Volkswagen Arteon Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

Written by Andrew Brady
Quick overview
Pros
- Elegant looks, inside and out
- Huge practicality, comfort and space
- Comprehensive equipment across the range
Cons
- Volkswagen badge not as strong at this end of the market
- Residual values not as good as premium rivals which impacts running costs
- Upmarket infotainment system from Elegance not as intuitive as the SE’s version
Overall verdict on the Volkswagen Arteon
"The Volkswagen Arteon is attractive, good to drive and comfortable to travel in - you just have to park any preconceptions and think beyond the default choices when it comes to premium four-door cars."

The big issue facing the Volkswagen Arteon is that at a premium price level, many buyers want to see a BMW or Mercedes-Benz badge on the nose. Not a Volkswagen. So can the Volkswagen Arteon do the impossible and sway buyers? Find out in our Volkswagen Arteon review.
Volkswagen might translate to people’s car, but the brand equity is strong enough that it’s not just for the mainstream masses, with cars like the Volkswagen Arteon competing in the premium market. It arrived in 2017, Volkswagen denying it was a replacement for the previous Volkswagen CC, even if the timing suggested otherwise.
Instead, the Volkswagen Arteon is described as a model that’s more distinct from its Volkswagen Passat relation, which goes some way to explaining the new name.
The Volkswagen Arteon is to be seen as a rival for cars like the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe and Audi A5 Sportback, cars which manufacturers somewhat uncomfortably refer to as four-door coupes, when in fact they’re simply elegant hatchbacks – or perhaps inelegant, in the case of the latest BMW.
While SUVs may be more popular than ever, four-door saloons still have an audience. There’s no denying the Volkswagen Arteon is a fine-looking thing. Far wider and more rakish in its lines than the Volkswagen Passat it’s based on, it’s certainly got the looks to cut it among its premium branded contemporaries, indeed, their ubiquity works in the Volkswagen Arteon’s favour, making the big Volkswagen the stand-out car among them.
It’s undeniably an elegant car, regardless of its trim level, but for the greatest impact the R-Line really stands out in the company car park.
The exterior looks aren’t subterfuge to an interior that’s not up to the lofty standards witnessed in the class that the Volkswagen Arteon aspires to. Yes, the cabin is largely lifted from the Volkswagen Passat, but given it’s a car we consider to be at the top of its class, and indeed capable of rivalling and in some cases bettering, the interiors of cars in the premium sector above, that really is no complaint.
It might lack the flair of some inside, but there’s a lot to be said for the Volkswagen Arteon’s understated elegance, its simplicity here a virtue, especially in relation to longevity – it's still certain to look good in years to come.
That interior doesn’t just exude a feeling of neat classiness, but plentiful space and comfort, the Volkswagen Arteon’s cabin being big, which means there’s space for four adults in real comfort, even with its rakish rear profile. There’s practicality, too, the Volkswagen Arteon sharing that with its Passat relation, only here the massive, good shaped boot is accessed by a large hatchback, making the Volkswagen Arteon a useful load carrier.
Underlining its upmarket status is an engine range that does without the smaller 1.6-litre turbodiesel and 1.5-litre TSI engines from the Volkswagen Passat, instead only featuring 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and diesel choices.
A significant update to the Volkswagen Arteon range in 2020 added a plug-in hybrid model, high-performance R model along with the Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake, an estate version of the model.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Volkswagen Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of VW Arteon cars for sale.
Is the Volkswagen Arteon right for you?
What’s the best Volkswagen Arteon model/engine to choose?
What other cars are similar to the Volkswagen Arteon?
Comfort and design: Volkswagen Arteon interior
"You’ll hear criticism levelled at the Volkswagen Arteon’s interior for a lack of flair relating to its styling, and while we admit it’s not a dramatic cabin, it’s arguably better because of that. Yes, it’s lifted almost wholescale from its Passat relation, with some even more upmarket trim inserts to elevate its status further, and it’s a superbly considered design, that pleases with its simplicity."

