Volkswagen Atlas: Big on space, smooth on road
Volkswagen has rolled out the Atlas, its largest three-row SUV, in the South Korean market for the first time, catering to the country's strong appetite for family vehicles. All eyes are on how the German automaker will penetrate the SUV market currently dominated by Hyundai Motor Group and recover its annual sales to 10,000 units.
First introduced in the US in 2017, the all-wheel-drive family SUV is one of Volkswagen's four new car models launching this year, including the Golf hatchback, ID.5 electric SUV and Golf GTI. Competing with Hyundai Motor Company's Palisade SUV, which sold over 6,000 units in the first quarter, the New Atlas boasts German precision engineering -- highlighting a comfortable and stable driving experience.
The Korea Herald was able to try out the SUV in a recent media test drive covering some 136 kilometers across Seoul and Incheon.
The most noticeable feature of the vehicle is how smoothly it navigates the road. Despite its large body size, it maintained firm handling with little vibration even on sharp turns.
The car's appeal extends beyond its stability. Powered by Volkswagen Group's turbocharged 2.0 TSI EA888 evo4 engine -- also found in performance models such as the Golf GT -- the Atlas delivers impressive performance. It took on hills with ease accompanied by a powerful engine sound that added a hint of sportiness. On highways, however, the noise felt louder and a little more irritating.
The Atlas also features Volkswagen's latest advanced driver assistance system, the IQ.Drive. This reduces fatigue during long-distance driving with Travel Assist, by automatically adjusting the car's speed, maintaining a safe distance between vehicles and keeping the vehicle within its lane. The Adaptive Cruise Control supports stop-and-go from 0 to 200 kilometers per hour, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert and emergency braking.
Volkswagen stressed that the New Atlas has the largest body size in its segment in the Korean market, measuring 5,095 millimeters in length, with a width of 1,990 millimeters and a height of 1,780 millimeters. It also has a class-leading trunk capacity of up to 2,735 liters. Folding the second and third-row seats also creates ample floor space, making it ideal for camping and other outdoor leisure activities.
The SUV accentuates a motorsport-inspired design package, with LED headlamps and an illuminated central logo for a bold look. The rear sports connected LED lamps, an illuminated logo and a body-colored bumper. The spacious interior is also emphasized by the driver's seat, which includes a 10.25-inch digital cockpit and a windshield head-up display.
The New Atlas comes in a single trim and is available in six- or seven-seater configurations, priced at 68.5 million won ($49,800) and 67.7 million won, respectively.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
14 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
Kia highlights customization, space in new PV5 electric PBV
Kia, an automaker under Hyundai Motor Group, is emphasizing flexibility in configuration and spacious interiors with its new purpose-built vehicle model, the PV5, as a key strategy in expanding into the electric PBV market. On Tuesday, Kia showcased the vehicle's modular technology at a studio in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, highlighting its potential to meet diverse mobility needs. The PV5 is the first model built on the group's E-GMP.S platform, dedicated to electric PBVs, and is expected to support at least nine variants by 2026, all sharing a common driver compartment and design. Modular components allow the model to be configured into various forms, including a refrigerated truck and an open-bed truck, while only a passenger van and box-type cargo van are currently available. The structure allows for a high degree of customization, enabling buyers to choose features such as door and window configurations, rear overhang length and seat layout to suit specific operational needs when placing an order. Pursuing unlimited flexibility in its PBV business, the company plans to offer base modules with conversion-supporting options. This will enable external partners to integrate conversion components without structural modifications or additional assembly, Kia said. During the event, Kia also highlighted the PV5's spacious interior, which offers up to 5,165 liters of cargo capacity. To maximize space, the vehicle concentrates electric power modules to the front and adopts a cell-to-pack battery system, which installs cells directly without separate modules. Company officials said they involved potential customers from the early development stages through validation to fully utilize the expanded space. This was supported by extensive research, including direct participation in logistics operations and wheelchair-accessible taxi services, as well as analysis of approximately 1,000 user scenarios. As a result, all PV5 configurations feature a low second-row step height for easy passenger boarding and alighting and an interior height of up to 181 centimeters to facilitate cargo room tasks. It offers a tight 5.5-meter turning radius for easy maneuvering and parking in narrow spaces, despite a long 2,995-millimeter wheelbase that ensures spacious interior room. In addition to these shared features, the cargo variant accommodates standard global logistics pallets, while the passenger version offers a 775 mm door opening to allow all types of wheelchairs and enough room for caregivers in the cabin. Officials added that the software supports diverse uses with an Android-based infotainment system and Hyundai's proprietary Pleos application market, offering tailored business programs such as comprehensive fleet vehicle monitoring and mobility solutions for vehicle operation, range and charging management. While Kia plans to begin deliveries of the passenger van and box-type cargo van configurations in Korea this August, the global rollout will start in the fourth quarter of 2025, beginning with Europe. 'A model marking the beginning of future mobility, the PV5 brings innovations such as maximized interior space, flexibility for multi-purpose use and external connectivity, developed through active engagement with potential customers,' said Ju Seok-ha, vice president of Hyundai Motor Group's multiservice vehicle project group 3.
