2022 Volkswagen Atlas
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Engine
Engine leads by volume: 51 of 180 complaints (28%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 467 in 2021 to 180 in 2022.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | vs. 2022 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,850–3,300 | 2,850–3,450 | 2,700–3,300 | 2,700–3,100 | 2,700–3,100 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–22 | 18–22 | 19–23 | 20–23 | 20–23 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 16–21 / 22–24 | 16–21 / 22–24 | 17–21 / 23–25 | 18–21 / 23–25 | 18–20 / 24–27 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 401–480 | 400–485 | 387–460 | 387–450 | 393–435 | |
| Complaints filed | 27 | 467 | 180 | 130 | 167 | |
| Recalls issued | 4 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 8 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 0 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| Injuries reported | 0 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 9 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 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 2022 Volkswagen Atlas have?
7 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 2022 Volkswagen Atlas?
Engine: 51 of 180 NHTSA complaints (28%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2022 Volkswagen Atlas get?
EPA rates it 19–23 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas?
EPA estimates $2,700–$3,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (8)
| 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) | 25 mpg (high) | 23 mpg (high) | $2,700 (low) | 387 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 21 mpg (high) | 25 mpg (high) | 23 mpg (high) | $2,700 (low) | 391 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 18 mpg | 24 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,100 | 435 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 20 mpg | 24 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 411 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 20 mpg | 24 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 406 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg | 24 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,100 | 443 g/mi |
| Configuration 7 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 23 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 460 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 8 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 18 mpg | 24 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,100 | 445 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 51 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 50 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 32 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 24 | 0 | 1 | 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 (7)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER · Campaign 24V464000 · Jun 21, 2024
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Atlas and 2020-2024 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 September 30, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on October 18, 2024, December 10, 2024, December 20, 2024, and January 17, 2025. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69PZ.
SUSPENSION:CRITICAL FASTENERS · Campaign 22V807000 · Oct 27, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Volkswagen Atlas FL and 2022-2023 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The driver-side rear trailing arm bolts may not have been tightened properly, allowing them to loosen and fall out.
Consequence: Unsecured bolts may cause the trailing arm to fracture, resulting in a sudden loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver side rear trailing arm bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 25, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42M2.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL · Campaign 22V753000 · Oct 11, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Audi Q5 Sportback, Q5, 2022-2023 Volkswagen Atlas FL, and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The engine connecting rod bearings may become damaged, which can result in engine failure.
Consequence: A damaged engine can result in engine failure and a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. If the engine failure causes an oil leak, it can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace an affected engine, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 6, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 13i4 (VW) and 13i5 (Audi).
TRAILER HITCHES · Campaign 22V657000 · Aug 31, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The trailer hitch bolts may have been insufficiently tightened.
Consequence: Loose bolts may fall out, causing the remaining bolts to break, which could lead to separation of the trailer hitch and trailer, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the trailer hitch bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 66N8.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE · Campaign 22V514000 · Jul 21, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS · Campaign 22V245000 · Apr 14, 2022
Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Atlas FL and Atlas Cross Sport vehicles. The long fuel injectors may have been assembled without filters.
Consequence: Long fuel injectors with missing filters may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the long fuel injectors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 20, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24iD.
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.