VW Atlas

[dishdude]

Friend is in town for work and has this as a rental, I drove it to dinner tonight. What a turd! The thing is big, but it drives like it's even bigger...a Tahoe is more maneuverable than this thing. The brakes are super touchy, tap them and you go through the windshield. The V6 is anemic at best, I opened the hood thinking it was a 4 cylinder. Accelerating around 2k-2.5k it just loses all power.

I had a Passat rental a few days ago with the 2.0 and same complaints with the powertrain. It has to downshift and build revs for the turbo to spool before you can add some speed, so you go from no acceleration to balls to the wall.

 

[gregk24]

A turd? The public seems to think otherwise. I have heard other reports of them being underpowered. At least the V6 sounds good.

 

[dishdude]

A turd? The public seems to think otherwise. I have heard other reports of them being underpowered. At least the V6 sounds good.

Yes, it's crap. I'm not a VW hater, I've owned 4 of them...but they really need to get their powertrains sorted. I have yet to drive an auto VW that has a linear powerband. The one auto VW I owned was a nightmare, on more than one occasion I got stuck trying to pull out in front of someone and it couldn't decide if it wanted to go or not. Nothing like standing on the throttle and the car isn't moving.

 

[gregk24]

Yes, it's crap. I'm not a VW hater, I've owned 4 of them...but they really need to get their powertrains sorted. I have yet to drive an auto VW that has a linear powerband. The one auto VW I owned was a nightmare, on more than one occasion I got stuck trying to pull out in front of someone and it couldn't decide if it wanted to go or not. Nothing like standing on the throttle and the car isn't moving.

We've had several and I've driven several more. Never an issue, for us anyway.

 

[Zee09]

Other than that it was stellar correct

 

[Zee09]

 

[dishdude]

Other than that it was stellar correct

I rode in the backseat on the way home and it was huge! Electronic climate control, sun shades on the side windows and all. So that was good.

 

[Nick1994]

Yes, it's crap. I'm not a VW hater, I've owned 4 of them...but they really need to get their powertrains sorted. I have yet to drive an auto VW that has a linear powerband. The one auto VW I owned was a nightmare, on more than one occasion I got stuck trying to pull out in front of someone and it couldn't decide if it wanted to go or not. Nothing like standing on the throttle and the car isn't moving.

To be fair, that's my 14' Grand Cherokee . The slowest throttle response ever.

I'd be surprised if one of these couldn't blow the doors off of mine in a race. Maybe mine has lost some steam, you'll have to drive it some day to compare to the 21'.

Based on looks I always thought these were kind of a copy of the Grand Cherokee.

 

[dishdude]

To be fair, that's my 14' Grand Cherokee . The slowest throttle response ever.

I'd be surprised if one of these couldn't blow the doors off of mine in a race. Maybe mine has lost some steam, you'll have to drive it some day to compare to the 21'.

Based on looks I always thought these were kind of a copy of the Grand Cherokee.

Yeah, it's like a cheap Chinese copy of the Grand Cherokee. My Grand Cherokee's V6s weren't the fastest things on the road, but I knew what to expect when I hit the gas. The Corolla is slow as molasses but at least it's predictable. I would come up 40th St trying to make a left on Indian School and every time that Tiguan would die in the middle of the intersection. It would make this weird chug chug chug sound as I had my foot planted on the gas as it tried to kill me.

I am interested to see how your Grand drives at 125k, I got my 2015 up to 70k before the accident that made me decide to sell it. It was still pretty much new/solid at that point until it got hit and poorly repaired.

 

[Nick1994]

Yeah, it's like a cheap Chinese copy of the Grand Cherokee. My Grand Cherokee's V6s weren't the fastest things on the road, but I knew what to expect when I hit the gas. The Corolla is slow as molasses but at least it's predictable. I would come up 40th St trying to make a left on Indian School and every time that Tiguan would die in the middle of the intersection. It would make this weird chug chug chug sound as I had my foot planted on the gas as it tried to kill me.

I am interested to see how your Grand drives at 125k, I got my 2015 up to 70k before the accident that made me decide to sell it. It was still pretty much new/solid at that point until it got hit and poorly repaired.

