Having been around since 2017, the Atlas is getting long in the tooth. Thankfully, Volkswagen is ready to replace its aging SUV by launching the new Teramont Pro in China with help from its local partner SAIC. The three-row family hauler has been using the "Teramont" name there and in other markets since it came out eight years ago. It's unclear whether America's next-gen model will be identical, but we're not expecting any major differences.
The Teramont Pro's styling is no surprise, considering the design emerged in September 2024, when the SUV went through the usual homologation process with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). It's certainly not the most exciting SUV, but that's to be expected since VW isn't the type of automaker experimenting with daring designs nowadays. Even this flagship R-Line trim with 21-inch wheels won't set your pulse racing.
At 203.1 inches long, 78.4 inches wide, and 70.4 inches tall, the Chinese version of the SUV is 2.4 inches longer than the US-spec Atlas while being a smidge wider and taller. The Teramont Pro tries to stay trendy with LED light bars front and rear, an EV-like closed-off grille, flush door handles, and hidden exhaust tips. Oversized headlights and chunky taillights break the norm, considering many new cars tend to have slim lights.
The seven-seat interior is a standard 2025 affair, cramming as many screens as possible into the dashboard. Much like the Passat Pro sold in China, the Teramont Pro has a separate display just for the front passenger. Elsewhere, VW-SAIC plans to sell the big SUV with goodies ranging from a panoramic sunroof and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system to 30-color ambient lighting and a three-stage perfume dispenser. Heated, ventilated front seats with a massage function are also available, complete with an electric footrest for the fully reclining passenger seat.
The Teramont Pro might not have the wow factor, but it does have something interesting underneath the hood. It's the first application of VW's fifth-generation EA888 engine. This turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill runs on the Miller cycle and has been further tweaked to cut fuel consumption and emissions. The new engine benefits from a variable-geometry turbocharger and a higher fuel injection pressure of 500 bar.
Additionally, the EA888evo5 has had many of its moving parts "comprehensively strengthened," with upgrades made to the pistons, connecting rods, and crankshaft. VW also touts further tweaks to the intake, intercooler, and lubrification system. In the Teramont Pro, the overhauled engine pumps out 268 hp and 295 lb-ft, representing a solid bump in output of 51 hp and 37 lb-ft over the old model sold in China.
The turbocharged four-pot works exclusively with a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. This hardware arrangement facilitates a 0 to 62 mph sprint in 7.6 seconds, which isn't too shabby for such a large vehicle. The old Teramont used to be offered with the venerable VR-6 engine, but VW ended production late last year.
Other notable features include the usual adaptive suspension (DCC) and a more advanced semi-autonomous driving system that meets L2+ requirements. The Teramont Pro has been engineered on the VW Group's MQB Evo platform, and as much as 82.3% of its structure is made from high-strength steel. It gets nine standard airbags and can swallow around 88 cubic feet inside the cavernous cabin. As a safety feature, a dual reversing projection light is built into the tailgate, projecting arrows onto the road to alert pedestrians when the vehicle is in reverse.
It remains to be seen whether the second-gen Atlas will be a carbon copy of the Teramont Pro when it arrives in the United States, presumably for the 2026 model year. That EA888evo5 engine will certainly be used in other VW Group products, especially since a new report indicates that Audi and VW will continue using gas engines longer than planned.
Volkswagen Teramont Pro (China)
Source: VW-SAIC
