Three-Row VW SUV’s Name Revealed

Volkswagen CrossBlue Concept (Credit: © Volkswagen)

Thanks to a new report from Automotive News, we know Volkswagen’s upcoming three-row SUV will be called Atlas. That’s a big departure from weird-sounding SUV names Americans struggle to read and say. That, and it’s an ironic name for a make-or-break vehicle.

We got a little preview of what the VW Atlas will look like back in 2013 with the CrossBlue concept. The official reveal of the production model is taking place on October 27 at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant.

It’s not a coincidence that Volkswagen is debuting the Atlas in Tennessee. The new SUV could give VW a big foothold in the United States, a market where the company quite frankly has been sucking it up. Americans love three-row vehicles, and this one has been designed just for here, like the Toyota Sequoia.

Calling the new SUV Atlas should help it sell better here. Dealers are excited, because even before Dieselgate they didn’t have a lot to lure in shoppers. This could be exactly what’s needed to get VW sales revved up here. Like other SUVs, this new model should have big profit margins, which would be exactly what the company needs. So Atlas has the weight of the Volkswagen brand on its shoulders.

Needless to say, there won’t be a diesel version of the Atlas, probably ever. We’re also supposed to get a larger Tiguan in the middle of next year.