Volkswagen has announced an assortment of new editions and updates for their 2019 model year lineup. Starting in alphabetical order, the 2019 Atlas gains an assortment of newly standard safety features including Front Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert. The entry-level Atlas S also comes with additional convenience features including automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers and heated side mirrors.

One step up the trim ladder is the Atlas SE which largely carries over, but now has a standard tri-zone automatic climate control system. The mid-level Atlas SEL goes even further as it gains a digital instrument cluster, a heated steering wheel, GPS navigation and LED taillights.


Engine options carryover and include a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 235 hp and 349 Nm of torque. Customers can also order a 3.6-liter VR6 which develops 276 hp and 360 Nm of torque. Pricing starts at US$ 30,895 which is a minor increase of US$ 145.

The Beetle is entering its final year of production and the company is celebrating with two special editions which will be available as a coupe and convertible. Since we already covered those models last week, we’ll focus on the standard Beetle which now comes equipped with additional body-color accents (coupe only), a Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert.


Pricing starts at US$ 20,895 and the car is powered exclusively by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 174 hp and 249 Nm of torque. It is connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Golf enters the 2019 model year with a new turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 147 hp and 249 Nm of torque. This is a big step down from the previous turbocharged 1.8-liter engine which developed up to 170 hp and 249 Nm of torque.


Besides losing a significant amount of horsepower, the Golf gains an assortment of safety systems including Front Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert. Pricing starts at US$ 21,845 which means less is more – US$ 935 more to be exact.

The Golf Alltrack gains the aforementioned driver assistance systems, but it eschews the new turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. There aren’t any additional changes, but pricing starts at US$ 26,895.


While the standard Golf loses power, the Golf GTI gains 8 hp to bring its total output up to 228 hp and 349 Nm of torque when running on premium fuel. The increased power isn’t the only change as the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine can now be paired to a new seven-speed DSG transmission. Other upgrades for 2019 include brakes sourced from the Golf R and a newly standard VAQ mechanical differential. The GTI SE also gains leather seats and a newly available Experience Package which adds a Fender premium audio system and a DCC chassis control system.

The big news for 2019 is the Rabbit Edition which slots in between the GTI S and GTI SE. The model has a modestly revised exterior with LED headlights, black mirror caps, a black rear spoiler and 18-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black finish. Other highlights include “Rabbit-badged seat tags,” special floor mats and a keyless entry system with a push button ignition. Lastly, the model comes equipped with Front Assist, Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Traffic Alert. Pricing starts at US$ 27,595 for the six-speed manual and US$ 28,695 for the DSG variant.


The Golf R, on the other hand, moves into 2019 with a special color program that includes 40 unique hues. Buyers can further customize their car’s appearance by ordering a new Black Wheel package which adds – surprise, surprise – 19-inch black wheels. The model starts at US$ 40,395 and features a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 288 hp and 379 Nm of torque.

The final Golf variant is the 2019 SportWagen and it’s an oddball as it features the old turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine as well as the new turbocharged 1.4-liter unit. Front-wheel drive models feature the new engine, while the all-wheel drive variant gets the older powertrain. Additional changes are minor and customers will need to shell out at least US$ 21,895 to get behind the wheel.


The 2019 Passat will only be offered in two trims including a new Wolfsburg Edition which replaces the previous S variant. Despite sitting at the bottom of the pecking order, the Wolfsburg Edition has several upgrades over the previous Passat S. These include leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats. The model also has a larger 6.3-inch infotainment system and 17-inch alloy wheels. Pricing starts at US$ 25,295 which is a significant jump from the previous base price of US$ 22,995.

Finally, we’re getting to the 2019 Tiguan which now comes standard with an alarm on the SE variant. SEL model gains a digital instrument cluster and park distance control, while the previous SEL R-Line will be replaced by the SEL R-Line Jet-Black.  The latter has similar equipment as well as black exterior trim and black 19-inch wheels. The 2019 Tiguan starts at US$ 24,295 with front wheel drive and US$ 25,595 with all-wheel drive.