Item: Used Volkswagen Arteon 2017-present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/hatchback/used-review/n900">BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé</a> 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/hatchback/used-review/n928">Audi A5 Sportback</a> 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/xe/saloon/used-review/n831">Jaguar XE</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/arteon?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Volkswagen Arteon</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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<h3>Rear wheel bearing housing</h3>

The metal housing surrounding the rear wheel bearings of Arteons built between 21 August 2017 and 29 August 2019 might fracture in extreme circumstances. You may notice an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the car and uneven tyre wear. If left, there is also the possibility that a wheel could fall off. Check with a Volkswagen dealer to make sure this recall has been carried out.

<h3>Sunroof trim</h3>

A small number of cars built from the start of production to 31 May 2017 could have a problem with the sunroof trim which hasn't been bonded correctly to the frame. Any VW dealer will be able to tell you if your car is affected and sort out the issue for you.&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Seat backrest</h3>

A small number of examples built between 1 May and 31 August 2018 may have been fitted with seats where the welds on the backrest head restraint mounting could fail in an accident. Your Volkswagen dealer should be able to tell you if your car requires a replacement seat frame to solve the problem.

<h3>Too little engine torque at low speed</h3>

A software update is&nbsp;required on examples made between 9 October&nbsp;2018 and 28 May 2019 in order to increase&nbsp;the amount of torque the engine provides at low speeds to improve drivability.&nbsp;

Reliability on the Arteon is tricky to judge, because it didn't feature in our most recent survey. However, it’s based on the Passat, and if that’s any guide, its reliability should be pretty average – the Passat finished 19th out of the 22&nbsp;executive cars. Volkswagen as a brand finished in 16th place out of 31 manufacturers in that most recent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? reliability survey</a>.&nbsp;

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Hatchback

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

ARTEON

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

Used Volkswagen Arteon 2017-present

Not much at all. The most efficient Arteons – 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.

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 £155&nbsp;a year. However, if it was over that threshold, that figure increases to £490&nbsp;a year, at least 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.

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.

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The Arteon is a fast and stylish executive car, with the added practicality of a hatchback boot

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 for a 2021&nbsp;one.&nbsp;

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a> tool.

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

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Good balance between ride and handling</li> <li>Excellent build quality</li> <li>Decent practicality</li> <li>Sophisticated interior</li></ul>

Coupés are all about style, but while practicality undoubtedly takes a back seat to aesthetics, these cars still need to be easy to live with on a daily basis. It’s this that distinguishes a coupé from an out-and-out sports car.

Fortunately, there’s a wide range of style-focused models available, and you don’t even need to spend silly money to buy or run one.

For a blend of&nbsp;rock-solid resale values, punchy engines and an interior to die for,&nbsp;the Audi TT is a brilliant option. But the Mercedes CLA offers plenty of style and substance to match, while the Aston Martin DB11 will give you serious performance.

Coupe

It’s worth bearing in mind that the Arteon has slim windows that can make visibility a problem, and while&nbsp;parking sensors are standard,&nbsp;it might still be worthwhile checking the bumpers for scrapes.

While you’re at it, make sure those big wheels (even the least expensive Arteons had 18in alloys) aren’t too scuffed. Minor grazes aren’t too much of a problem, but bigger knocks could signify a heavy clonk against a kerb, which could have bent or worn suspension components you can’t see.

Question: What do you get if you take a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/saloon/used-review/n810">Volkswagen Passat</a> and add a splash of glamour, a smidgen of extra practicality and a smattering of extra toys? Answer: the Volkswagen Arteon. The what, now? Well, the Arteon replaced the Passat CC (latterly just CC) on its launch in 2017&nbsp;– in other words, it was a smoother, sharper-suited version of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen">Volkswagen’s</a> slightly dowdy <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/executive">executive </a>favourite.

But the Arteon broke with the CC in adding an extra door: one at the rear, turning it into a five-door hatchback, rather than a four-door saloon.

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.

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/4-series/hatchback/used-review/n900">BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé</a> 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&nbsp;in slippery conditions, while models fitted with the optional adaptive suspension, known as Dynamic Chassis Control or DCC, allow you to choose between the&nbsp;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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a5/hatchback/used-review/n928">Audi A5 Sportback</a> 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/volkswagen/arteon?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Volkswagen Arteon</a>, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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