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If you have a full-size SUV on the brain, you’re looking for the perfect vehicle for family and cargo hauling. So, you might find everything you need in the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas. This gem of an SUV can do it all, but what about its price tag?

The 2023 Volkswagen Atlas is a popular choice because it is relatively affordable, despite its big-boy size. However, as you add on packages and extras, and upgrade your trim level, be prepared to pay. Here’s how much a fully loaded, with all the bells and whistles, 2023 Volkswagen Atlas costs.

Meet the base 2023 Volkswagen Atlas

A 2023 Volkswagen Atlas full-size SUV model driving on a highway near trees with autumn-colored leaves
2023 Volkswagen Atlas | Volkswagen of America, Inc. Newspress Limited

Looking at the base model SE version of the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas, you will be pleasantly surprised. Using the VW build-out tool, the Atlas SE comes with plenty and will only cost you $34,600 as a starting MSRP. By “plenty,” we mean you’ll enjoy 18-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, an 8-inch digital display, heated front seats, and the three-door KESSY tech. The SE trim has safety covered, too, with blind spot monitoring, auto emergency braking, and forward-collision warning systems included. Additionally, you won’t be disappointed with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with its 235 horsepower.

In today’s automotive market, you’d expect to pay more than $35,000 for a nicely equipped car, let alone a full-size VW SUV with all these amenities. However, affordability draws the line here. Everything else you want to add to your 2023 Volkswagen Atlas will cost you.

Pricing for the fully loaded Premium R-Line

At the opposite end of the pricing and amenity spectrum lies the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas Premium R-Line. This SUV brings its A-game, starting with the more powerful 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 276 horsepower. It’s what Edmunds calls “the most feature-packed” Atlas you can drive off the lot. In addition to the R-Line interior trim and revised sporty bumpers, this high-end version includes:

  • Massive 21-inch wheels
  • Heated second-row seats
  • Power-folding mirrors
  • Ventilated front seats
  • Leather interior upholstery
  • Cool ambient interior lighting
  • 12 speakers of Fender premium audio
  • Automated parking 
  • 360-degree camera views

Ok, but how much does this beefy, souped-up version of the Atlas cost? With its 4Motion capability and all the extras, VW Media outlines pricing to be $51,790. With destination charges and TTL, expect to pay closer to $54,000 or $56,000.

VW Atlas available add-ons and accessories

Even with all the incredible extras included in the Premium R-Line version of the 2023 Volkswagen Atlas, there’s more you can add to it. If you want captains’ chairs, tack on another $695. Or, you can change up your rims to graphite, silver, or two-toned machined wheels for $1,200-$1,600 extra. Aluminum side steps will increase your total by $880, and a roof-mounted cargo box will add $735.

After going through and adding all the extra amenities, from floor mats and snowboard racks to cargo covers and roof-mounted side awning, our 2023 Volkswagen Atlas was over $60,000. Of course, you may not need the bike rack, the baby mirror, the coat hanger, or the splash guards. Still, know that as you check the boxes for extras, you’ll be equipping your Atlas far beyond that base MSRP.

In Volkswagen’s media release, the automaker states that this new Atlas is primed to disrupt the crowded full-size SUV space in a big way. It’s intended to bring VW driving dynamics and affordable pricing to those who need to haul friends, family, and cargo. So, if you stick to the base and mid-level trims, you’ll still likely be impressed. However, if you need extras, that affordable price tag will dissipate quickly. Choose carefully when building out your Atlas!