Having debuted in 2018, the Volkswagen Atlas is still relatively fresh. However, with buyers preferring the styling of its cousin, the Atlas Cross Sport, VW chose to massage the 2021 Altas’ bumpers to more closely match its sportier relative. With the 2022 Atlas marking just its second model year since the refresh, we expect it to be a carryover model.
Visually, the current Atlas is about as vanilla as they come with its upright face, smooth bodyside lines, slight hood ridges, and upright tailgate. This may bore some buyers, but VW is playing to the masses with this design, and we expect it to remain the same in the 2022 VW Atlas.
Inside, the current Atlas features the typical Volkswagen cabin. It’s clean, clutter-free, and errs on the side of plain with its long stretches of featureless plastics and soft-touch materials. The flat-bottom steering wheel and touchscreen break up the monotony a bit – but only for a second. We expect this simple interior design to remain in the 2022 Atlas.
The current Atlas leaves no one clamoring for more equipment, as its standard feature list is good enough for most. This list includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, cloth upholstery, 17-inch wheels, and more. Buyers can spend up to get an 8-inch touchscreen, tri-zone climate control, 20-inch rollers, leatherette upholstery, a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster, five USB ports, a Fender audio system, and more. We expect the standard features and options to remain the same in the 2022 Atlas.
The current Atlas has a pair of powertrain options, starting with the standard 235-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Buyers can opt for a 276-hp 3.6-liter V6 in its place. Both engines mate to an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional with both engines. We expect these powertrain options to remain the same in the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas.
The current VW Atlas pulled off “Good” results in all the IIHS’ key crash tests, and it even received a “Good” rating for its available LED projector headlights. This set it up nicely for Top Safety Pick status, but the IIHS hasn’t rated its standard automatic emergency braking, preventing it from getting the TSP nod. We expect all the safety features and ratings to remain the same in the 2022 Atlas.
