• Volkswagen presented a new variant of its Atlas SUV at the New York auto show.
• The Peak Edition focuses on ruggedness and off-road features.
• The Atlas model also benefits from cosmetic tweaks for the 2024 model-year.
New York, NY - Volkswagen is giving its Atlas SUV some tweaks for the 2024 model-year, including revised headlights, an updated interior and new powertrain, among other things. At the New York Auto Show, we could see that the company has other plans for the SUV, as it unveiled the new Peak Edition coming for 2024.
The Atlas Peak Edition is essentially a more rugged version of the model. We should say slightly more rugged, as the off-road enhancements are pretty minor. They include extra sidewall lining to prevent nicks and scratches, roof rails and off-road tires (sized at 255/60, and belting 18-inch wheels).
Volkswagen itself says the changes are minor and do not detract from the driving experience.
In fact, the biggest improvements are visual. The new 18-inch gloss-black wheels look great. The logos are also painted in gloss black, and a new Peak Edition badge is placed on the front quarter panel. A new original paint scheme, Avocado Green, is also exclusive to this model.
The interior matches the exterior colours with black leatherette upholstery, gray accents and orange stitching. The door panels are decorated with a black metallic pattern exclusive to this variant, and the dashboard is decorated with an illuminated Peak Edition logo on the passenger side.
Otherwise, the Atlas Peak Edition benefits from the same elements as the regular Atlas. This suggests the presence of a 12-inch touchscreen for the multimedia system, as well as a 10.3-inch unit for the instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps are standard across the range. The now-standard 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine makes an appearance under the hood, with 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque.
This new variant doesn't bring all that much to the table for true off-roaders, but it does add a little colour to an SUV lineup that can use some.