Volkswagen Atlas: Which Should You Buy, 2020 or 2021?

Most significant changes: New front and rear styling; all-wheel drive now available with the 2.0-liter engine

Price change: None on base S model; SE is $200 higher; SEL is $200-$300 less; destination charge unchanged at $1,020

On sale: April

Which should you buy, 2020 or 2021? 2020. Unless you must have the new styling or a four-cylinder model with AWD, there’s a much better selection of 2020 models (our 2020 Family Car of the Year) that should be available at bigger discounts.

Volkswagen is getting an early jump on the 2021 model year with the three-row version of the Atlas SUV, which gets new front and rear styling, as well as availability of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with all-wheel drive. Previously, the only way to get AWD on the Atlas was with a 3.6-liter V-6.

Related: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas: Minimally Different, More Versatile

The new front styling follows that of the Atlas Cross Sport, the two-row version of the Atlas that is built on the same platform and debuted for 2020. (The Cross Sport continues in 2020 form for now.) The styling changes include a three-bar grille and new front and rear bumpers that add 2.4 inches to the overall length of the three-row Atlas, which seats six or seven.

Two new driver-assistance systems are standard on the SEL trim, one that scans for road signs and the other, Traffic Jam Assist, that allows the adaptive cruise control to operate in heavy traffic.

In addition to making AWD available with the turbo four-cylinder engine, VW is adding the R-Line appearance package to the SE trim level and a new SE With Technology Package that comes with 20-inch wheels, front and rear park assist, remote start, adaptive cruise control and other features.

This all adds up to six trim levels and 18 versions of the Atlas. All come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and forward collision warning, blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert are standard across the lineup.

Prices have barely budged from 2020 levels. The base S model with front-wheel drive and the four-cylinder is unchanged at $32,565 (all prices include the $1,020 destination charge). The front-drive SE, also with the four-cylinder, starts at $35,915. The SEL R-Line with FWD and the V-6 starts at $45,015, and most SEL models are down $200 to $300 year-over-year. The most expensive version, the SEL Premium R-Line, is $51,715. Some models disappear for 2021, such as the S with the V-6 engine, which had been the least expensive version with AWD. The 2021 S AWD with the 2.0-liter engine undercuts it by $1,300 at $34,465.

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• Research the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
• Research the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas
• Compare the 2020 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas

VW has made AWD more affordable on the Atlas for 2021 and freshened the appearance, but this update arrives at a bad time because the coronavirus has nearly ground sales to a halt. Most dealers have 2021 models in stock, but they aren’t likely to order more until sales return to more normal levels. That makes it unlikely that all trim levels and versions will be in stock, limiting the selection in most showrooms.

With an ample supply of 2020 models — our 2020 Family Car of the Year — still available, dealers should be offering generous discounts to try to move those before ordering more.

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