Used Volkswagen Arteon 2017-present review

Category: Coupé

The Volkswagen Arteon is fast, stylish and, bought used, surprisingly good value too.  

Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 infotainment RHD
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 right panning RHD
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 right panning RHD
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 rear seats RHD
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 infotainment RHD
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 right panning RHD
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 right panning RHD
  • Volkswagen Arteon 2019 rear seats RHD
Used Volkswagen Arteon 2017-present review
Star rating

What's the used Volkswagen Arteon hatchback like?

The Volkswagen Arteon is the answer to the following question: what do you get if you take a VW Passat and add a splash of glamour, a smidgen of extra practicality and a smattering of extra toys? The Arteon replaced the VW Passat CC (latterly just CC) upon its launch in 2017 – in other words, it was a smoother, sharper-suited version of Volkswagen’s slightly dowdy executive car favourite.

But the Arteon broke with the CC in adding an extra door: one at the rear, turning it into a five-door hatchback, or coupé, rather than a four-door saloon.

Overview

The Arteon is a fast and stylish executive car, with the added practicality of a hatchback boot

  • Punchy, efficient engines
  • Well equipped
  • Spacious
  • Auto 'box jerky in traffic
  • Potentially only average reliability
  • Not terribly exciting to drive

You get a choice of six engines in the Arteon. Three are petrols – a 148bhp 1.5-litre and two 2.0-litres, of 187bhp and 276bhp – and three are 2.0-litre diesels, rated at 148bhp, 187bhp and 237bhp. An automatic gearbox was optional on the two lower-powered diesels and the 1.5-litre petrol and standard on the other models. Four-wheel drive, meanwhile, was standard on the most powerful petrol and diesel models and optional on the 187bhp diesel.

In later cars, from 2020 onwards, a 1.4 TSIe plug-in hybrid option was offered.

The equipment choice was simple: pick between entry-level Elegance and sportier-looking R-Line. The former was no base-spec special, mind you, with LED headlights, leather seats, a TFT screen in place of its dials, dual-zone climate control (as well as a separate control for the rear seats) and heated front seats all coming as standard. R-Line merely added more aggressive-looking bumpers, larger alloy wheels and a smattering of detail upgrades to the interior.

The Arteon’s sporty bent means it’s more involving to drive than the Passat, but it can’t match the likes of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé for outright excitement. Nevertheless, it’s still composed when you hustle it along a back road, with plentiful grip and traction meaning it responds safely and reassuringly.

Choose a four-wheel-drive example and you get even more traction in slippery conditions, while models fitted with the optional adaptive suspension, known as Dynamic Chassis Control or DCC, allow you to choose between the firmer Sport mode, occasionally floaty Comfort or just-right Normal for the suspension.

As you’d expect, the ride in cars fitted with this technology is very good, especially at high speeds, although it isn’t perfect – occasionally, a thump from a ridge or expansion gap makes its way through to the interior when you’re pottering around in town. It’s a trait that’s exacerbated in cars fitted with the standard suspension set-up, especially when they’re also equipped with larger alloy wheels.

Inside, the Arteon’s interior is particularly appealing. True, it’s mostly shared with the Passat, but that’s no bad thing, because it’s beautifully made. There’s a beautiful 8.0in infotainment touchscreen as standard – with a 9.2in upgrade available as an option – and you also get a digital dashboard display in place of the speedometer and rev counter as standard. Having said that, the Audi A5 Sportback feels even more upmarket inside.

In both the front and rear seats, you’ll find the Arteon trumps many of its rivals for space. Granted, if you’re tall, your head will be close to the roof lining in the rear thanks to the sloping roofline, but there’s still more room than in many rivals. And there’s a huge boot, to which the hatchback opening adds some valued practicality.

If you're interested in buying a used Volkswagen Arteon, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Volkswagen Arteon 2019 infotainment RHD

Ownership cost

What used Volkswagen Arteon hatchback will I get for my budget?

It's possible to pick up one of the first 2017 Arteons, especially if it be the 2.0 TSI petrol model, for around £17,000, this for a car with a moderate mileage for the year and a full service history, bought from an independent dealer. Up this to between £18,000 and £23,000 for a choice of good 2018 cars. Spend between £23,000 and £25,000 on a 2019 or 2020 model, and a little more than £25,000 to £30,000 for a 2021 or 2022 one. A nearly new 2023 model will cost you around £32,000.

If you want to find out whether the Arteon you’re hoping to buy is worth the money being asked for it, try out the What Car? Valuations tool

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Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present

How much does it cost to run a Volkswagen Arteon hatchback?

MPG

Not much at all. The most efficient Arteons (aside from the plug-in hybrid) – those equipped with the 148bhp diesel engine – have an official average fuel consumption figure of 65.7mpg according to the new, more realistic test regime. But all Arteons are pretty efficient; the 187bhp diesel recorded an average figure of 61.4mpg in tests, while even the 2.0-litre 187bhp petrol hit 47.1mpg. The plug-in hybrid model has an amazing 256.8mpg figure, though it'll need to fit into your lifestyle for you to achieve anything like that.

Road tax

How much your Arteon will cost to tax will depend on how much it cost when it was new. If it was less than £40,000, including options, it’ll be £180 per year (£170 per year for the plug-in hybrid). However, if it was over that threshold, you'll also pay £390 per year, from years two to six. That's all the more reason to go for a lower-spec example, which will have been cheaper when it was new.

Insurance and servicing

Servicing costs, meanwhile, shouldn’t be too extortionate; you’ll pay less to maintain your Arteon than you will an A5 Sportback or 4 Series Gran Coupé. Insurance groups range from 21 to 35.

Volkswagen Arteon 2019 right panning RHD

Our recommendations

Which used Volkswagen Arteon hatchback should I buy?

Unless you really need the extra fuel economy of the diesel variants, we reckon the Arteon is best served in petrol form – specifically with the 187bhp 2.0-litre unit, which is smooth, punchy and quiet.

Team that with Elegance trim (it really has all the equipment you could ever need, and its smaller wheels improve the ride quality) and the Arteon should be a fast and relaxing executive express.

Our favourite Volkswagen Arteon: 2.0 TSI 190 Elegance

Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Volkswagen Arteon hatchback?

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé isn’t as pricey as you might think. True, it isn’t quite as spacious in the back as the Arteon, but its infotainment is a little easier to use and it’s better fun to drive.

The Audi A5 Sportback is a little more expensive but more modern than the BMW, and it has an even smarter interior than the Arteon’s.

If you can live without the Arteon’s hatchback but fancy a car that looks terrific and feels fun to drive, try the Jaguar XE. It isn’t quite as well-finished inside, nor is it as spacious in the back seats, though.

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If you're interested in buying a used Volkswagen Arteon, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Used Volkswagen Arteon 17-present