2019 Volkswagen Atlas

midsize SUV / 4-door SUV

2019 Volkswagen Atlas 4-door SUV
2018 Volkswagen Atlas shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
G
Small overlap front: passenger-side
G
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Side: updated test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights (varies by trim/option)
MP
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Standard system
Superior

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
LATCH ease of use
M

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention
  • Standard rear automatic braking

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2018-25 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE with Technology 4-door 4wd

The Volkswagen Atlas was introduced in the 2018 model year. The ratings also apply to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, introduced in the 2020 model year. The Cross Sport is derived from the Atlas, but it has only two rows of seats instead of three.

Evaluation criteriaRating
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G

Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2018-25 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas S 4-door 4wd

The Volkswagen Atlas was introduced in the 2018 model year. The ratings also apply to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, introduced in the 2020 model year. The Cross Sport is derived from the Atlas, but it has only two rows of seats instead of three.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G

Action shot taken during the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger’s survival space was maintained well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the passenger dummy’s head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

The passenger’s space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2018-25 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE 4-door 4wd

The Volkswagen Atlas was introduced in the 2018 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.The ratings also apply to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, introduced in the 2020 model year. The Cross Sport is derived from the Atlas, but it has only two rows of seats instead of three.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
G
Leg/foot, right
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2018-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE 4-door 2wd

The Volkswagen Atlas was introduced in the 2018 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen. The ratings also apply to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, introduced in the 2020 model year. The Cross Sport is derived from the Atlas, but it has only two rows of seats instead of three.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original side crash test

Side: updated test

Rating applies to 2018-25 models

Tested vehicle: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas SE 4-door 4wd

The Volkswagen Atlas was introduced in the 2018 model year. The ratings also apply to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, introduced in the 2020 model year. The Cross Sport is derived from the Atlas, but it has only two rows of seats instead of three.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis
M
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis
G
Rear passenger head protection
G

View of the vehicle just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.

Technical measurements for this test

About the side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2018-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE with Technology 4-door 2wd

(Curb weight from 2018 Volkswagen Atlas SE with Technology 4-door 4wd)

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight4,551 lbs
Peak force24,091 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio5.29

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leatherette seat

Overall evaluation
G
Dynamic rating
G
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • SEL Premium trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED reflector
High-beam headlight typeLED reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
M
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the left side of the road and inadequate on the right side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and all 4 curves.

Technical measurements for this test

Trim level(s)

  • SE trim
  • SEL trim
  • S trim
  • SE with Technology trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED reflector
High-beam headlight typeLED reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
P
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the left side of the road and inadequate on the right side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

Technical measurements for this test

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Standard Front Assist (with Autonomous Emergency Braking)

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2019-20 models

Superior
Superior
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 17 mph.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2018-25 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Vehicle trimSE w/ Technology
Seat type leatherette

This vehicle has 3 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 2 additional seating positions with a tether anchor only.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Vehicle trimSE w/ Technology
Seat type leatherette
1 2 3 6 4
Rating iconRating
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

PositionRating
1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
4
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
6
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
Technical measurements for this test

About the child seat anchor evaluation