The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas is associated with 27 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 4 reports (15% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 7 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 19 to 22 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 27 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (4 / 15%)
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 19–22 MPG (7 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Atlas Cross Sport | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 21 MPG | 24 MPG | 22 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| Atlas | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 20 MPG | 24 MPG | 22 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | 2L 4-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 23 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / yr |
| Atlas | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 17 MPG | 23 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $3,250 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 17 MPG | 23 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $3,250 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 16 MPG | 22 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $3,250 / yr |
| Atlas 4motion | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 16 MPG | 22 MPG | 19 MPG | — | $3,250 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 15.9% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 13.600000000000001% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Volkswagen Atlas models.
View complete 2020 Volkswagen Atlas crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2020 Volkswagen Atlas problems & component breakdown (21 categories) →
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer 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.
Affected Component: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
Defect Summary: 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."
Free Manufacturer 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.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2020 Volkswagen Atlas recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →