Serious Rattles & $10,000 Overpriced | 2020 Volkswagen Arteon Execline Review
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- It seems to be a rarity that a car manufacturer will invest in a completely new car/sedan, but Volkswagen has. Does the Arteon live up to the hype? We find out!
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Here at TestDrive we love sedans & cars in general. When Volkswagen announced the Arteon we got excited that a new car was coming from the German manufacturer that would bring a premium experience from the European Passat to North America. Boy were we wrong. Our full tour and review of the 2020 Volkswagen Arteon Execline goes over everything you need to know if you're in the market for a $53,085.00 4 door lift-back coupe-style sedan.
Our 2020 test model is no different from the first year of production (2019) for the North American market. Our Execline is the only trim offered here in Canada, and we have two packages consisting of the Driver Assistance Package, and R-Line Package. The Arteon has full adaptive LED headlights, active cruise control with stop & go, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, power folding mirrors, power rear liftgate, keyless entry on the front doors, and automatic wipers.
Inside the Arteon is finished in a two-tone leather interior, with VW's 8" infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM Radio, and a 360 degrees camera. There's a three-colour mood light, LED interior lights, Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats with power, drive memory, and driver massage, and rear outboard rear seats. The roof liner is black and has an oversized sunroof that Volkswagen advertises as panoramic.
We take the Arteon on a comprehensive road test during the winter to see how the 4motion AWD system works with it's front-wheel bias. We talk about the fuel economy, drive, ride, and road feel of this sedan, as well as the creaking and rattling we experienced during our week with this car.
We wrap up our full tour and review of the 2020 Volkswagen Arteon Execline by going over everything we liked, disliked, and what we'd suggest to buy. We also go over the sales numbers for this vehicle in the US, Canada, and globally, while looking at some of the direct competitors like the Kia Stinger and Audi A5.
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Not a good review. Those interested in Arteon...OTHER reviews are not “hating on the car top to bottom”. Again, NOT a fair review. The engine in 4Motion has PLENTY of power. It is NOT a sports sedan. It is a Grand Touring vehicle. I paid $31k for a 19 SE 4 Motion. That is a FANTASTIC price point for an all wheel drive sportback. It is NOT an AUDI. The build quality is solid...just like every VW I have ever known. I wish there would have been a manual option. ALL the other whining by the tester is bogus nonsense. I won’t buy a Golf r for $40k and I wouldn’t pay that for an Arteon, but trimmed and priced where I got mine. Absolutely. Utility is fantastic and it has the “RIGHT” amenities (over the top gadgets are a nothing burger to me). Transmission in the car works GREAT. Wait for model year change and make a deal on the Arteon. All the Kia Stinger love. Go buy ‘em. I don’t turn my head when I see them. The Arteon IS a Halo car. It is beautiful and will get better as it evolves.
Ah so it's not a fair review for you because you bought the car and you're upset that I had something negative to say about it. Go out and enjoy your Arteon, don't get all worked up just because someone out there doesn't like it. The point of you buying a car is to make YOU happy, if other people don't like it, like me, that's our problem, not yours.
PRN_TestDrive LOL. I watched a butt load of reviews by those that I subscribe to and enjoy. Not butt hurt at all. Your B.S. about build quality and rattles is nonsense. The car has plenty of power. PLENTY of power. The transmission is seamless. NOT hunting for gears. You cry about another having a HUD and a bigger sunroof blah, blah. Blah. Just laughing at you by end of your crucifixion. You responded like “IMMEDIATELY” and with 300 reviews...NOT surprised. Styling and drive quality is more important to me than a HUD and HP in a GT car. I get over 30MPG in my car. Maybe there is a reason for reduced MPG/Rattles/Accel....hmmmmmm? I drove the KIA. My decision on the Arteon at my trim/price point was easy and I have zero regrets. I won’t waste my time on any more of your nonsense. Good day sir. (In my best Willy Wonka voice) Augustus
I always reply to comments, especially the dumb ones. Enjoy your Arteon!
PRN_TestDrive Clueless says What?
Purchased my 2019 VW Arteon SEL Premium R-Line late October 2019. MSRP was $48,500 USD. Final sale price was 39,500 not including taxes. Had the APR+ Tune installed before delivery for $1,200 and NO, it doesn't void the 6 year/72K mile warranty. She's up to 359 hp and torque now. Gas mileage on highway is ~35mpg but on a long highway trips I believe it will do closer to 40. Love this car and NEVER considered the Stinger. Not a V6 person.
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying yours, thats most important!
Bs. I have had mine for almost a year, and have had no rattle issues. Excellent car! Thumbs down 👎
I'm sorry to say it's not an excellent car by any stretch of the imagination, I'm not a VW fanboi though so 🤷🏻♂️
@@PRNTestDrive One the best cars for the money, and you judge it by some random rattle you had. I will say again, dumb kindergarten nonsense. Did Kia pay you to make this review or something? Seems like it. Quietest car in it's class. Car and Driver rated it at 64 decibels at 70mph, which is on par with the new Audi A8L. You have done absolutely no research.
@@alexr.7497 Ive had my Arteon for over a year now and I regret buying it. It's not an excellent car in my opinion. I've had built quality issues since day 1 practically. My whole interior pretty much rattles I can't even pin point most of them. I've had transmission issues, sensors not working, and I could go on... definitely not one of the best cars for the money. It's overpriced. I have the SE/Rline model which sticker right at 40k very little standard features at the price. I could get a new Hyundai Sonata N line with 300hp with every feature available for under 40k. Very few people are buying the Arteon in the US and I would bet it'll be discontinued soon. Wish I would have done research before I purchased my Arteon.
@@scottdawson9437 Are you going to replace soon ??
You lucky I got a 2019 Jetta check engine light won’t turn off with wiper blades that will stop mid action , and a remote start that won’t work with the check engine light lol still like it though it
Love my 2019 Arteon SEL Premium R-line with 4 Motion. Got a great deal with COVID-19, 5000 off sticker with 0% for 72 months and 180 days before first payment is due. Wow.
Glad to hear that, hope you enjoy it! It’s a good car, just pricey for what you get, so if you’re able to get a good deal like it sounds you should be set.
That is a great deal
What's the payment on it?
@@ccvr6 around ~$568 for 72 months
Bought my SEL AWD w/ R-Line used with 2000 miles for just over $35,000. At that price point it seemed like a great option. So far I’ve been very pleased!
USD? Either way that sounds like a great deal, congrats!
PRN_TestDrive Yup! I wasn’t looking to buy anything until mid 2020 but couldn’t pass it up. And since it was used VW certified it which gave me an extra year on the warranty. Now 7 yr/84,000.
Great review by the way!
I have a 2021 and don’t have any rattles at all. Also the updates are far nicer than the previous model.
I'm glad to hear it's working out for you.
I quite like the exterior, shame interior is so boring (Base Mazda6 for half the money feels more premium!)
100%
It's a real shame they went with a cookie cutter interior design that's been around since the last decade.
I much prefer this subdued/classy interior to say the Nissan or Mazda...
I have to say that after a year and 25,000 miles of driving on horrible San Antonio roads, I've been super impressed by the interior quality of my 2018 Mazda6 Grand Touring Reserve. Not only are the touch points and interior materials high quality, but it's built as solid as a true luxury car. Most other similarly priced cars feel a like creaking/rattling mess now. The 2020 Maxima I rented two weeks ago in LA was nice, but with only 3,000 miles on it creaked/rattled like mad.
Thank you for this honest review! Very well done. Yeah I just could not buy this over a Kia Stinger. Crazy that this costs as much as an Audi A5 and the interior falls very short. The European versions interior looks more like 53k interior. The new Golf 8 has no like 5 buttons and the rest is touch screens. I think it's a step backwards and not looking forward to that spreading to there other vehicles
Manufacturers seem to be moving in the touchscreen direction for interior design, especially the Volkswagen Group. I spent a few minutes in the Urus earlier this year and everything is a screen.
The interiors of either models are merely identical beside the steering wheel. The US SEL R-Line has massaging seats and nappa. What other car has that for under 50k?
I had no idea VW started out with such a bad first impression with this car in north America.
The 2022 update was a huge improvement, significantly more power and better driving dynamics and they seem to have addressed a lot of the other complaints you had (I'm all over the forums and no Arteon owners are talking about rattles in their 2022+ cars).
