2023 VW Atlas: Consumer shopping guide:
Volkswagen puts a factory-installed trailer hitch on every Atlas with the 276-hp V-6. The six-cylinder models have a maximum towing capacity of 5000 pounds, as much as the Toyota 4Runner and Subaru Ascent. The Atlas’s pulling strength drops to 2000 pounds for four-cylinder models.
The Atlas's fuel-economy ratings aren't groundbreaking for this class of big-box family haulers, but its real-world performance isn't far off from the segment's fuel sippers. The four-cylinder model is the most efficient with the front-wheel drive version scoring ratings of 21 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The thirstier V-6 model is rated at 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway with all-wheel drive.