We find at Atlas at Volkswagen (used)

The Volkswagen Atlas is a crucial car for Volkswagen. It literally does have all of Volkswagen depending on the success of this vehicle, tough gig!

The 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder won’t be available until later so the only engine you can option for is the dated 3.6 six-cylinder which is shared with the Passat. While it is nice that the six-cylinder is accompanied by Volkswagen’s 4-motion all-wheel-drive system, we wish that Volkswagen would’ve updated the engine to pump out at least 300hp so it doesn’t feel sluggish compared to the Mazda CX-9 we’ve driven. The standard eight-speed auto gearbox does a fantastic job of helping the Atlas feel peppy where it matters the most, but all that gets lost in translation as the steering becomes overly light at highway speeds. It almost makes the whole entire vehicle feel nervous rather than confident. The ride comfort around town is actually quite good considering how firm it feels at times when driving over certain surfaces, but if you hit a bump it will send jolts throughout the cabin, leaving you feeling queasy if the road is anything but perfect. Wind and road noise won’t be much of an issue but you will hear the suspension thump over some surfaces, but that is far from a deal breaker.

The infotainment system is very simple and easy to use. The menus are easy to navigate through and while the whole interface is excellent, we strongly suggest keeping both eyes on the road at all times unless you are stationary. The front seats offer superb comfort, while those in the second row won’t have anything to complain about at all, those in the third row may feel shortchanged on comfort but it’s not as cramped as some of its keen rivals. You’ll have to fold down the third row seat to really exploit the boot space, with both rows folded down you’ve got yourself a cargo van.

Our tester car was a pretty pricey SEL with 4-motion all-wheel-drive. It came equipped with LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry with keyless start and optional 20-inch alloy wheels. Leather wrapped seats and steering wheel also come standard as well as tri-zone climate control, remote engine start and Blind Spot Monitoring system with lane departure warning.

We had high hopes for the Volkswagen Atlas, it certainly didn’t disappoint but we expected a lot better from Volkswagen. The refinement is there but it certainly needs tweaking in areas that makes Volkswagen feel special compared to its keen rivals. The steering feedback is way too light at highway speeds, the styling is way too cartoonish for our taste and we certainly wish that Volkswagen improved the aged 3.6 engine. You’ll like the Atlas because it offers a competent package for a reasonable price.

Likes: It can seat comfortably seven people and still offer decent boot space. The standard kit list is pretty generous too and you can option for a turbocharged four-cylinder.

Dislikes: The exterior styling is cartoonish and the turbo four-cylinder only can be had with front-wheel-drive. The 3.6 engine needs updating and the steering is way too light at highway speeds.

Our pick: SE w/ 4-motion strikes a nice balance between price and standard kit. You won’t have to venture too high up unless you are willing to dish out the extra cash. Even so, there are a few rivals from Mazda and Honda that make a more compelling case. The Launch Edition w/ 4-motion is also another worthy trim to consider.

Turbo-fours are the future

Porsche Purists cried foul when the new Boxster replacement traded its hallmark six-cylinder engines for turbo fours. The 718 Cayman even followed suit. Does this mean even Porsche isn’t immune to the ever increasing environmental times?

The standard 2-liter turbo pumps out a hearty 300hp and can get you to 60mph in under 5 seconds (4.9 seconds to be exact) and the optional Cayman S trim gets a 2.5-liter turbo pumping out an additional 50hp and is 0.5 seconds quicker. The premium between the two however is pretty hard to justify considering that the Cayman S isn’t that much quicker to 60mph. Don’t let horsepower figures and numbers fool you, the Cayman S is a beast when it comes to swift acceleration and while it may not have the charm that the six-cylinders of the previous generation had; we certainly appreciate the torque at low revs which helps give it that punch at low revs so it feels a lot easier to live with as a daily commuter car.

Driving the Cayman isn’t like any other sports car we’ve driven. The steering feedback is from the gods and the chassis was tuned by them as well. You can option for an adaptive suspension which is a pretty pricey option to begin with, however the tradeoff if that you’ll have a more forgiving ride comfort and when you are feeling the spirit of the drive, you can slip it into sport mode and dance through the corners with such finesse and pose. When you’re not driving like a complete hooligan, the Cayman S is one refined sports car with very little wind and road noise to complain of. The engine has a very contagious exhaust note, especially in sport mode which means that’s about all the noise you’ll hear. And if you complain about that, we’re convinced you didn’t want a sports car at all.

One of the downsides of having a Porsche is everyone knows you’re driving a Porsche. This is due to the fact that Porsche has the most recognizable designs on the road and pretty much stands out everywhere it is. Drivers around us were expecting us to flog it everywhere we went, rev the engine and of course gawk at us at every turn and while sitting at traffic lights. The only other vehicle that could rival the Porsche in the attention department and that’s the Smart Fortwo and that’s mainly due to the its freakishly small size and oddball design.

The interior of the Cayman is what you’d expect from a Porsche. The plastics used are top-notch and feel classy to the touch. The infotainment screen is much easier to navigate through and there’s far less button clutter like in previous Porsches. What we like the most however is the driving position which is spot on good and visibility all-round is borderline excellent. The hatchback-like boot opens versatility up while the boot in the front opens up extra cargo holding versatility if you need it.

Our tester car came fitted with nearly $43k worth of optional kit. The notable features are Burmester Premium Audio system, Full-LED headlights, 14-way leather seats and a navigation system. We were shocked that Porsche Passive Entry wasn’t even standard as well as heated seats. The Cayman S starts at $68k and should at least have half the features on the options list standard.

You buy a Porsche because it’s the easiest sports car to live with. It holds its residuals well and won’t break the bank when it comes to running costs. However, you’ll have to be compensated somewhere because the simple fact remains, you’ll have to pay an arm and a leg for one. We’ll put it simply like this. The Cayman S is one of those cars you don’t want to go to your grave without have ever owning. Sell the house. Risk everything in Vegas or ask your great Auntie for and advance in your in heritance. Do whatever it takes because this is one vehicle worth every single penny.

Likes: The new turbo four-cylinders are quicker and easier to live with, plus running costs are actually much lower than you’d think. It’s classier inside and such an amazing sports car to have.

Dislikes: Porsche is stingy on standard kit.

Our pick: We’ve driven the 718 Boxster with the entry 2-liter turbo engine and while it is great, we’d certainly get the 2.5 turbo engine in our Cayman S. On paper it’s only slightly quicker, but in reality they feel much different.