[Nan cee]

I finally landed on buying the Atlas after several test drives in the mid size 3 row SUV category. But I'm torn on getting 4 vs V6...MPG sucks for both so I've leaned towards the 4 cylinder for slightly better mpg but I like the power of the V6.

I'd mainly be doing in town driving as work is around the corner but I'm just stuck on this under 20 mpg for the V6!

Thoughts?

 

[2018 SoCal Atlas Owner]

I've owned a 2018 and currently a 2019 Atlas SEL Premium w/4 Motion and have had plenty of trouble with both of them. Both came with the V6 and I swapped the 2018 with a little less than 10k miles for a new 2019 model only to have the exact same problems with the newer model that was actually built a year and a half later. I have been given a couple of the 2019 Standard Atlas models to use as loaners while the 2019 has been at the dealership being worked on and I really did enjoy the extra get-up-and-go of the turbo engine and really liked the extra 100 miles per fill up at the gas station.

That being said, I actually wouldn't settle on either model but just thought I'd try providing you with my feelings between the two different engine choices. (Not actually sure if you can get a 4 cylinder turbo in an SEL Premium but maybe you can in a 2021 model!)

 

[[email protected]]

If you don't need 4Motion. Get the 2.0T.
Yes. the HP number is a little lower, but torque is almost identical and that is where you will feel the quickness around town.
I think I remember reading somewhere that the FWD 2.0T (S probably) was actually faster than the AWD V6 (not sure which trim level) in a straight line.
That has everything to do with weight savings obviously but another benefit of that is people have said the 2.0T feels a bit more agile, another bonus for driving around town.
We have a 2.0T SE w/ Tech and 20' wheels and sunroof, so not the lightest version, and it does just fine.
But we are also in Florida where there are no hills to deal with.

 

[MrAtlas]

Welcome to the forum Nan cee

Mileage was on the bottom of my list, I traded a 2017 Jetta with the turbo 4cyl and loved it just needed more interior room
my biggest surprise was the insurance for me ( State Farm ) it was less expensive even being two years newer
but the turbo was the reason for the higher rate on the Jetta

Good Luck with either choice, I've had Zero Issues with my Atlas

 

[KarstGeo]

If mpgs are critical to you, the 2.0 is the clear choice. Many have shown that the 2.0 actually gets v. good mileage It will deliver reasonable mpgs for such a larger vehicle. The desire for good mpgs and a large 3-row SUV are counter to one-another. The slight difference in a few mpgs will add up to a few hundred dollars over a year for average drivers, so keep that in mind. Here are real-world data for the 2.0 - average well into the 20s for combined driving.

 

[sidewinder]

if any towing is in the future go with the v6 4m

 

[scott46travel]

I finally landed on buying the Atlas after several test drives in the mid size 3 row SUV category. But I'm torn on getting 4 vs V6...MPG sucks for both so I've leaned towards the 4 cylinder for slightly better mpg but I like the power of the V6.

I'd mainly be doing in town driving as work is around the corner but I'm just stuck on this under 20 mpg for the V6!

Thoughts?

I'm glad I leased my 2019 SE V6 4Motion. While it drives great, I'll not buy it nor lease another at this point. Too many issues. That said, I'm not a fan of turbos. The V6 is smooth but the shifting is jerky. Can't imagine it would be better with a 4 cylinder. If you have to have an Atlas, go with the V6

 

[Britter]

If your worried about mpg and getting a SUV your probably not thinking about this right. A Mini van may be the right choice. Not trying to be a smart a$$ here. We got one for the 3rd row and got the V6, zero problems, great to drive and lots of space. Just got back from day trip to national park in the mountains and in sport mode the ride was smooth and kept the kids (3 & 5) asleep and plenty of torque was great climbing from 500ft to 6500ft. Buy it for the space and everything else but the mpg. Smile the whole time.

 

[KarstGeo]

If your worried about mpg and getting a SUV your probably not thinking about this right. A Mini van may be the right choice. Not trying to be a smart a$$ here. We got one for the 3rd row and got the V6, zero problems, great to drive and lots of space. Just got back from day trip to national park in the mountains and in sport mode the ride was smooth and kept the kids (3 & 5) asleep and plenty of torque was great climbing from 500ft to 6500ft. Buy it for the space and everything else but the mpg. Smile the whole time.

Funny, my previous vehicle was a minivan it got at or worse mileage than our Atlas...ahhahaahah. '06 Honda Odyssey. You don't buy a 7-passenger vehicle and worry about mpgs plus the difference in a few mpgs that folks go on about is such a small amount of money vs. the cost of the car in the first place.

 

[hashamhk]

Would be cool to see 2.0 vs 3.6 race.

 

[KarstGeo]

Would be cool to see 2.0 vs 3.6 race.

2018 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0T FWD

A little heart in a big package.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[mrfixit454]

We have only had our 2018 2.0T with Tech for a few months (CPO Vehicle). My wife took it on a trip from Southern CA to Mammoth Lakes. Before she made the big climb from Bishop CA to Mammoth, she was at 30 mpg. She said it was 29 or so by the time she got there a drove around a bit. The real test will be when she fills up and hand calculates. She says usually it is 0.5 to 1.0 MPG less that what it reports but this is with mixed driving at home. I realize your not going to get good MPGs with an SUV and we calcualted the MPG difference over time with 2.0 and V6 and it was not to much more money over a 1 year period. I just like the idea of being more efficient.

 

[mrfixit454]

Ok, Just an MPG update.. after she drove around Mammoth Lakes (25 miles or so for the week) she ended up at 26.8 MPG hand calculated and computer was 27.9 mpg (about 380 miles of driving). The ride home was 364 miles and she did not go over 70 mph and I took it right to the gas station. She ended up with 29.97 mpg hand calculated and the computer reported 32.0 mpg. I thinks that pretty good for a heavy large vehicle, 4 passengers and their luggage.

 

[[email protected]]

I have been happy with the mileage from the 2.0T
Last weekend we took it from FL to NC and back and these were the stats from the computer (for the trip back down from NC to FL):
696 Miles
63 MPH avg. speed
11 hrs 7 min running time
27.2 MPG avg.

Trip started in the mountains (obviously) and transitioned into flat land where I would typically go between 70-80 mph.
Me my wife and a 2.5 year old, not a whole lot of luggage.