The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas is associated with 126 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 19 reports (15% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 8 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 20 to 23 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 126 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 5 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (19 / 15%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 4 crash / 0 fire / 5 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 20–23 MPG (8 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 | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 21 MPG | 25 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 21 MPG | 25 MPG | 23 MPG | — | $2,650 / yr |
| Atlas 4motion | 2L 4-Cyl | All-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) | 20 MPG | 24 MPG | 22 MPG | — | $2,800 / yr |
| Atlas | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 24 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 24 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / yr |
| Atlas 4motion | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 23 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / yr |
| Atlas Cross Sport 4motion | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 18 MPG | 24 MPG | 20 MPG | — | $3,100 / 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 | | | | | 13.600000000000001% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 15.9% |
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 2023 Volkswagen Atlas models.
View complete 2023 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 2023 Volkswagen Atlas problems & component breakdown (42 categories) →
Affected Component: SERVICE BRAKES
Defect Summary: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport and 2023-2024 ID.4 vehicles. Certain bolts on the chassis, brake system and/or suspension (such as bolts for certain cross member, engine mount, control arm, subframe, rear brake carrier, etc.) of affected vehicles may not have been correctly tightened during the manufacturing process.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2025. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42HX.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer 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.
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer 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).
View all 2023 Volkswagen Atlas recalls & campaign history (5 campaigns) →