Shame that it was maybe enough but too late, and the price was still too high.
However, lightly used fully loaded 2023 SEL-Premium can be had for under $37K now, making it much more attractive.
It's good to hear VW at least updated it a bit, I was reminded of this car recently after driving the 2025 Toyota Crown sedan, it's what VW wanted to make but better.
This one most beautiful cars out on market so sexi I’ll take it over any Kia out there with APR stage 2 ecu tune pushes 410tq amazing car
Stage 1 puts it at 368hp/386tq.
Well said! Same here.
How do you get a tune?
Aayonce Either search for a APR to stage 1-2-3 or neuspeed piggyback they have it for arton
Maxim Zaslavskiy I have new GLI Nuespeed piggy back running 7psi I’m pushing 340tq 315hp amazing how it pulls no joke I’ll pull on V8 muscle cars np
I test drove the 2021 AWD and it had jerky acceleration from a stop and it did have an occasional rattle. These two things turned me off. Thanks for the great review!
I personally wouldn't buy this car. If VW gave it to me for free I'd drive it, because who gives up a free car. But I wouldn't spend any money on this. Huge disappointment.
Got mine a 2019. A month ago with $7500 off 0% interest over 72 months with the SEL trim. Six year 72 mile warranty. I have 3200 miles on it so far. This is an awsome car. My last car was a 2009 Lexus LS 460 and my wife drives a 2002 Lexus IS 300.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying yours, sounds like you ended up paying what you should have, that’s about how much the Arteon is overpriced in the North American market.
I got my 2019 Arteon SEL 4motion non-R Line used with 40k miles for 25k out the door. Owned it for 6 months now and it's good so far. I was looking to getting a used MK7 GTI as a daily commuter car. But a used GTI was only 2k less for a good example that wasn't abused, by a teenager. I made the right decision on getting an Arteon, it's a perfect family sedan. The design of the car is great and I love the hatch. It's like owning an avant or wagon which I love. The Arteon needed some TLC and got it sorted out. I'm the 40 year old teenager and already considering a Stage 1 tune and upgraded Audi TTS 4pot brakes for the front with a few other tastful mods. Stage 1 will put the Arteon at almost 350hp which is plenty of power.
Fair enough, hope it works out well for you!
Great video. I think it might be just your model overall. Other videos said it rides smooth and quiet. But I was looking at a 2019. For the price now for 2019, do you think its a good buy? I think its about 25 to 27k for 35k mikes roughly.
In the used market they’re probably decent buys, depreciation seems to have brought the prices down to a manageable number. Considering VW’s current vehicle lineup basically looks like this you can get a 2019 and it’ll still feel like what a 2023 would have.
@@PRNTestDrive ok thank you. I one more quick question. I don't really care about spend or sport etc. I like comfort and luxury. Of course how a car is build, longevity, maintenance, gas etc. But comfort luxury and some nice gadgets. Which is better to you from what I explained, Arteon or Stinger? Thank you for your time!
currently have a 2016 jetta hybrid and was curious about the Arteon but yeah the price! I expect in VW fashion the depreciation will be massive and I'm more inclined to wait two years to let someone else take the hit. Great review and a thoroughly unbiased no cliches, no puns just talked about the car well done!
Thanks for commenting, I appreciate it. I like to approach these reviews from an information-based foundation rather than trying to just entertain viewers with fancy scripts and rehearsed punchlines. I had high hopes for the Arteon, I've started to spot more of them on the road recently but the price is still the limiting factor for me. I imagine the re-sale market will bring pricing down considerably, however most Canadian dealers are still trying to get full-MSRP on 2019 models left in inventory.
I dont usually comment on car review videos but this was great. I loved your honesty and that you were not just kissing volkswagens ass like a lot of other reviewers when it comes to this car. Subscribed to this channel right away. Excited to see your other car reviews.
I really appreciate that, thanks! We don't kiss anyone's ass here, and we call it the way we see it. We were just as honest about the 2019 Rabbit GTI we did, but we had a lot of upset VW enthusiasts take issue with our thoughts on that one.
