Volkswagen was among the first companies to embrace the ‘four door coupe’ body style when it introduced the Passat CC in 2008. That model became simply the CC when it was facelifted in 2012, and in 2017, Volkswagen replaced it with the Arteon - with even more dramatic styling.
The Arteon is related to the VW Passat underneath but it has a much sportier appearance. Despite this, it doesn’t lose too much practicality to its more humdrum sibling, but stands out more on the road without looking overly flashy. There’s a familiar range of engines and transmissions too that give you a choice of either impressive frugality or hot hatchback-style pace.
Depending on your budget, Arteon alternatives include the older Volkswagen CC, as well as premium-badged cars like the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Even the Audi A7 and Mercedes CLS might be worth a look, while the Kia Stinger is an offbeat rival that makes up with rear-wheel drive handling what it lacks in badge appeal.
In a market where almost everyone seems to be gravitating towards SUVs, a car like the Volkswagen Arteon immediately makes a statement. In our full review, we described it as the “thinking person’s upmarket car”, with the sensible yet quietly upscale image the Volkswagen badge commands, and an elegant profile that rubs shoulders with models from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
Yet it’s as easy to drive and live with as a sensible old Passat. It isn’t quite as large inside as its more prosaic stablemate but this is still a car that can comfortably accommodate four adults, and plenty of luggage too thanks to a 563-litre boot.
The cabin design is very classy too, with a horizontal trim panel stretching across the cabin, that incorporates the air vents, and an understated centre console design with a sensible and logical touchscreen (8 inches from launch, 9.2 inches in higher spec or later models) - it’s better to use, in fact, than some of VW’s more recent models.
VW has offered a wide range of engines over the years, from 1.5 and 2-litre petrol units in varying states of tune, to a range of 2-litre diesels, including a powerful twin-turbo with 240PS. They all have the kind of refinement, easy-going performance and clean-shifting gearboxes (whether manual or DSG auto) to suit a car like this. And while the handling won’t make you laugh out loud, it’s as precise, comfortable and grippy as it needs to be.
If you want more entertainment, then a BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe may be a better choice, or even the Kia Stinger, which looks like a bargain in 3.3-litre GT S form. If you’re prepared to go a year or two older to seek out more prestige for similar money, a Mercedes-Benz CLS or an Audi A7 is tempting too, with similarly sleek styling and larger engine options.
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Given the Arteon is designed to make regular day-to-day motoring just a little more visually stimulating, we’d see no problem in maximising the car’s everyday appeal with one of the 2-litre TDI diesels - specifically, the 190PS model. While the 150PS car does the job, the extra power and torque of the 190, and the standard DSG automatic gearbox, suit the car’s easy-going nature.
Elegance and R-Line are both worthy trim level choices, the former leaning into the Arteon’s relaxed driving feel and the latter looking a bit more dynamic, and equipment levels reflect these two options. An R-Line model in one of the more vivid colour options looks great though. As for the Arteon R, it’s naturally very quick, but probably not entertaining enough to justify the extra cost.
The Volkswagen Arteon trim level lineup has changed over time, and Volkswagen has also altered the level of equipment available in each trim level since it went on sale in 2017. This means that while we’ve tried to summarise the trim levels below, there may be some discrepancies depending on the age of the car you’re looking at. Broadly speaking though, VW has kept the same general range hierarchy over the years, so just know that SE and Elegance tend towards a classier feel, and R-Line and the R have a sportier appearance.
The Volkswagen Arteon’s dimensions are:
The Volkswagen Arteon’s boot size is:
You’ll need to check to see whether the Arteon you’re looking at had a new list price of over £40,000, as due to the government’s VED or ‘road tax’ surcharge above this point, it can significantly affect how much tax you pay. Models below this threshold will currently set you back £180 per year, but this rises to £570 in the second to sixth years of registration for cars over £40,000.
At its least expensive, as a 2-litre 150PS diesel, the VW Arteon sits in insurance group 21. At the other end of the scale, a BiTDI in R-Line trim is insurance group 32, and the range-topping R finds itself in group 35. These figures aren’t too bad for what you’re getting - a BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe begins where the Arteon ends, while even the Kia Stinger starts in group 32 for a 2.2-litre diesel, and the V6-engined GT S is group 41.
Read our full Volkswagen Arteon review
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