• by Tanya Gazdik , Staff Writer, Yesterday

Three-row SUVs have become the new status symbol with families.

And Volkswagen spares no expense in producing one of the coolest interiors on the market with the 2027 Atlas.

The automaker also listened to customer’s pain points and brought back a large and prominently placed volume knob.

It replaces the 2026 model’s cumbersome touch-sensitive slider located below the touchscreen. Those controls were not backlit at night, which made for a real game of skill for the user.

The volume knob doubles as the Driver Experience Dial to choose an “Atmosphere.” Atmospheres combine synchronized ambient lighting and audio settings. The feature includes five preset “moods.”

A reimagined cabin has real wood decor and very cool multicolor ambient lighting as standard. A bold loop surrounded by ambient light in your choice of colors unifies the cockpit design, and the pattern from a distinctive organic spiral in the dash continues through perforated backlit door panels in the first and second row.Most of the lineup gets a 15-inch infotainment display, versus the base model’s 12.9-inch screen.

The organic spiral is a point of difference with the Atlas and creates a serious “wow” effect when getting into the vehicle at night.

But even during the day, it’s a pleasant experience.

The SEL Premium R-Line gets puddle lamps, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, Nappa leather seats with premium stitching and a front-seat massage function. Captain’s chairs are available for $695 on all but the base SE model. 

But let’s not forget who this vehicle is made for.

The Atlas buyer is younger, has more children and earns more than the average customer in this segment. Average age is 54 and and average household income is $170k. The average number of children is three, but it should be noted that the family-friendly Atlas is equipped to hold five kids plus mom and dad. The third row accommodates three car seats. 

Sadly, there’s no hybrid available as of yet, which means gas mileage isn’t the best: 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway for an average of 23 mpg. 

The 2027 VW Atlas is more expensive than 2026 model, but VW says it includes more features and value. 

The front-wheel-drive Atlas SE starts at $43,135, while the 4Motion starts at $45,135. The top SEL Premium R-Line model starts at $58,135. All prices include a $1,525 destination fee.