2020 Volkswagen Atlas Interior and Cargo

Seats in the Atlas S model come clad in Titan Black cloth as standard, but fortunately for most buyers, all subsequent trims get leatherette or genuine leather upholstery. V-Tex leatherette seating is present from the SE model, available in either Shetland (light beige) or Titan Black. The only model to see genuine leather is the SEL Premium and can be chosen in any of the colors mentioned above, with the addition of Golden Oak. A leather-wrapped steering wheel is standard in all models but the S, while models from the SEL upwards get wood-feel trim inserts along the dash and doors.

The Atlas impresses yet again with a large amount of trunk space - 20.6 cubic feet behind the third row of seats to be exact, big enough for a large family to go away for a weekend. The rearmost seats can be folded down to increase space to a handy 55.5 cubic feet, and if you're really in a pickle, the second-row seats can be folded too for a whopping 96.8 cubic feet of cargo room ready to be utilized - one of the best figures in the segment. Additionally, the large cargo bay is square in shape making it easy to load large items.

General storage potential in the Atlas isn't terrible either, with an impressively large center armrest and a number of cupholders throughout, including three for the third row of seats. Pockets are found behind both front seats and al doors have wide-enough door pockets, too.

Yet another formidable aspect of the VW is the array of standard features that come equipped even in the most affordable model. The S model comes equipped with a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, cruise control, dual-zone manual climate control, multifunction steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers, as well as automatic headlights. An increase of features is seen in the SE with the addition of standard equipped with push-button start, three-zone automatic climate control, a ten-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated seats, with a power liftgate added to models with the Tech Package. This tailgate can be equipped with hands-free functionality from the Tech R-Line, which also gets a heated steering wheel and driver's memory function. At the top of the range, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats are added on the SEL Premium.

Standard driver-assistance tech from base upwards includes forward-collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, front-assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control and lane-assist are standard from the SE with Technology with the inclusion of park distance control, while the SEL Premium includes park-assist, high beam assist, and an overhead view camera as standard.

Volkswagen is capable of equipping its vehicles with high-end infotainment, but on the base model Atlas S, you only get a 6.5-inch touchscreen interface with AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, and six speakers, while the Car-Net app suite incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. All other trims get a more appropriate eight-inch screen that adds SiriusXM/HD Radio functionality and an additional three USB ports. The six-speaker sound system carries over, only replaced on the SEL Premium by a 12-speaker Fender system. Navigation is added from the SEL, while VW's digital instrumentation cluster is reserved exclusively for the SEL Premium.