If you like rough practicality and basic skills..Best 3-row Large SUV Atlas
May 31, 2025
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The most impressive part of the test drive of the new three-row large SUV Atlas released by Volkswagen Korea is the comfortable ride.
If you're looking for SUVs that will use row three frequently, the Volkswagen Atlas could be a good alternative. Atlas was a large SUV that was versatile enough to give satisfaction, with the only disadvantage of using it for commuting in the city center being fuel efficiency of 7km/L.
In particular, if you go on a long trip with a large family on the weekend, you will have a clear advantage in ride comfort and space over Hyundai Motor's Palisade, a domestic competitive model. Of course, considering convenience equipment, etc., it is clear that it is far from following Palisade.
In addition to fuel efficiency, the biggest drawback is that it is immersed in the common 'auto holding' that also depends on domestic compact cars. It is a thorough application of the idea of a large SUV, a popular brand for American consumers. In the United States, the auto holding function is rarely used unless it is in a large city.
Volkswagen has a shorter history of making three-row large SUVs than Hyundai-Kia. Atlas, which was first introduced as a U.S. market strategy model in 2017, is the first. Still, the strong basics created by German engineering technology are attractive. Convenience equipment and consumer-friendly parts are still as clunky as Volkswagen.
If you are a consumer who likes basic equipment rather than fancy convenience equipment, Atlas has many factors to gain popularity. Along with comfortable ride, it is a clear advantage to utilize the space that is as relaxed as a large SUV in the U.S.Thanks to these advantages, sales are expected to be quite strong. Of course, it is possible only when Volkswagen Korea is accompanied by a huge promotion.
Atlas, which initially decided to introduce it in Korea in 2023 but introduced it in Korea two years later, is the latest model of partial changes released in the U.S. market in 2024. It is a full-model change-class new car with a new engine that has significantly improved design and interior compared to the existing one.
Atlas, like Tiguan, is built on Volkswagen Group's MQB modular platform. It features a 5,095mm full length, the longest among large SUVs on the market in Korea. The total width is 1,990mm and the total height is 1,780mm. The full length is 35mm and the full width is 10mm larger than the modern Palisade..
In Korea, the top trim, the R-Line package, is basic. It is a simple yet luxurious design. The front is impressive with "C" shaped daytime running lights and LED headlamps. It reminds me of Renault QM6.
The Volkswagen Illuminated logo in the middle of the grill turns on when the taillight or higher is turned on. It is an important factor in driving overnight. I can feel the strength beyond BMW's Kidney Grill.
The R-Line side emblem attached to the front door and the 21-inch alloy wheel add strength. It also has a silver roof rail, making it practical for leisure activities.
The clean design on the back is attractive. Like the LED rear combination, which is connected to the left and right to give a sense of unity, and the front, the Illuminated Volkswagen logo adds light to the center of the tail lamp. The lower part emphasizes that the body color rear bumper, chrome dual exhaust, and towing devices treated with fake are sporty.
A trailer hitch (towing device) is also installed at the bottom for convenient outdoor and leisure activities. Thanks to this, trailers and caravans can be towed without a separate structural change procedure. It has a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. However, towing rings must be purchased separately.
The interior is neat. The driver's seat is equipped with a 10.25-inch digital cockpit pro and a head-up display to help check intuitive information while driving. The shift lever is an electronic gear selector that is convenient to operate.
The soft-to-touch leather seat provides 8-Way power control, heating and ventilation, and massage functions for the first row. The second row has a heating wire function, but ventilation is missing. The test car is a seven-seater with a "2+3+2" configuration. If you add about 1 million won, you can choose a six-seater with a "2+2+2" configuration.
The body is long, so considerable loading space is secured even when three rows of seats are erected. Two or three golf caddie bags can be stored. It is 583 liters in basic, 1,572 liters for three-row folding, and 2,735 liters for two-row folding.
Folding all sheets allows for a perfectly flat floor space. Two tall adults can lie down enough, making it ideal for car camping. The second-row sheet can be simply folded in just three seconds. In some cases, the manual type, which can be easily folded without more effort than the electric type, is more convenient.
