Next-Generation 2027 Volkswagen Atlas Looks Very Similar to China's Teramont Pro

Closely related to the Volkswagen Teramont Pro for China, which is produced by the SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture for the People's Republic of China, the second-generation Atlas has been spied winter testing in Sweden with little in the way of camouflage. A proper family-sized crossover with three rows of seats, the 2027 model adopts new sheet metal pretty much everywhere. The roof is the only exception.

Going live this April in New York City, the 2027 Volkswagen Atlas borrows many visual traits from the redesigned Tayron and Tiguan. Chunkier rear fenders also need mentioning, and prospective customers are in for a longer Atlas to boot. Unfortunately, the wheelbase carries over from the outgoing 2026 Volkswagen Atlas.

Camouflaged with first-gen Atlas stickers on the front and rear lights, the white-painted prototype in these pictures clearly has the proportions of a front-biased vehicle with a transverse-mounted engine. Now based on the MQB Evo platform of the aforementioned Tayron and Tiguan, the Atlas appears to be rocking conventional door handles instead of the Teramont Pro's pop-out setup.

Speaking of the Asian counterpart, the Teramont Pro also gives us a good look inside the redesigned Atlas for North America. In its native market, the Chinese model comes with two seats for the third row, a front passenger display, ambient lighting in the door cards, a massive center console, Memory Parking Assist, Remote Parking Assist, and multiple audio systems with Harman Kardon speakers.

IQ. Pilot Intelligent Driving Assistance is another highlight of the Teramont Pro that could very well be adopted by the Atlas. The suite in question includes advanced adaptive cruise control, smart lane changing, a feature that automatically maintains a safe distance from larger vehicles on the road, lane-level navigation, and intelligent obstacle avoidance. 

DCC adaptive electronic suspension and 4MOTION all-wheel drive are sure to make the cut in the North American specification. Because it's an MQB Evo-based vehicle with no credible sporting credentials, the 4MOTION system is a Haldex-type affair that uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch to send up to 50 percent of the torque to the rear axle.

The 4MOTION system and Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive dampers work together in sport and off-road mode, stiffening the dampers while increasing the pre-load on the rear axle's clutch to deliver a very proactive distribution of the available torque. Sold with a dual-clutch transmission instead of a torque-converter automatic for the Atlas, the Teramont Pro hides a four-cylinder turbo from the EA888 series under its long and flat hood.

Equipped with a 500-bar injection system, the fifth-generation EA888 lump in the Chinese sport utility vehicle further boasts the full Miller cycle across all loads. An integrated intercooler in the intake manifold also needs mentioning, along with a forged fuel rail. The finishing touch comes in the guise of a variable geometry turbocharger from Garrett Motion.

The 2.0-liter engine of the Teramont Pro makes 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton-meters) at full chatter, figures that could very well carry over to the 2027 model year Atlas. Later on in 2026, the Atlas Cross Sport will be redesigned as well.