The best Atlas years to buy are 2020 and 2022. Avoid the 2018 and 2021: battery drain and engine faults on the first year, and parking brake, brake and stalling complaints on the 2021, give them the most complaints.
Best years: 20202022 Years to avoid: 20182021
Every Atlas year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Year by year
About the Atlas
The Atlas is Volkswagen's three-row SUV, built in Tennessee from 2018 with a 2.0-liter turbo or a 3.6-liter VR6. Its complaint rate is above average. The 2018 drew complaints about dead batteries, engine faults and air bag recalls. The 2021 refresh drew complaints about the electronic parking brake, fast-wearing brakes and stalling at idle.
- 2018-2020: Launch years. Battery drain and air bag recalls on 2018.
- 2021-2023: Refresh. Parking brake, brake and stalling complaints.
- 2024 on: Second refresh, 2.0-liter turbo only.
Atlas warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Volkswagen files with NHTSA. 1,349 Atlas bulletins are on file in total.
These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement
Volkswagen is extending warranty coverage for the Front Door Wiring Harnesses on certain 2019-2023 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles identified by the U70 Warranty Key for 5 years / 60,000 miles (whichever occurs first) from...
This supporting FAQ is for the Turbocharger Limited Warranty Extension Class Action Settlement.
Volkswagen has extended the Warranty coverage for the Evap Leak Detection Pump (LDP) to 15 years or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the vehicles original in-service date, for certain 2022 Model Year Volkswagen vehic...
Supporting FAQ for VWP-26-07 Main Engine Wiring Harness Limited Warranty Extension (Class Action)
This Document informs dealers on the Sunroof Class Action Limited Warranty Extension FAQ for commonly asked questions
This Document announces the policy for the Engine Control Module Software Update Limited Warranty extension.
This Document informs dealers on the new warranty extension of the 12 Volt Battery Warranty Extension for certain Atlas vehicles
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Atlas
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Engineering analysis EA24004 · 2019 · opened Dec 2024
On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.
Preliminary evaluation PE23017 · 2018–2023 · opened Sep 2023, closed Dec 2024
On September 28, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23017) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Front Assist automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles.The reports alleged that activation of the AEB sys...
Preliminary evaluation PE21008 · 2018–2020 · opened Mar 2021, closed Oct 2022
On March 29, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-008 to investigate instances of fuel injectors leaking in the engine compartment in model year (MY) 2018 through 2020 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs.
Atlas vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Volkswagen Atlas?
2020 and 2022. The best Atlas years to buy are 2020 and 2022. Avoid the 2018 and 2021: battery drain and engine faults on the first year, and parking brake, brake and stalling complaints on the 2021, give them the most complaints.
Which Volkswagen Atlas years should I avoid?
2018, 2021. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Volkswagen Atlas average.
What are common Volkswagen Atlas problems?
The most common complaints are batteries that drain, engine warning lights, electronic parking brake faults and stalling at idle with the stop-start system. Check the VIN for open recalls and test the parking brake and stop-start during the drive.
Based on 1,965 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2018 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.