The front end is very very clunky. Bumps on the freeway lately make it wander and feel floaty.

I jacked up the front yesterday and the lower control arm bushings are bad, and the inner tie rods have some play in them. So next week I’m having that fixed and it’s getting new Bilstein struts with Mopar strut mounts.

 

[Oillover]

Earlier this year we rented a 2020 Passat with the 2.0 turbo 4 (only engine available).
Despite being turbo the power engine felt coarse and thrashed around under the hood, regardless of the RPM.

Real shame they dumped the V6.
That Passat was a real sleeper!

 

[dishdude]

Earlier this year we rented a 2020 Passat with the 2.0 turbo 4 (only engine available).
Despite being turbo the power engine felt coarse and thrashed around under the hood, regardless of the RPM.

Real shame they dumped the V6.
That Passat was a real sleeper!

Yeah, that was my experience with the Passat as well. VW must be dumping a ton of vehicles to National.

Off to Indianapolis Monday, I made Executive so I no longer have to try and sneak the good cars out any more I would just play dumb, they'll never make you switch out cars lol

 

[Trav]

Friend is in town for work and has this as a rental, I drove it to dinner tonight. What a turd! The thing is big, but it drives like it's even bigger...a Tahoe is more maneuverable than this thing. The brakes are super touchy, tap them and you go through the windshield. The V6 is anemic at best, I opened the hood thinking it was a 4 cylinder. Accelerating around 2k-2.5k it just loses all power.

I had a Passat rental a few days ago with the 2.0 and same complaints with the powertrain. It has to downshift and build revs for the turbo to spool before you can add some speed, so you go from no acceleration to balls to the wall.

View attachment 76537View attachment 76538

It almost sound like they are doing this deliberately in aid of an EV comparison. It wouldnt be the first time a manufacturer(s) have gone down that road, two I can think of were for emissions and the other insurance reasons.

 

[Skippy722]

Yeah, that was my experience with the Passat as well. VW must be dumping a ton of vehicles to National.

Off to Indianapolis Monday, I made Executive so I no longer have to try and sneak the good cars out any more I would just play dumb, they'll never make you switch out cars lol

If it’s anything like the rest of Indiana, you’ll get something cool (BMW 3 series, Charger R/T) or they’ll try to cram you into some sub-compact thing or an Altima, there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground.

If you you’re able, HuHot in Lafayette is delicious.

 

[Danno]

Friend is in town for work and has this as a rental, I drove it to dinner tonight. What a turd! The thing is big, but it drives like it's even bigger...a Tahoe is more maneuverable than this thing. The brakes are super touchy, tap them and you go through the windshield. The V6 is anemic at best, I opened the hood thinking it was a 4 cylinder. Accelerating around 2k-2.5k it just loses all power.

What drive mode were you in?
I have a V6 on the lot, and it defaults to ECO. Throttle response is dead in ECO.
Moving it to SPORT mode definitely wakes it up.

 

[redhat]

I see these all the time on the road and wonder what the opinion of them is. I have been correct for the past few years in that I don't look into them much!

 

[RooflessVW]

Honestly, we loved our Atlas. My only complaint was that the 3.6 was the only option for the top trim in '19 when we bought it.

The 2.0t with a tune is a much better engine overall.

 

[Barkleymut]

rode as a passenger a few days ago in an Atlas. First I LOVE the exterior on these. The interior was very nice as well.

The ride was decent, would like the opportunity to drive one but I would never ever buy a VW.

 

[raaizin]

We have a 2.0 in our '18 Q5 and the car is very quick. I also had it in our '18 A4 and that car was even quicker. I know the audi 2.0 has some more horsepower and torque and a dual clutch transmission but really cant see the Passat and Atlas being that slow.

 

[wemay]

Honestly, we loved our Atlas. My only complaint was that the 3.6 was the only option for the top trim in '19 when we bought it.

The 2.0t with a tune is a much better engine overall.

@RooflessVW , "loved?" Did you get rid of it?

The Atlas is still on my wife's short list to replace the SFS 2.0T. The other's being Infiniti Qx60, KIA/Hyundai Telluride/Palisade and Toyota Highlander Hybrid.