The Volkswagen AQ451 8-speed automatic transmission has been produced at the company’s American plant since 2023 and is installed in the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and the Tayron, which is sold in the US as the Tiguan. Unlike its predecessor, this transmission was not made by Aisin, but by Hyundai Transys.
AQ-8 family: AQ300, AQ301, AQ450, AQ451.
Specifications
| Type | automatic transmission |
| Number of gears | 8 |
| Type of drive | front / all wheel |
| Engine volume, l | up to 2.0 turbo |
| Torque output, Nm | up to 450 |
| Recommended oil | Hyundai ATF SP-IV |
| Oil capacity, liter | 7.4 |
| Partial replacement, liter | 4.5 6.0 liters with the pan removed |
| Maintenance | every 60 000 km |
| Gearbox lifespan, km | 250 000 km |
| Weight, kg | 98 |
Gear ratios Volkswagen AQ451
Using the example of a 2024 Volkswagen Atlas with a 2.0-liter turbo engine:
| Main | 3.6 |
| 1st | 5.59 |
| 2nd | 3.14 |
| 3rd | 1.95 |
| 4th | 1.43 |
| 5th | 1.21 |
| 6th | 1.00 |
| 7th | 0.81 |
| 8th | 0.67 |
| Reverse | 3.99 |
Using
The transmission was installed on:
- Volkswagen Atlas 1 (CA) in 2023 – …
- Volkswagen Tayron 2 (RM) in 2024 – …
Disadvantages of the VW AQ451 gearbox
- This automatic transmission is new, and information about it is scarce;
- However, it has already been subject to a recall campaign in the US, and the entire transmission was replaced;
- One of the ball bearings was loosely pressed in and was falling out, blocking the oil channel;
- Other complaints from owners are related to jerking and are addressed with new firmware;
- The typical Hyundai automatic transmission issue with the torque converter damper has not yet manifested itself here.
