Spotted: a Volkswagen Atlas

For a long time, Volkswagen’ s largest SUV was the Touareg. That changed in 2017 (for the 2018 model year). Volkswagen then introduced the Atlas, a large SUV intended primarily for North America, China and a few other markets where large SUVs are in high demand. Despite its larger size, the Volkswagen Atlas does position itself below the Touareg. Whereas the Touareg remains the flagship SUV model in terms of luxury, the Atlas is primarily intended to offer plenty of interior space. By the way, the type name Atlas is used only in North America. In other markets, the model is called Teramont.

More unknowns

Like many other Volkswagen models, the Atlas is based on the MQB platform. On the largest version of it, though. Technically, the Volkswagen is especially closely related to the Volkswagens Viloran, Talagon and Tavendor and the Audi Q6. All models that we do not know here in Europe. These models are intended for the Chinese market.

Powertrains Volkswagen Atlas

We saw the first harbinger of the Volkswagen Atlas in 2013, in the form of the CrossBlue Concept. Visually, for the production version, not even that much has been adjusted. Underneath, the difference is greater. In fact, the concept car had a plug-in hybrid powertrain with diesel engine. The production version offers a choice of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine in a number of power variants (also depending on market), a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline engine (America) and/or a 2.5-liter V6 (China). The American version always has an eight-speed automatic, while the Chinese version always has a seven-speed. Depending on the version, drive goes to the front wheels or to all four.

Seventeen cup holders

Beyond that, the Volkswagen Atlas offers plenty of interior space above all else. Depending on the seating arrangement chosen, there is room for six to seven occupants. The third row of seats can even be reached without folding down the rear seats. With as many as seventeen cup holders, there’s always room for your drink, too. Furthermore, the Atlas also simply offers everything in terms of infotainment and driver assistance systems that you would expect from a car of this era.

Also a ‘coupe version’

In 2019, the offering in China was expanded with the Teramont X, a version without a third row of seats and with a sloping roofline. The Teramont X also had slightly different bumper work. For model year 2020, this model also came to America, as Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The American version had even more pronounced different bumper work.

Facelift for the Volkswagen Atlas

For the 2021 model year, the Volkswagen Atlas underwent a facelift. This also created more (visual) difference between the American and Chinese versions. In the case of the American version, Volkswagen took a subtle approach. That one just got the same bumper work as the Atlas Cross Sport. The Chinese version received a significantly modified front end and – most importantly – a huge full-width taillight bar.

Recently, Volkswagen unveiled yet another facelift for the U.S. market, for the 2024 model year. At the front, we see mainly a larger grille and at the rear, the American version now also gets such a large taillight bar.

The spotted specimen

The Volkswagen Atlas we encountered the other day in The Hague is one of the first model. A V6 4Motion to be exact, at least in terms of powertrain the fattest version, with an output of 206 kW (280 hp) and 361 Nm of torque. As you can see, the one spotted is not on Dutch registration plates, but has Ukrainian plates, from the Kiev region. You can tell by the first two letters of the license plate.