We Drove a 2027 Volkswagen Atlas Prototype on the Ice. Here's What We Learned

The second-generation Atlas will be an important part of Volkswagen's U.S. sales strategy

written by Kirk Bell
edited by Steven Ewing
2/16/2026
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A new Volkswagen Atlas is coming this year.
It'll be similarly sized to the current Atlas, but with a more powerful engine and a nicer interior.
The 2027 Atlas will be revealed on March 31 at the New York Auto Show.

— Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, Quebec, Canada

The Atlas was instrumental in converting Volkswagen from a car brand to an SUV brand here in the U.S. In 2016, 15% of VW's U.S. sales were SUVs. As of the end of 2025, SUVs now make up 80.3% of VW sales, and the Atlas — including the Cross Sport — accounts for 31%. It’s clearly an important part of the portfolio.

After nearly a decade, it's time for a new Atlas, and one is coming for the 2027 model year. I recently drove a couple of 2027 Atlas prototypes in Canada, which showed off much of what you can expect from Volkswagen's updated three-row SUV.

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2027 Volkswagen Atlas prototype front 3/4

2027 VW Atlas exterior design

The prototype models were camouflaged in a bright multi-color pattern, but I could still discern many of the vehicle's new lines (only the roof carries over). Peering through the camo showed that the next Atlas should take on design cues from recent VW SUVs. That should give it a wide, upright nose with a high-set grille that emphasizes width. Disregard the headlight shape you see in the photos, as much of that is a decal; the headlights are likely rectangular and wrap partially into the fenders.

Along the sides, a horizontal shoulder line kicks up at the front wheels and again at the rear hips, much like on the current Atlas. A lower character line between the wheels alleviates some visual weight in the profile as well. A rear spoiler on the SEL Premium R Line model I drove extends the roofline to improve aerodynamics. The prototypes featured 265/45R21 Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV tires at all four corners, though smaller wheels may be offered on lower-level trims.

A Volkswagen rep said the wheelbase will carry over, which makes it 117.3 inches long, and many of the dimensions should be about the same as well. That would make the new Atlas about 200.7 inches long and 78.3 inches wide, though the new model likely has a bit more length due to additional rear overhang.

2027 Volkswagen Atlas prototype rear 3/4

2027 VW Atlas interior design

While Volkswagen is happy to provide disguised exterior photos, the company won't release interior photos yet. VW also asked that I share only general impressions of the cabin.

With similar dimensions to the outgoing model, the new Atlas will have similar interior space, and that's not a bad thing. It seats seven, with roomy first and second rows and a third row that can be used by a pair of adults if they're willing to deal with limited legroom and a knees-up seating position that won't work for long-distance travel.

The interior in the test vehicles I drove sported much the same look as the current Atlas, with an emphasis on horizontal lines on the dash, a digital instrument cluster, a center touchscreen that sits atop the dash, wood trim and soft-touch surfaces. However, Volkswagen reps said the material quality has improved and new features will be available.

The touchscreen is certainly larger than the 12-inch display in the current Atlas, and while it still uses a touch-control volume slider along its base, a new dial on the center console doubles as a volume knob and a drive mode selector. That's in addition to the carryover volume toggle on the steering wheel.

How does it drive?

VW reps said the new Atlas has been tweaked to provide better overall refinement. That likely means slightly increased torsional rigidity, modified suspension mounting points and possibly more sound deadening.

The engine is also updated. It’s an evolution of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 269 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque in the current Atlas. Volkswagen isn't releasing horsepower or torque figures for the 2027 model yet, but company reps did confirm the Atlas will have more power thanks to a new turbocharger and beefed-up internals, including the crankshaft and connecting rods. A version of this engine makes 268 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque in the 2026 Tiguan, but I'd expect at least 280 hp and near 300 lb-ft of torque in the 2027 Atlas.

I can't say just how powerful the new Atlas feels as my time behind the wheel was exclusively limited to driving on a frozen lake. However, I can share how the 4Motion system worked in a very low-traction situation. The system defaults to front-wheel drive in straight-line cruising, but it can send up to half of the power to the rear wheels when it detects slip.

Sending power to the rear let me kick out the SUV's back end and slide the Atlas around an ice track, much like you would with rear-wheel drive. It required switching to Off-Road mode, then turning off the stability control. (It never turns off completely, but it didn’t intervene during a couple of hours of ice driving.) At this point, I could ride the throttle to control drifts and supplement that control with steering, turning in the direction of the corner for more oversteer and in the opposite direction of the corner to bring the SUV back on its intended line. The steering had a light touch and felt fairly slow, though the ice likely had something to do with that.

Full reveal coming in late March

The official reveal of the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas is scheduled for March 31 at the New York Auto Show. Volkswagen will certainly release more official specifications and information about features at that time. Pricing information may have to wait until the new Atlas goes on sale this fall.

by Kirk Bell

Cars have been an important part of his life since Kirk learned to identify them by their headlights as a toddler. He grew up helping pit crew for his dad’s highly unsuccessful drag racing escapades, and he turned his knowledge of the car culture into a career when he became an editor at Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine starting in college. Kirk has been writing about full-scale cars for more than 20 years and was named to the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury in 2014. He was most recently senior editor at Motor Authority, where he specialized in luxury and performance cars. Kirk also authored and edited several car books, including the award-winning Hot Rod & Custom Chronicle and NASCAR Chronicle when was managing editor at Consumer Guide Automotive. Kirk enjoys nothing more than a track day, but he’s also a Wisconsin sport fan and he enjoys spirited drives in his 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

edited by Steven Ewing

I'm Steven Ewing, Edmunds' director of editorial content. I've been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and I was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. I've also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. I've worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there's always an interesting story to tell.

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