2020 Volkswagen Atlas
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2020 models.

- Class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Body styles
- 4dr SUV 4motion 2.0l, 4dr SUV 4motion 3.6l, Sport Cross 4dr SUV 4motion 2.0l, Sport Cross 4dr SUV 4motion 3.6l
- Engines
- 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 3.6L 6-cyl
- Horsepower
- 235–276 hp
- Transmission
- 8-speed automatic
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
- Seats
- 7
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
- MPG (best)
- 22 combined · 21 city / 24 hwy
- Length
- 195.7–198.4 in
- Curb weight
- 4,442–4,594 lb
- NHTSA rating
- ★★★★★
- Recalls
- 11 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- AWD / 4WD available
- Seats up to 73 rows of seating.
- 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
Watch out for
- Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 22 MPG combined, 14% below the 2020 small SUV average of 25.6 MPG.
- "Do not drive" recallCheck that the recall repair was done before buying or driving.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 25 similar 2020 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.0L 4-cyl turbo and 3.6L 6-cyl) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 198 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 117-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,442 lb (4dr SUV 4motion 2.0l).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 22 MPG combined (21 city / 24 highway), 14% worse than the 2020 small SUV average of 25.6 MPG, for an estimated $3,050 a year in fuel.
In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.
It has 11 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the electrical system.
What changed for 2020
No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2019 Atlas — a carry-over year in the data.
Compared with 2019; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2019 Atlas →
Trims, performance & features
Trims
Safety & driver-assist features
Built in: Chattanooga, Tennessee
NHTSA vPIC, as reported by the manufacturer for 5 2020 Atlas configurations; may not list every trim. How we calculate this →
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr SUV 4motion 2.0l | 198.4 in | 78 in | 68.9 in | 117.3 in | 67.7 / 67.7 in | 4,442 lb | 56/44 |
| 4dr SUV 4motion 3.6l | 198.4 in | 78 in | 68.9 in | 117.3 in | 67.7 / 67.7 in | 4,594 lb | 57/43 |
| Sport Cross 4dr SUV 4motion 2.0l | 195.7 in | 78.3 in | 67.7 in | 117.3 in | 67.3 / 67.7 in | 4,442 lb | 57/43 |
| Sport Cross 4dr SUV 4motion 3.6l | 195.7 in | 78.3 in | 67.7 in | 117.3 in | 67.3 / 67.7 in | 4,594 lb | 57/43 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Cross Sport | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 24 / 22 | -14% | $3,050 | 401 |
| Atlas | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 / 24 / 22 | -14% | $3,050 | 408 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S8) | All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 23 / 20 | -15% | $3,350 | 439 |
| Atlas | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 / 23 / 19 | -26% | $3,550 | 461 |
| Atlas Cross Sport | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 / 23 / 19 | -26% | $3,550 | 461 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 22 / 19 | -19% | $3,550 | 480 |
| Atlas 4motion | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 22 / 19 | +1% | $3,550 | 480 |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2020 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Driver / passenger | Side | Side pole | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Volkswagen Atlas SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 4★ / 5★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 13.6% |
| 2020 Volkswagen Atlas SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 4★ / 5★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 15.9% |


Similar 2020 small SUVs
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Volkswagen Atlas (this car) | 22 MPG | ★★★★★ | 11 |
| 2020 Toyota 4Runner | 17 MPG | ★★★★★ | 1 |
| 2020 Ford Explorer | 28 MPG | ★★★★★ | 35 |
| 2020 Toyota Highlander | 36 MPG | ★★★★★ | 5 |
| 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 21 MPG | ★★★★★ | 3 |
| 2020 Kia Telluride | 23 MPG | ★★★★★ | 7 |
| 2020 GMC Yukon | 18 MPG | ★★★★★ | 4 |
Recalls (11)
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger · Jun 20, 2024
NHTSA campaign 24V464000 · 271,330 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
- Risk
- A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger · Mar 29, 2023
NHTSA campaign 23V215000 · 143,053 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
- Risk
- A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.
Tires › Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems · Oct 31, 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V815000 · 296,044 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Risk
- An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or AudiÂs customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Air Bags › Side/Window · Mar 28, 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V152000 · 222,892 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
- Risk
- A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
- Fix
- Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
Equipment › Other › Labels · Feb 16, 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V086000 · 3,648 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Risk
- Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.
Air Bags › Air Bag/Restraint Control Module · Nov 17, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V892000 · 54,429 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The air conditioning system drain tube could be blocked, causing water to leak inside the vehicle near the air bag control module.
- Risk
- A water leak may damage the air bag control module, causing an inadvertent air bag deployment and increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will repair the drain tube and replace the air bag control module, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 87H4.
Steering · Jan 27, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V026000 · 10,303 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The front steering knuckle may fracture in the area of the strut mounting.
- Risk
- A fractured steering knuckle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace one or both steering knuckles, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q7.
Steering · Nov 17, 2020 Do not drive
NHTSA campaign 20V712000 · 776 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. One or both steering knuckles may have been damaged during production.
- Risk
- A damaged steering knuckle can fail, causing a loss of steering, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the steering knuckle, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40Q6. Note: Owners are advised to DO NOT DRIVE the vehicle until the vehicle has been inspected and repaired if necessary.
Tires › Sidewall · Nov 13, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V702000 · 760 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and 2021 Atlas vehicles equipped with Continental Cross Contact LX Sport tires, size 255/50 R 20 105 T. The tires may have been over cured.
- Risk
- Over cured tires can result in a sidewall break causing a sudden loss of air pressure or the tread separating from the tire. Both conditions increase the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect DOT date code and mold number on the vehicle's tires to see if they are affected, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44Q5.
Seats · Aug 26, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V505000 · 5,376 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
- Risk
- In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
- Fix
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.
Exterior Lighting › Headlights · Aug 26, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V504000 · 11 vehicles
- Problem
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Atlas Cross Sports and 2021 Atlas vehicles. The driver's side headlight may have been aimed too low during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- A headlight aimed incorrectly aimed reduces the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will adjust the driver's side headlight, free of charge. The recall began September 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94N7.
Not every 2020 Volkswagen Atlas is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2020 Volkswagen Atlas buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 11 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Safety-critical recall. At least one recall carries a "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" warning. Do not buy until the VIN shows it was repaired.
- Electrical System — 44 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Air Bags — 29 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Service Brakes — 22 owner reports. Brake firmly from speed; check for pulling, pulsing pedal or ABS warning light.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 14,500 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Atlas years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Atlas | 25 | – | Not rated | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 Atlas | 23 | 200.8 in | Not rated | 2 | 12 |
| 2025 Atlas | 23 | 200.8 in | ★★★★★ | 5 | 76 |
| 2024 Atlas | 23 | 200.8 in | ★★★★★ | 8 | 277 |
| 2023 Atlas | 23 | 200.8 in | ★★★★★ | 6 | 160 |
| 2022 Atlas | 23 | 200.8 in | ★★★★★ | 7 | 263 |
| 2021 Atlas | 22 | 200.8 in | ★★★★★ | 17 | 647 |
| 2019 Atlas | 22 | 198.4 in | ★★★★★ | 12 | 484 |
| 2018 Atlas | 24 | 198.4 in | ★★★★★ | 17 | 466 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Volkswagen. How we calculate this →