2025 Volkswagen Atlas
Gas Compact SUV
The 2025 Volkswagen Atlas is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Atlas Cross Sport, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 63 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Cross Sport | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 26 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Atlas | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Atlas SE 4motion | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 19 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Atlas SEL 4motion | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 18 | 25 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Atlas 4motion Peak Edition | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 18 | 25 | 20 | $3,100 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Insure it for less
Insurers price the 2025 Atlas very differently. A two-minute comparison across 100+ carriers is the cheapest ownership win there is.
Compare insurance →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.
Recalls (5)
Back Over Prevention
minorProblem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling 2024-2026 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. The vehicles may experience a low-voltage electrical event that affects display screen functions. As a result, the rearview camera image may fail to display as intended.
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 4, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91TV. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 28, 2026.
Suspension
highProblem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.
Risk: A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.
Back Over Prevention
minorProblem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to become distorted when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A distorted rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91SB.
Engine
criticalProblem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine cover may have been improperly installed after vehicle service, allowing it to come loose and contact hot engine surfaces.
Risk: A loose engine cover that contacts hot surfaces in the engine compartment can melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will remove the engine cover, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10X5.
Power Train
highProblem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The transmission may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 12, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38CX.
Owner complaints
63 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2024: 1 · 2025: 22 · 2026: 40
Most-cited components
- Electrical System — 27
- Power Train — 18
- Unknown Or Other — 18
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 11
- Engine — 11
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 15% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 14% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Atlas model years
2027 Atlas
0 recalls · 0 complaints
B2026 Atlas
2 recalls · 8 complaints
F2024 Atlas
8 recalls · 259 complaints
F2023 Atlas
6 recalls · 148 complaints
F2022 Atlas
7 recalls · 249 complaints
F2021 Atlas
17 recalls · 631 complaints
F2020 Atlas
11 recalls · 132 complaints
F2019 Atlas
11 recalls · 473 complaints
F2018 Atlas
16 recalls · 462 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 48525, 48524, 48548, 48547, 48546, 48278). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.