the Atlas’ available advanced technology features and spacious interior. Unfortunately, it meets those consumer needs with none of the elan and poise that was once a hallmark of every Volkswagen product. A few styling and interior updates for 2021 bring the Atlas more in line with its funky, Teutonic forebears, but it’s still a distinctly American product, reflecting the changing values of VW and its buyers. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas is the largest vehicle the company has ever sold in the US, a curious offering from a company that once extolled the virtues of buying the compact Beetle over a comparatively huge Chevy Biscayne. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated and verified. ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). *Disclaimer: This content is authored by an external agency. The second recall affected 1,242 Porsches and 31,058 Audis. Last month, VW Group companies – Audi and Porsche – recalled 32,000 cars. VW Atlas owners can go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website and key in their Vehicle Identification Number or VIN to know whether their SUV is included in the recall. How to check whether your Volkswagen Atlas falls under the recall? As the carmaker does not have a solution at present, it will connect with the customers of the SUV once they have a solution in place to repair the affected wiring of the vehicle. It will be emailing the owners by May 10, 2022. The German automaker will be sending out recall emails to its select Atlas customers who have their cars manufactured between 20. The Volkswagen recall will affect the recent models of the Atlas from 2019 to 20 to 2023 of the Atlas Cross Sport. Although there is no repair mechanism in place to rectify the wiring issue with Volkswagen, the automaker will run a reimbursement program for the vehicles recalled.
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