V6 vs 2.0T performance question

30132 Views 9 Replies 10 Participants Last post by pgarch6, Sep 15, 2019

Kirk

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2018

I'm considering the Atlas as our next car (FWD SE +Technology), and have driven the V6, and was less than impressed. We live in Arizona, where the average highway speed is around 80mph with AC on most of the time, and I'm concerned about the lackluster power output of the V6, and resulting poor fuel economy reported by many owners.

I just read a review of the 2.0T version of the Atlas by Car and Driver, and was surprised to see that the 0-60 performance for the 2.0T is actually better than the WR6. (7.2 seconds for the 4, vs 7.9 for the 6) The 6 cylinder version was a 4Motion so it had extra weight to carry around.

In your experience, is the FWD version of the V6 quicker, or does the improved torque characteristics of the 2.0T make that much of a difference?

Just going by the Car & Driver article, the 2.0T appears to be a better choice than the 6. (if you're not towing)

Thanks for your replies!

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ShinerTx

· #2 · Apr 2, 2018

Hello Kirk,
I have a FWD SE +Technology V6 and can tell you it is more peppy than the SEL Premium 4Motion that I test drove. Not sure if it is entirely due to the 4Motion and weight though. I expect it is due to the throttle mapping as well. When I drove the SEL Premium, I made sure it wasn't in Eco mode but can't remember if I tried Sport mode in addition to Normal.

The SE w/tech doesn't have these driving modes that affect the throttle map, but the difference between the two trims was noticeable to me; it is significantly "peppier" and more responsive to my right foot. It would be interesting to know which driving mode on the SEL Premium is closest to the stock throttle map of the SE V6.

I'm in south Texas with mixed driving and average highway speeds of 75 mph with the AC on almost always. I am averaging 21 mpg with approximately 7,000 miles on the vehicle.

Hope this helps!

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derekblain

· #3 · Jun 26, 2018

I have the 2018 SEL Premium AWD which has the 3.6 V6 in it. I was worried about performance after having read and watched so so many reviews. But I gotta say, that I'm real pleased so far.

Most of my driving is city driving so I haven't tried to open it up on the highway or pass on steep grades but around town I have zero issues related to performance. I've not even had it for a week yet but so far I'm driving around in 'Normal' mode.

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AZAtlas

· #4 · Jun 28, 2018

Hello Kirk:

I too live in Arizona (Gilbert, AZ) and drive all over the valley as well as Tucson for work on a weekly basis. I purchased the Atlas SEL V6 in November and have had no issues with speed and performance. I disagree with reviews out there that say otherwise. It performers far better than my previous vehicle - 2017 Chevy Equinox Premier. Like my Atlas, the Equinox also came equipped with a tow hitch. However, I am not sure the Equinox could town a whole lot of anything as the vehicle pick up was very weak to say the least.

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Staticoxnard

· #5 · Sep 26, 2018

I drove both the v6 and the 2.0t and chose the 2.0. It feels like it had more power than the v6 because of the turbo. I drove it for 26k miles already and love it. I was getting about 550 miles per tank avarage on trips from tennnesse to California. V6 wasn’t too much gas and feels lazier. Go with the 2.0 save on gas

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gregmirich

· #6 · Oct 1, 2018

I have a 2.0L SEL and Neuspeed in Camarillo, CA has a lot of mods for the ATLAS 2.0L. The mods really made my Atlas come alive. It pulls really hard and is fun to drive. Talk to Jerry at Neuspeed he did the prototype work for me.

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Nick1979

· #7 · Oct 1, 2018

I just purchased the Atlas 2.0 FWD SE/Technology. I absolutely preferred the smaller engine over the v6awd. The latter felt a lot heavier and clumsier. And I live in the northeast, coming from an AWD Subaru. The 2.0 was the clear winner for me - it was livelier, more nimble and more powerful.

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notabiker

· #8 · Apr 2, 2019

Yes, the v6 is fairly blah but the 2.0 is more fun.

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TomRider

· #9 · Sep 11, 2019

Nick1979 said:
I just purchased the Atlas 2.0 FWD SE/Technology. I absolutely preferred the smaller engine over the v6awd. The latter felt a lot heavier and clumsier. And I live in the northeast, coming from an AWD Subaru. The 2.0 was the clear winner for me - it was livelier, more nimble and more powerful.

How does the FWD 2.0 perform in the snow in north east? I am from NJ and trying to decide between 2.0 and v6.

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pgarch6

· #10 · Sep 15, 2019

We have the 2.0t S, very pleased to this point, 1200 miles. No extra tech which we don't miss. Can't miss what we never had in our driving history. Very smooth ride, acceleration is fine if you drive like a responsible person. If you want to be the first from red light to red light you might want to be running the yellows to the next red light. Gas consumption has been 23-24mpg combined driving mostly city but regular 40mile trips here and there. Always use the premium fuel with my turbos. I notice a distinct difference when using a lower grade fuel.

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