What's New for the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas?
Volkswagen is doubling down in its attempts to secure a spot for itself in the growing SUV sales race. While models like the Taos and Tiguan have helped expand the automaker’s footprint, the Atlas still has the full-size SUV segment covered. But what changes are in store for the 2023 Atlas?
Related: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Review: New Face, Same Space
Changes Go Skin Deep for 2023
At first glance, the Atlas appears to have carried over largely unchanged with the same exterior design that we saw in 2022. However, slip inside and the changes become more apparent. Volkswagen has made the 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro gauge cluster standard on all trims except the base SE. The SE variant now serves as a gateway into the Atlas’ trim ladder, with the Atlas S being pitched to bring the trim levels down to five for the 2023 model year.
The rest of the Atlas remains mostly the same, with buyers still having the choice of two engines: the base 235-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or the optional 276-hp, 3.6-liter V-6. Both engines are also very close to each other in fuel economy, with the 2.0-liter getting an EPA-rated 23 mpg combined for front-wheel drive and a slightly lower 22 mpg combined with all-wheel drive; the V-6 delivers 20 mpg combined with both FWD and AWD.
Pricing
The 2023 Atlas’s slimmed-down trim ladder has an effect on pricing, with the base SE starting at $36,445 (all pricing includes destination); AWD adds $1,900. The SE with Technology starts at $40,615, and the luxury-loaded SEL comes with AWD only and starts at $46,630. The range-topping, AWD-only R-Line is split in two, with the blacked-out SEL R-Line Black starting at $50,330 and the SEL Premium R-Line, the more comfort-oriented trim, starting at $53,635.
This pricing puts the Atlas firmly in the SUV race, but it’s also facing competition from recently revamped models including the 2023 Toyota Sequoia ($59,895) and 2023 Nissan Pathfinder ($36,295).
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