Following the 2020 update all Volkswagen Arteon models get the smart Active Info Display, which adds a 12.3-inch TFT screen in place of conventional dials. Earlier SE models make do with conventional instruments however.
Standard specification sees even the entry-level Volkswagen Arteon SE model feature six-way electrical adjustment for the driver’s seat, with four-way electrically adjustable lumbar support. The steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach, which makes finding a comfortable driving position easy.
Those front seats are heated as standard with all, while also featuring three-zone electronically controlled climate control. There’s automatic windscreen wipers, electric, heated rear-view mirrors and active cruise control on all too.
From Volkswagen Arteon Elegance upwards the cloth upholstery is replaced by leather, while the options list allows Arteon buyers to add things like a heated steering wheel, rear-seat heating (outer pair), either 12 or 14-way electronic adjustment to the front seats and massage function, a rear-view camera and keyless entry.
Quality and finish
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, sat nav and stereo in the Volkswagen Arteon
Space and practicality: Volkswagen Arteon boot space
Handling and ride quality: What is the Volkswagen Arteon like to drive?
"Stable and secure rather than engaging and adjustable is pretty much how the Volkswagen Arteon’s handling can be described. That might not appeal to the more demanding drivers out there, but there’s BMWs for you lot, the Arteon going about its business with unflustered ease. It’s sharper than the Passat it’s based on, largely because it’s got a wider footprint, meaning it’s a bit more resistant to roll in the bends, while grip levels are huge too."

There’s the choice of front or four-wheel drive versions, but unless you’re planning to take regular trips to the snowy mountains in it – and even then you’ll need winter tyres – there’s little real need to go for a 4Motion model.
All models apart from the limited Volkswagen Arteon R-Line Edition make do with conventional passive dampers with its suspension, that range topping model getting Volkswagen’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) as standard. It’s available optionally, and it brings a choice of damper settings, from Normal, Comfort, Sport and Individual.
Option it on an Elegance or a R-Line and DCC also drops the chassis by 15mm as standard, or, with the 4Motion models a 20mm lowering. It’s an option that many buyers tick, that Comfort mode helping with the ride of the larger 19-inch standard wheels of the R-Line which can otherwise be a bit busy at low speeds on rough surfaces.
Rounded, then, rather than exceptionally dynamic, but that’s a good thing, the Volkswagen Arteon is able and stable, with decent ride comfort, which works well with the easy nature of the powertrains it’s fitted with.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Volkswagen Arteon?
Refinement and noise levels
Safety equipment: How safe is the Volkswagen Arteon?
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Volkswagen Arteon cost to run?
"Unsurprisingly the Volkswagen Arteon eHybrid offers the lowest potential running costs, with official fuel consumption of 245mpg, although the reality is you will likely achieve quite a bit less than that in the real world. "

Among the conventionally-powered models, the 2.0-litre diesel with the 7-speed DSG achieves consumption in the low-mid 50mpg sphere, and CO2 emissions of 133-136g/km. The 2.0-litre petrol with 190PS consumes between 35.8-38.2mpg WLTP depending on specification. Obviously, the higher figures relate to the bigger wheeled models, so check when you’re ordering if you’ve an eye on emissions and mpg.
How reliable is the Volkswagen Arteon?
Insurance groups and costs
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Volkswagen Arteon?
How much should you be paying for a used Volkswagen Arteon?
"The earliest Volkswagen Arteon examples are now five years old, and there’s a decent selection of used examples out there to choose from."

Starting prices for the earliest examples are around the £18,000 mark, with a mix of 1.5-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI examples in Elegance and R-Line trim. You'll need £20,000 and up to get into a 2.0-litre TSI model, and you'll also find Volkswagen Arteon 4MOTION versions at this price point.
Hybrid versions were introduced with the 2020 facelift so are in shorter supply, expect to spend at least £37,000 if you want a used example.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Is the Volkswagen Arteon a luxury car?
Why did Volkswagen stop making the Arteon?
Is the Arteon the same as Passat?
Volkswagen Arteon cars for sale on heycar
Volkswagen Arteon2.0 TSI R-Line 5dr DSG
201863,695 milesPetrol£339 mo£15,597
Good priceNE297TEVolkswagen Arteon2.0 TDI R-Line 5dr
201862,100 milesDiesel£363 mo£15,890
NR330FFVolkswagen Arteon2.0 TSI Elegance 5dr DSG
201738,845 milesPetrol£352 mo£16,197
B330JJVolkswagen Arteon1.5 TSI R-Line 5dr DSG
202047,250 milesPetrol£405 mo£17,690
NR330FFVolkswagen Arteon2.0 TDI R-Line 5dr DSG
202235,356 milesDiesel£404 mo£25,489
Delivery
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