2020 Volkswagen Atlas
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 11 of 27 complaints (41%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 473 in 2019 to 27 in 2020.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | vs. 2020 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,600–3,300 | 2,850–3,300 | 2,850–3,300 | 2,850–3,450 | 2,700–3,300 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–24 | 19–22 | 19–22 | 18–22 | 19–23 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 17–22 / 23–26 | 17–20 / 23–26 | 16–21 / 22–24 | 16–21 / 22–24 | 17–21 / 23–25 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 375–454 | 394–461 | 401–480 | 400–485 | 387–460 | |
| Complaints filed | 462 | 473 | 27 | 467 | 180 | |
| Recalls issued | 16 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 7 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Injuries reported | 18 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas?
Electrical: 11 of 27 NHTSA complaints (41%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas get?
EPA rates it 19–22 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Volkswagen Atlas?
EPA estimates $2,850–$3,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (7)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 21 mpg (high) | 24 mpg (high) | 22 mpg (high) | $2,850 (low) | 401 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg | 23 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,100 | 439 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 20 mpg | 24 mpg (high) | 22 mpg (high) | $2,850 (low) | 408 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 17 mpg | 23 mpg | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 461 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 17 mpg | 23 mpg | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 461 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 16 mpg (low) | 22 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 480 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 7 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 16 mpg (low) | 22 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 480 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER · Campaign 23V215000 · Mar 30, 2023
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may experience a fault in the wiring and deactivate the front passenger air bag when the seat is occupied.
Consequence: A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and wiring harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 22, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69FB.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS · Campaign 22V815000 · Oct 31, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · Campaign 22V152000 · Mar 14, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Atlas, 2020-2023 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021-2023 Atlas FL vehicles. The door wiring harness electrical contacts may corrode, disrupting the electrical connection and delaying the deployment of the driver or passenger front side air bag during a side impact crash.
Consequence: A delayed air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will secure and, as necessary, replace any the front door wiring harnesses showing a fault code, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97GF.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · Campaign 22V086000 · Feb 17, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Atlas and 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles equipped with accessory side steps. The reduced Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) label, reflecting the additional weight of the side steps, was not installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: Without the reduced GVWR label, the vehicle could be overloaded, leading to a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install the reduced GVWR label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 09D9.