America, This Is Your All-New 2026 Volkswagen Atlas!

Don't let the camouflage trick you, as you are indeed looking at the all-new second-generation Volkswagen Atlas / Teramont. The prototype scooped recently was camouflaged to look like the current one up to a point, and it is expected to be a better contender in its class.

The camouflage wasn't thick nor trippy enough to hide its fresh face. It has stacked headlamps, a different grille of a smaller size, a bigger intake in the redesigned front bumper, and tinier vents to the sides. The changes out back are not that impressive, but we expect new taillights, likely with a full-width light bar (maybe a backlit logo, too?), a new tailgate, and a new bumper.

Volkswagen also revised the crossover's profile, giving it new lines and larger three-quarter windows. We can also see stickers on the door handles, thus probably suggesting that the new 2026 VW Atlas has gone down the flush-mounted route for a cleaner look. The front and rear overhangs are about the same size as before, and the space between the axles does not seem to have increased.

Nevertheless, the cleverer packaging will likely translate into a slightly more spacious interior, especially for second-row passengers, and a roomier cargo area. Unfortunately, our spies couldn't immortalize the model's cockpit, but they reported it was fully camouflaged. Reports speak of its cabin drawing influences from the new generation VW Tiguan, probably getting the same 15-inch infotainment in its more expensive configurations.

This part of the story would be dedicated to the powertrain family. However, we can only speculate on it, as no one who's not directly involved in the 2025 Volkswagen Atlas' development knows anything about it. It is possible that it might get a four-banger, perhaps with a 2.0L displacement, fed by gasoline and self-charging and/or plug-in hybrid assemblies. We wouldn’t look for a full-blown EV, given that the automotive world has partially pulled the handbrake on this game.

The all-new second-gen VW Atlas is believed to debut sometime in 2025, and it should be a 2026 MY in our market. The visual and technical revisions should also be applied to the Atlas Cross Sport, its sportier-looking and less practical sibling, as there is no reason to believe the Wolfsburg brand will drop it. We think the 2026 Atlas will cost slightly more than the current one, which carries an MSRP of $37,995. The Atlas Cross Sport currently starts at $36,895.