Used 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Consumer Reviews
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Electrical Issues Render It Useless
CHICAGOVWGUY, 11/09/2021
2021 Volkswagen Atlas SE w/Technology R-Line 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
36 of 37 people found this review helpful
Took my 6 month old VW Atlas back to the dealership because of an electrical issues that causes the parking brake to engage while driving, among other issues like alarms going off, windows going down (and being stuck down) and cruise control not working. Dealer determined that door wiring harness was needed but part is on backorder and they have no timetable for receiving the part and making the repair. Apparently the issue is common. I would avoid purchasing the vehicle until VW figures it out.
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Lots of Space and No Wind Noise
Dan, 03/02/2021
2021 Volkswagen Atlas SE w/Technology 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 08/20 (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
164 of 174 people found this review helpful
I've owned dozens of cars and SUVs. The VW Atlas is a great choice for families who have taller children but don't want a domestic brand SUV or full size gas guzzler. Is the Atlas the best mid-size SUV? No, not really. The Palisade and the Telluride are better. However, the Atlas has more room in the third row and the trunk once all the seats are up and being used. If you like VW's simplistic cabins this is the one for you. I like the fact that the climate controls and the gear shift are the same as all the other cars of past. It still looks great. Let's talk dollar for dollar options. I bought a 2.0 SE with Tech, 4Motion, and sunroof. With all the discounts you get a vehicle that is cheaper with more options than all the other brands. Hyundai and Kia are still selling for more than sticker. Also, the Hyundai and Kia lower models don't have nice big wheels or a power trunk... this is worth money right there. The Atlas drives very will if not a bit harsh over rough pavement... this is true. I drove a Palisade for a week and it was much smoother. HOWEVER... like all Hyundais I've owned in the past, the Palisade becomes very boring to drive. Not sure why, but all VWs are much more entertaining to drive. So, for a car that you can get for around $37k this Atlas has nice features such as a huge moonroof, latest safety tech plus radar cruise, power trunk, Android and Apple car play, perforated fake leather seats, and automatic wipers (that's a nice touch). On paper the Hyundai and Kia might be cheaper, but in reality as of right now that 's not the case. Like I said, we have 4 kids who are all older and taller. We have a minivan for long trips, but they all fit fine in the Atlas which you can't say about most of the other Brands. Trunk space is also good for and SUV. You can cram 5 board cases in the trunk plus a small duffel bag. However, it's still not enough for a road trip of any length. It's fine though if you have less than 6 people. Gas mileage and engine performance are good... not great. I bought the 4 cyl since it had more torque in everyday driving and I don't have to tow anything....oh yes it's cheaper too. So, both engines are about the same quickness. The V6 does sound better at low RPM. The 4 cyl shifts less even on the HWY. Gas mileage is about 18 in town and 22 on the HWY. That's about as good as it gets. The V6 didn't do any better when I had it as a rental car. I started putting premium gas in my Atlas and I swear I can feel a power and response difference. But most people might not. The steering is very light...almost too light, but it's not a deal breaker. Oh yes... this car generates NO wind noise. It's almost limo like when on the open road. Doesn't matter how hard the wind blows, there is almost no noise. Overall this is a great family car. I've only had it 3 months but so far no issues of any kind. Bluetooth works fine and all the other gadgets work well. So far so good.
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2021 Volkswagen Atlas for sale near you
3 of 107 listings
- SE w/Technology 4dr SUVMSRP: $23,3088 mi away
- SE w/Technology 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,44462 mi away
- SE w/Technology 4dr SUVMSRP: $28,55322 mi away
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Lots of problems dealership can't fix
Alex L, 05/23/2021
2021 Volkswagen Atlas SEL R-Line 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 08/20 (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
91 of 99 people found this review helpful
Dec 18/20 - picked up 2021 Atlas R Line that we purchased from the dealership. Since then, we have had to visit your dealership 5 times (in the past 5 months) for an issue that remains unresolved. Each time that we leave the dealership, we are assured that the issues have been resolved. We now video the problems and send them to the service manager. The infotainment system seems to be the problem - we've had continued intermittent issues with the bluetooth not working for phone calls and playing music, radio volume shuts off and we can't bring the volume up, backup camera freezes or goes black, and climate control don't work. The car has had two new radio modules installed in an attempt to fix the ongoing issues. We were told by the dealership that this was not a known issue by VW and our vehicles was the only one with this problems. We approached two with the same vehicle and they had experienced similar problems. We love tlthe vehicle when it works but would not recommend buying one until these problems are fixed.
Front aid technology issues galore!
N/A, 04/04/2021
2021 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 08/20 (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
50 of 55 people found this review helpful
What else is there to say other than my car has been to the dealership 9 times since July and the issues are still not resolved!! A front camera that has been replaced but not working as the firmware is not compatible with the software of the car, lane assist that disengages on its own, front driving aides that will signal a crash is imminent with nothing in front of you and front sensors that either do not work at all OR will not stop going through a drive through or in traffic!! Dealership is great but VW corporate is dragging there feet on helping me out! Clearly something wrong with this one so either put me in a new one or buy me out!
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Tried the Highlander Platinum, Palisade Limited
mike e, 08/30/2020
2021 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 08/20 (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
48 of 53 people found this review helpful
Shopped for a month and was going to go with the Highlander. We first tried the 20 Atlas. Before buying the Highlander, we tried the 21 Atlas and went home with it. To us it was better than all of them and much better than the 20 Atlas. The price point was a big item. We were able to get the 21 SEL Premium, in our desires color, for 46k out the door. No one could even come close with the other manufacturers. The space, ride, and better pricing sold it.
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