Korea Herald
14 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
S. Korea to attend intl. defense exhibition in Turkey this week
South Korea will participate in a global defense industry fair in Turkey this week to promote homegrown defense products and boost their export bids, the arms procurement agency said Wednesday. The International Defence Industry Fair, which opened Tuesday (local time) in Istanbul for a five-day run, will bring together defense officials from more than 80 countries, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states. Six South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises will showcase homegrown defense technologies aimed at entering the European and Middle Eastern markets, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said. DAPA said it plans to operate joint booths at upcoming defense exhibitions in Poland in September and the United States in October. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Korea Herald
'Make KorUS Great Again': PM urges deeper Seoul-Washington ties
"Make KorUS Great Again," declared South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Tuesday, as he called for a renewed Korea-US alliance grounded in shared democratic values and future industries in the face of shifting global economic and security dynamics. Speaking at a policy seminar hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, Kim emphasized the Lee Jae Myung administration's commitment to a deeper strategic alignment with the US. 'I understand the efforts of the US to pursue a stronger nation, a stronger economy and a better treatment of American workers, regardless of whether it's under President Trump's term or not,' Kim said in his keynote speech, titled "Make KorUS Great Again." 'But I can say with conviction that the US will become even stronger when it works with Korea, when it works with Korea efficiently and maintains a proper partnership with Korea that is in line with the realities of the 2020s.' Reflecting on his past as a student activist during the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising and his education in the US, Kim said the two countries are bound by a shared democratic foundation, constitutional values, people-to-people exchanges and future technologies. 'What we have in common is the shared experience of people who understand the importance of a constitution. A country that values its constitution is one that shares the value of democracy,' he said. Kim also stressed long-standing cultural and human exchanges between the two countries, saying they are "deeply rooted to the level of assimilation.' Going forward, Kim laid out key industries for bilateral cooperation under the government's ABCDE strategy ― artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cultural content, defense and energy ― which Kim said he coined during the presidential campaign. 'Across all of these sectors, we are confident that we can develop a complementary relationship with the US together as we navigate the changing landscape of global economics and security.' Kim also raised the hope that US President Donald Trump could play a role in bringing North Korea back to the negotiating table and for peace on the Korean Peninsula, beyond resolving ongoing tariff issues. On tariffs, however, Kim remained optimistic, saying that "there is still a lot of time left" to find a resolution. 'There is a lot to do and a lot of issues," he said. "All will be sorted out when we look at the essence and the future of the issue." At the seminar, Joseph Yun, charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Seoul, reiterated Washington's commitment to an 'ironclad alliance' with Seoul, grounded in defense, shared value and deep economic ties. Still, Yun pointed to the US' $1.2 trillion trade deficit last year and a projected $1.8 trillion fiscal deficit as reasons it seeks to see its allies take on greater responsibilities. 'These are enormous amounts and they must be reduced if we are to have balanced economic relations,' Yun said on the US trade deficits. The US is spending about $1 trillion in defense annually, and the deficit is not sustainable, added Yun. 'So the US is asking our allies to do more. This is a request to all NATO partners in Europe and also to all our allies in Asia, of course that includes South Korea, Japan and Australia.' In his opening remarks, James Kim, chair and CEO of AmCham, also touched on the ongoing tariff negotiations and the ways that the two countries can cooperate. 'As we navigate ongoing tariff negotiations between our two nations, we see tremendous opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation and advance shared economic goals,' said Kim, noting that member companies in shipbuilding, aerospace, energy and technology are leading the way in strengthening strategic partnership. 'At the same time we recognize the importance of addressing Korea's unique regulations in order to foster a more balanced and a sustainable trade dynamic industry,' he said. "As a result, we launched the AmCham 'Buy America' campaign in partnership with our member companies to enhance visibility and accessibility of US products.'
