Used Volkswagen Arteon for sale: everything you need to know

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.

Should you buy a Volkswagen Arteon? 

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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What’s the best used Volkswagen Arteon model to buy?

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.

Used Volkswagen Arteon fuel economy and performance

• Volkswagen Arteon 1.5 TSI 150: The 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol in the Arteon has been offered with manual and DSG automatic transmissions, and powers its front wheels. Power is rated at 150PS, good for 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds in manual form, with 42.8mpg combined economy.
• Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TSI 190: The 2-litre turbocharged petrol is DSG-only, and develops 190PS. 0-62mph comes up in 7.5 seconds and it’ll do 41.5mpg combined.
• Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TSI 320: Powering the Arteon R is a 320PS variant of the 2-litre TSI petrol engine. It’s both DSG-only and 4Motion all-wheel drive only, with a 4.7-second 0-62mph time and 32.1mpg combined economy.
• Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI 150: With 150PS the basic diesel matches the 1.5 TSI petrol for power, but its 0-62mph time is a little slower at 9.1 seconds. Economy is better though, at up to 55.4mpg combined.
• Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI 200: The more powerful 2-litre TDI makes 200PS but is little worse than the 150PS version on fuel, at 51.4mpg combined. As well as a 7-speed DSG auto, the TDI 200 is also available in 4Motion all-wheel drive form.
• Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 BiTDI 240: No longer offered, the BiTDI version of the Arteon was a twin-turbo version of the 2-litre diesel, making 240PS with a standard DSG automatic gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel drive. It could get from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds and do 37.7mpg.

What used Volkswagen Arteon trim levels are available?

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 SE is no longer offered new but served as the entry point to the Arteon range for a while. Standard kit included 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim elements and aluminium interior trim finishers, LED headlights, fabric upholstery, an 8-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, an 8-speaker audio system, adaptive cruise control, and various safety features.
• The Volkswagen Arteon Elegance got a different 18-inch wheel design, electric seat adjustment (with either Nappa leather or microfibre-centred seats depending on the year), the option of 4Motion all-wheel drive on some models, and a larger 9.2-inch touchscreen.
• The Volkswagen Arteon R-Line is the sub-R sporty-looking trim and gets larger 19-inch alloys, an R-Line exterior styling package, a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel, and R-Line Nappa leather seats.
• The Volkswagen Arteon R gets the most powerful engine of the Arteon range and has a spec list focused towards performance driving, with an electronic locking differential, adjustable chassis settings, a more aggressive body styling kit, and sports seats with integrated headrests.

Used Volkswagen Arteon dimensions and boot size

The Volkswagen Arteon’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4862mm
• Width: 1871mm (without mirrors)
• Height: 1450mm

The Volkswagen Arteon’s boot size is:

• 563 litres
• 1557 litres with the rear seats folded (to roof)

Used Volkswagen Arteon road tax

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.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen Arteon?

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