Used 2019 Volkswagen Arteon

Although the Volkswagen Arteon has been on sale in Europe for two years, this flagship sedan just arrived in the U.S. as a 2019 model. Has it been worth the wait?

Definitely. The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon is an impressive automobile, a premium-luxury sedan powered by a 268-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. And rather than thinking of this sleek fastback 5-seater as a replacement for the attractive but discontinued CC, we prefer to see the Arteon as an enticing alternative to the smaller Audi A5 Sportback and larger Audi A7.

With this new Arteon, VW has crafted a beautifully styled sedan that blends sporty driving dynamics with a healthy amount of modern safety features and infotainment. What’s more, this new Volkswagen is a hatchback, with inherent practicality enhanced by a split rear seat that folds forward to create a large cargo area with a flat floor.

Competitors in this arena of midsize-premium sedans are numerous. They include the Infiniti Q50, Nissan Maxima, Acura TLX and Kia Stinger.

We drove the new 2019 Volkswagen Arteon on California’s smooth and sweeping Highway 33, which winds its way through the Los Padres National Forest and felt tailor-made for this VW, whose enviable ride comfort fortunately doesn’t come at the expense of good body control in turns.

Despite the large opening for the rear hatch, the Arteon’s unibody chassis felt tight, and the VW’s ’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine — which produces 268 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at only 1,950 rpm — didn’t feel overwhelmed by the Arteon’s approximately 3,500-pound curb weight. The engine delivered power in a smooth, linear fashion, while the 8-speed automatic transmission got its job done without calling much attention to itself. We liked its smooth shifts and its traditional P-R-N-D-L shift gate, which, unlike today’s raft of confusing electronic shifters, left no doubt as to which gear the Arteon was in.

Moreover, the shift paddles of the SEL Premium model we drove proved especially handy, particularly when downshifting for a turn and then powering out of said corner. In these deceleration situations, the throttle automatically blipped to smooth the downshifts, making it sound as if you were a driving pro. Then, during the many long corners that Highway 33 throws at you, the Arteon’s automatic torque vectoring would help keep VW’s new fastback sedan on its intended line, totally unbeknownst to the driver.

This helped reduce understeer, while Sport mode — which firms the suspension and steering while also speeding up the sweep of the Arteon’s active LED headlights into corners — kept body roll in check. While it was nice to be driving an SEL Premium with standard 4Motion all-wheel drive — which can send as much as 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels — its value would have been better appreciated on tighter roads, or ones that are slick or slushy.

Two things you notice once you sit in the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon: 1) Because of a wheelbase that’s five inches longer than that of the discontinued VW CC, there’s plenty of room. A 6-foot-tall person can fit with ease behind a driver of the same height, with plenty of headroom front and rear, despite the sweeping coupe-like roofline. Three across the rear bench is possible, but it’s a bit of a squeeze. 2) The Arteon cabin offers abundant comforts and controls while managing to have a dash that’s handsomely uncluttered. A traditional analog clock adds a touch of class from its central spot in the dash’s vents that recall the slats in the Arteon’s wide radiator grille. Three-zone climate control also is standard.

The SEL Premium Arteon that KBB drove featured beautiful Nappa leather covering its seats, plus an R-Line steering wheel and shift lever also covered in hide. Completing the SEL Premium interior is an 8-inch navigation screen and the attractive 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

When the Arteon’s rear hatch is raised, there’s a generous 27.2 cubic feet of available cargo room, accessible via a wide opening. With the 60/40-split rear bench seat folded, the volume increases to a substantial 55 cubic feet. That’s enough room for several suitcases or maybe even two adults needing a place to sleep for the night.

Most people agree that the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon is a striking automobile, a sporty fastback sedan highlighted by prominent character lines that travel the length of the vehicle and terminate in a slatted grille with a large VW logo. It’s low and wide, the antithesis of a crossover SUV. We also like its sleek coupe-like roofline, its abundant chrome trim, its frameless side doors and how the clamshell-style hood folds down on each side to meet the front fenders.

All told, this new VW looks refined, and the available R-Line package completes the look nicely with gloss-black bumper trim, badges on the grille and front fenders, a trunk spoiler and 19- or 20-inch wheels, the latter in black.

DRIVING MODE SELECTION
This system, standard on all new 2019 VW Arteons, offers these driver-selectable modes: Comfort, Normal and Sport, plus additional Comfort+ and Sport+ modes available from the individual settings menu. Via the push of a button, you can make your Arteon behave the way you want it to, with noticeable differences in suspension, steering and transmission tuning.

VOLKSWAGEN DIGITAL COCKPIT
Standard on SEL and SEL Premium, the digital cockpit’s 12.3-inch screen replaces the standard Arteon’s traditional instrument cluster. The high-res display has five different profiles, including one in which a speedometer and tachometer flank the navigation map. It looks very cool.

The entry-level Arteon, the SE, is well equipped with an 8-inch infotainment display, standard Leatherette seats (heated in front), a push-button starter, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability and 3-zone climate control. If you order an Arteon SEL, the 12.3-inch digital instrument display is standard, as are a sunroof, a Nappa interior leather and active cruise control with Stop & Go.

The SEL Premium, the top Arteon, has 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard. This most opulent Arteon is equipped with a heated steering wheel and rear seats, a 360-degree overhead camera system, a massaging driver’s seat, lane-keep assist and a 700-watt audio system. A power hatchback also is standard on the SEL Premium; just swing your foot below the rear bumper and the hatch automatically opens.

Notable options available on the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon include 4Motion all-wheel drive, 19- or 20-inch wheels, paddle shifters and the R-Line package. This includes special R-Line badging on the grille and front fenders, plus gloss-black trim on the bumpers and a black rear spoiler, stainless-steel scuff plates and pedal caps, along with a unique steering wheel that has paddle shifters. Inside, the R-Line’s black headliner is complemented by contrast stitching on the steering wheel and shift knob. VW expects 30 percent of Arteon buyers will order the R-Line package, while some 30 to 40 percent will choose 4Motion.

The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon has only one engine, but it’s a good blend of power and fuel economy. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, a direct-injected gasoline powerplant, puts out 268 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at only 1,950 rpm, aided by variable intake and exhaust timing, together with variable-exhaust valve lift. Turbocharger boost arrives quickly to create a smooth swell of power. Premium fuel is recommended.

Similarly, one transmission is available in the Arteon, an 8-speed automatic. Made by Aisin, this gearbox shifts smoothly and unobtrusively, and it reacts quickly to the shift paddles.

In front-wheel-drive (FWD) form, the 2019 VW Arteon is rated by the EPA at 22-mpg city/31-mpg highway/25-mpg combined. With all-wheel drive (AWD), that drops to 20-mpg city/27-mpg highway/23-mpg combined. Fuel capacity is 17.4 gallons.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
268 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/31 mpg (FWD), 20/27 mpg (AWD)