- Volkswagen’s facelifted Atlas gains a rugged Peak Edition appearance package, just unveiled at the 2023 New York auto show and set to go on sale later this year.
- Inspired by the Atlas Basecamp concept from 2019, the Peak Edition model comes with unique black wheels and all-terrain tires.
- The cabin is dressed up with gray and orange accents and a backlit dashboard with Peak Edition branding.
Volkswagen’s SUV lineup gains a rugged-looking Peak Edition trim of its popular three-row Atlas SUV, unveiled today at the 2023 New York auto show. The Atlas Peak Edition pulls inspiration from the 2019 Atlas Basecamp concept, including its 18-inch black wheels with all-terrain tires and its silver-colored lower bumper and body-side moldings.
The Peak Edition is essentially an appearance package. It will be available in two special colors that the rest of the Atlas lineup doesn’t offer: Avocado Green and Pure Gray. There’s also Peak Edition badging, a grille design inspired by the two-row Atlas Cross Sport, an illuminated VW logo, and a silver-colored rear diffuser. Other exterior embellishments include blacked-out trim around the windows, black mirror caps, and black roof rails.
Inside, the Atlas’s cabin gets a few tweaks for Peak Edition service. Black faux-leather upholstery is contrasted with gray accents and orange stitching and the Atlas’s cool backlit dashboard lights up to reveal Peak Edition branding. On the SUV’s steering wheel, the same Peak Edition badging from the exterior makes an appearance on the lower spoke.
Unlike the standard Atlas three-row, the Peak Edition model will offer all-wheel drive as standard. The differences end there, though, and you won’t find any mechanical changes intended to give the SUV any additional off-road capability. Like all other 2024 Atlas models, the Peak Edition is powered by a 269-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine which is hooked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
When it goes on sale later this year, the Atlas Peak Edition will join a large number of three-row SUVs targeting families with an outdoorsy lifestyle. Among them are the Ford Explorer Timberline, the Honda Pilot TrailSport, and the Kia Telluride X-Pro. Volkswagen hasn’t stated exactly where the Peak Edition trim will fall in the Atlas lineup, but looking closely at the photos reveals a subtle “SEL” emblem on the SUV’s rear liftgate, which denotes mid- to upper-level versions of the Atlas. Given that, we’re expecting pricing to come in at around $50,000.
A VW spokesperson also alluded to a second, more affordable Peak Edition model, so we’re left to speculate on a decontented SE trim that could bring the package’s price down to a more affordable $45,000 or so. Future applications of the Peak Edition treatment also could happen, says VW, depending on consumer interest, but don’t hold your breath for a ruggedized version of the brand’s electric ID.4. More than likely, the offering would spread to other gasoline-powered SUVs in the brand’s lineup, including the Atlas Cross Sport and the subcompact Taos crossover.
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Managing Editor, Buyer’s Guide
Drew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.
