2018 Airstream Atlas Review
Airstream’s 2018 Atlas is a great option for the couple that loves a road adventure but doesn’t want to compromise the feel and comforts of home. The Atlas boasts dozens of best-in-class features combined with the understated luxury and performance of Mercedes-Benz. The biggest stand-out departure on this coach is the power slide-out, which gives you more space for living or for pulling down the coach’s Murphy bed.
The 2018 Airstream Atlas is built on a Mercedes-Benz 3.0L V6 Turbo diesel engine At 99” wide, it has a wider body than the Atlas Interstate for a more spacious interior. It measures 24’ 9” long and 10’6” high. Its gross vehicle weight rating is 11030 lbs. and it has a towing capacity of 5000 lbs. The fresh water tank holds 23 gallons, the gray water tank holds 31 gallons, and the black water tank holds 23 gallons.
The Atlas does not have a cabover bunk, which allows for an angled, aerodynamic front for better gas mileage. Keeping with the streamlined look, the outside compartments don’t have handles, and lock with a key fob. Aesthetically, Airstream has skipped the typical colorful paintjob typical of RVs and has kept it a uniform silver.
Some of the features that come standard with the 2018 Atlas are the rear Air Ride suspension system, power stabilizer jacks, 300w of rooftop contoured solar panels, full length power awning with LED lighting and wind-sensor, exterior shower, a hidden retracting screen door, power sunroof with both a screen and shade, and frameless tilt-open windows.
Safety-wise, the Atlas has a long list of features that come standard, including: lane-keeping assist, collision prevention assist, multiple air bags, side- and rear-view cameras with a dedicated monitor in place of a rearview mirror, four seatbelt positions, advanced navigation system with RV-specific warnings and instructions, heated windshield, and rain sensing windshield wipers.
Heading inside to the cockpit area, the Atlashas heated swivel driver and passenger seats. The in-dash maintenance monitoring system and 8” Touch Screen NAV/SAT Radio/DVD System keep you in the driver’s seat. When the seats are swiveled to face the main cabin, there is a small pedestal table that screws in right between them.
In the main cabin area, high-gloss laminate cabinetry, flush mount hardware, and Ultraleather upholstery keep the aesthetic modern and polished. You do have a choice between two color schemes, both of which have reserved all color for the throw pillows in keeping with the coach’s clean design.
The ultraleather couch has a power recliner in each of the end position seats so you can kick your feet up. There is also another pedestal table that can be set up in front of the sofa’s middle section. Across from the sofa, there’s a hideaway 40” Samsung LED Smart TV and soundbar with built-in woofers and Bluetooth enabled.
Put the recliners back in position and lay the sofa flat with the touch of a button to ready the space for the Murphy bed. When the bed is pulled down, there is a window at the head, reading lights, and cubbies on each side.
The kitchen area has all the standards you need to make meals on the road: a two-burner stove, microwave, mid-size refrigerator (electric/propane), and a Kohler sink with flush-mount sink cover and high-rise pull down faucet. The trash drops into an opening in the counter that also has a flush mount cover. The solid surface countertop, aluminum backsplash, and aluminum facing on the refrigerator keep the look luxe and modern.
The designer touches extend to the three-piece bathroom: a teak wall inlay in the corner shower, cedar-lined wardrobe closet, porcelain toilet, mirrored medicine cabinet, Kohler brand faucet, shower head and sink, and LED shower lighting. The riveted aluminum porthole on the pocket door adds a bit more of that Airstream style.
The 2018 Airstream Atlas starts at $215, 900. For more information, visit www.airstream.com.
