Volkswagen has officially confirmed that the 2027 Atlas will make its world debut at the 2026 New York Auto Show. First introduced as a 2018 model, the current generation model has been on the market for nearly 10 years. As part of its announcements, Volkswagen included photos of the second-generation Atlas in the snow. However, the prototype dons a psychedelic rainbow camouflage to hide most of its design details.
Thankfully, that won’t stop us, as it’s clear that the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas features an evolutionary design. Right way, we see a familiar silhouette. One that’s nearly identical to the current SUV. Up front, the evolutionary approach continues with a similar fascia design to the Tiguan mixed with the current Atlas. It features chunkier headlights, a wider grille, and a diagonal pattern on the lower front opening. Meanwhile, the rear end remains familiar, too, with a clean look and what appear to be thinner taillight clusters.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas: Evolutionary Changes
Based solely on the design, it’s clear that Volkswagen opted for a conservative approach with the second-generation Atlas. Because of that, expect this latest SUV to ride on the MQB Evo architecture, the latest evolution of Volkswagen Group’s tried-and-true platform. Under the hood, the familiar theme is expected to continue with the return of the workhorse engine, the EA888 Evo4, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder likely paired with a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission. Additionally, Expect its output to remain similar to the current Atlas, which has 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque.
Expect the Atlas Cross Sport to follow soon after the standard three-row Atlas. That model should receive the same evolutionary updates as its larger sibling. Unfortunately, neither one appears to include a hybrid powertrain option. Volkswagen currently manufactures both models at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, so expect their successors to remain built there.
Source: Volkswagen