It is not inconvenient to get on the third row. For a reporter, he is 178 centimeters tall. When I sat in the third row, I was surprised because there was plenty of headroom or knee space. Moreover, the third-row seat cushion is located high, so the thighs are quite close, making it comfortable for long-distance driving. The second row is equipped with a "three-zone klimatronic automatic air conditioner" that can independently adjust the temperature of the rear seat.It is equipped with two 45W high-power USB-C charging ports. The second row window also has a manual curtain. Most of them are equipped with convenience equipment.
A bit disappointing is the center display. The 12-inch screen looks small because it has thick black bezels that are not needed. Infotainment systems require time to adapt somewhat by minimizing physical buttons. At the bottom of the center fascia, there is plenty of storage space like a large SUV.
It also applied 30 color ambient lights. Panorama sunroofs are narrow for vehicles these days, but their usability is not bad. What was better than I thought was the Harman Kardon Premium Sound System, which includes a center speaker and a subwoofer. It provides rich volume.
It is also equipped with a remote start function. It can be started by simply operating a smart key and boarded at 22 degrees in midsummer or winter. Unfortunately, it is impossible to control through the app.
It's a test drive now. When the start button is pressed, the driver is greeted by the caracan sound of the 2.0 turbo gasoline engine.The Powertrain is a 2.0-liter series four-cylinder gasoline turbo TSI engine. It is a representative engine used in Volkswagen's new cars such as golf.
It produces a maximum output of 273 horsepower (PS) and a maximum torque of 37.7kg.m, which may be a little insufficient compared to its huge size, but the maximum torque comes out in the practical area of 1,600-4750 rpm to relieve the frustration when accelerating at medium and low speeds.
The transmission is an automatic eight-speed. The engine speed is set to be maintained at 1,500 rpm when driving 100 kilometers per hour, increasing efficiency. Overall, it is an optimal setting for comfortable long-distance driving and daily driving in the city rather than sporty acceleration.
If you accelerate after stopping, there is not much power shortage in the city center. Although it is a little awkward, the biggest frustration is that when hitting at high speed at medium and low speeds, you can clearly feel the driving quality of the turbo engine after taking a break.
Rather than a lack of output, it can be expressed as an acceleration force that seems to squeeze a large size and heavy weight. If it's a highway, sport mode driving seems more suitable than normal mode. If you think of it as a family SUV that drives leisurely, the acceleration is not too inconvenient.
Quietness is quite good. In particular, when boarding the second row, the road floor noise blocking feels better than the new Palisade. When you accelerate, the sound of a pleasant turbo engine is only introduced.
This time, I tried ADAS. They do a pretty good job of maintaining lanes. It's capacitive, so if you get a warning message to hold the handle, you just need to touch it lightly. For a popular brand, it's something I've been paying pretty much attention to.
Adaptive cruise control supports stops and restarts in the speed range of 0-200 km/h. The most regrettable part is the absence of auto-holding. Even if it is a U.S.-made vehicle, the part without auto-holding is far from the preference of domestic consumers.
Safety equipment is plentiful. Travel assist, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic warning and drop-off warning, forward collision warning front assist and emergency braking, "emergency assist," and lane keeping assist to reduce driving fatigue by assisting acceleration, braking and steering in urban and long-distance driving.
The electronically controlled four-motion AWD system provides some off-road capabilities by providing off-road/snow mode in addition to eco/comfort/sports/custom.
Korea's official fuel efficiency has been certified 8.5 km/L (city 7.6 km/L, high speed 10.1 km/L) based on complex. Even in actual driving, the depth is about 7km/L.
If you drive 100 to 110 kilometers per hour at a constant speed, two seats are enough.It was possible to travel more than 12 kilometers per liter with high speed. Although it is the largest body size in its class, it is a 2.0 compact engine, which can also reduce automobile tax.
Atlas has solid basic skills in terms of driving texture. Riding in rows 2 and 3 is also more comfortable than expected. In particular, a large indoor space is a clear point of purchase when six or seven people are on board.
Atlas is the best model among imported cars if family leisure trips are frequent on weekends as well as commuting. The price is 67.7 million won for seven-seater and 6,8486,000 won for six-seater.(Applies 3.5% of opening tax).
Youngjongdo = Editor Kim Tae-jin tj.kim@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
