The Volkswagen Atlas Is Doing Its Job And Driving Sales — A Sign Of Positivity For VW?

June 2017 was only the Volkswagen Atlas’s first full month on sale in the United States, but the Atlas, still ramping up inventory, already accounts for more than half of Volkswagen’s U.S. utility vehicle sales. In fact, the only Volkswagens that sold more often than the Atlas in June were the Jetta, Passat, and (if you count all variants together) the Golf.

2,413 units is not a terribly impressive number, although it’s stronger than what the Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Flex, Mazda CX-9, and Volkswagen’s two other utility vehicles managed last month. But the rate at which Volkswagen is building the Atlas at the company’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant suggests dealers are only beginning to see just how many copies of the Atlas they’ll soon have to sell.

Will there be buyers?
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TomM - 7/30/2017 8:06:45 AM

+4 Boost

There is pent up demand for this vehicle from VW loyalists. Once this group is fulfilled - the question is whether the Atlas has the ability to draw customers from other Brands/Models. AND we do not know that one with that small sample yet.

llaroo - 7/30/2017 10:25:41 AM

+3 Boost

I think most people that drive VW do it because they identify with German brands. Value ( subjective ) is not always the first thing you look for with German brands. Otherwise they would be satisfied with Korean, Japanese or American. As they go lower in price point the models are fairly basic, once you put the features you want the price balloons.

MDarringer - 7/30/2017 11:55:01 AM

0 Boost

The roll out of the Atlas has been beyond sloppy. 2400 units in one month is laughable. VW didn't have enough vehicles in the pipeline when they launched. The Atlas does not sit long at the dealers because there is interest in the vehicle. So they sell the few they have and then they have none. Customers walk in to see it. None there? They buy elsewhere. They should have stopped building Passats for a while--tons of them are in the pipeline--and just cranked on the Atlas.

cidflekken - 7/31/2017 11:51:24 AM

+3 Boost

In the big scheme of things, 2400 units is still not even close to competitive. Toyota sold 17,000 Highlanders and Honda sold almost 10,000 Pilots in comparison. I'd have a really hard time seeing the Atlas get up to a consistent 5,000 units/month, especially once they start having troubles and word gets out.

MDarringer - 7/31/2017 12:29:42 PM

0 Boost

Bingo: "...especially once they start having troubles and word gets out."

The Passat went gangbusters when it was introduced and then VW's lack of quality, reliability, and durability raised its ugly head. In response, the utter lack of customer care drove the message home.