2021 Volkswagen Atlas: No Midsize SUV Offers More Cargo Space
Serena Aburahma
· 4 min read
There are a lot of factors to consider when purchasing a
new car
. Cargo space is one of the main reasons SUVs are a top choice for many car buyers. Bigger families often choose vehicles like the Chevy Suburban for cargo space. However, a large vehicle does not necessarily mean ample cargo space, and some SUVs may carry less than you expect. According to
Consumer Reports
, the midsize SUV with the most cargo space is the Volkswagen Atlas.
How does Consumer Reports test cargo space?
SUV manufacturers love to boast that their vehicles have a ton of cargo space, but sometimes this space does not work as well in practice.For example, the area for cargo space in a vehicle might be shaped in a way that makes it impractical.
For their tests, Consumer Reports used a box-shaped pipe. They could expand the pipe once it was inside the vehicle to see the limits of what the cargo space could hold. The box could represent shapes and sizes of real objects that a driver might hope to store in their cargo space.
It is important to note that in Consumer Reports' list, they only ranked the vehicles based on their cargo space. The SUV with the best cargo space may not be the one with the best fuel efficiency or safety.
Consumer Reports has ranked SUVs on overall quality on a separate list, though.
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The Volkswagen Atlas ranks #1 in cargo space for midsize SUVs
MORE: The Cheapest 3-Row SUV Is Made by Volkswagen
Out of the nine midsize SUVs that Consumer Reports ranked, the Volkswagen Atlas grabbed the top spot.
The Atlas has a third-row of seating, and both the second and third rows can be dropped to increase the storage space. This results in an impressive total of 50 cubic feet of space in total.
Consumer Reports also noted that the Volkswagen Atlas was a comfortable SUV to drive, which is more of a feat given how much cargo space it has. It also features a V6 engine and an intuitive infotainment system.
Potential buyers should note that Consumer Reports only ranked the Volkswagen Atlas as the best midsize SUV in terms of cargo space.
Low predicted reliability and an estimated 20 miles per gallon resulted in the Atlas receiving an overall score of 57 out of 100. Volkswagen does have other innovative and impressive SUV offerings, though, like their
upcoming electric ID.8
.Volkswagen Atlas alternatives with comparable cargo space
For drivers looking for the most cargo space possible, the Volkswagen Atlas is a great choice.
However, the other parts of that review could lead to a driver wanting a different midsize SUV. If that's the case, there are other options that Consumer Reports listed as having ample cargo space.
The Honda Pilot offers 48 cubic feet of storage, only slightly less than the Volkswagen Atlas. Like the Atlas, the Pilot gets an estimated 20 miles per gallon, but the Pilot has an overall higher Consumer Reports score. It received an overall 72 out of 100.
The third-ranked vehicle on the cargo space list is the Hyundai Palisade. When its rows of seating are folded, the Palisade has up to 47 cubic feet of cargo space. Hyundai SUVs are often underrated, but they regularly impress drivers.
Shopping for a new car involves weighing a lot of pros and cons. The vehicle with the most cargo space may not be the one with the best fuel mileage. When you shop for insurance, you don't have to do all of these comparisons on your own.
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