To me it looks beautiful. So much better than that catfish Hyundai’s new Sonata. Or Hodge-podge designed Stinger. Those looks are worth it. So Harmonious. Really sad they don’t give it a higher performance V6. Stinger kills it in performance. Still, if you are into arts and design school of buying, nothing else in the market in segment compares. Gorgeous. Compare It to next level for looks, like to a Volvo for looks or Audi bigger brother. Gorgeous.
I agree. Would rather have this than a Kia.
There's no doubt the exterior design with the Arteon is fantastic, I really love the look of it. I'd never buy it though, maybe in a few years when these hit CPO, but even a 2017 VW CC in my area is still asking around $30k used.
Looks ain't everything. By far.
I really enjoyed your review, just a question for you, do you think with the new facelift version is enough to make this car worth the price tag ? I am hoping they bring the 300HP version to Australia.
I still don't think it's worth the pricetag if all they're doing is adding a few features and design changes. Ideally this car needs more power and an actual up-scale interior. I don't have high hopes for it unfortunately, especially after driving the 2020 Passat (NMS) a few weeks back.
I just bought mine fully loaded for 29k 22,000 miles with the white interior
Sounds like a decent enough deal, I hope you enjoy it!
That car is so beautiful though! inside and out!
There's no doubt that the car is handsome.
I feel like if this car was AWD with RWD bias and had between 300-350hp/tq, it would have a chance to sell at that price.
Now I fear even VW most hardcore fanboy wouldn't buy it, and we all know that a fanboy of any german brand is one hell of a fanboy.
I’m surprised the fanbois haven’t come to downvote my video in droves like usual. I wouldn’t expect them to go RWD since MQB is designed as a F/4 platform, but at least more power. We always had a saying in real estate back when I was practicing, everything always comes down to price, and it’s the same for the Arteon. A lower price would fix the power/drivetrain setup complaint, but even with a boost in that department it still needs an MSRP adjustment, I doubt dealerships want to discount these already.
I consider myself a VAG fanboi, but have to agree with everything said in the video. Creaking is actually the felt covered weatherstriping. They need a lot of maintenance. 😉 VAG is pissing me off lately with their cost cutting for the USA market. Biggest turn off for me was the fact it doesn’t have the DSG transmission. I just bought a 2019 7speed DSG Golf R right after I saw how fugly the new Golf looks that was just launched in Europe. First time I bought the same car twice. The 2019 replaced my 2016. Normally I trade in for the new model, but I’ll skip the 8.
Arteon vs stinger gt awd vs dodge challenger gt awd? Which one wins
Stinger GT for me, easy winner. Dodge Challenger isn’t a bad car but it’s old tech now, would be nice if FCA ever does a full update for it.
@@PRNTestDrive im just confuse between stinger gt and challenger gt, i know the price is the same, will look whay incentives I can get 2021 models on both cars, cheapest one wins lol
You get less power with the Challenger GT, since it’s just a naturally aspirated V6 versus the Stinger’s twin-turbo V6. You’d probably be able to get a better deal on the Challenger though, FCA usually has good incentives on their vehicles.
@@PRNTestDrive thats what i was thinking, I have better chances of getting a good price for my challenger gt, also I can order the way I want it. I do like the stinger gt but those cars are in demand and getting a deal similar to a challenger gt would be an issue. I know quality comparison, stinger is better in lomg term.
Great review. Waited and waited for this to go on sale in America. Got tired of waiting and got an Audi A6 and haven’t regretted it. Kinda disappointed that this isn’t what I had hoped for.
You probably got a much better experience with the A6 anyway. I feel bad for the Arteon, I really wanted to love it.
VW builds the Arteon only in Germany and incurs the high cost of labor & other production costs. This car is actually more expensive in the German market than it is here in the US. If they ever opened an assembly plant in Mexico, this car should drop by almost $10 to $12 thousand in the North American market.
I guarantee if VW built this in Mexico they’d charge the exact same MSRP and boost their profits on it.
When you factor in cost do you think it makes more sense go with the Arteon or a Passat?
Personally I'd take the Passat if those were the only two choices. Unless you absolutely need to stand out and have a bit more power, the Passat does everything just as well as the Arteon for a fraction of the price. We've booked the 2020 Passat for early August, so we'll be going over the facelift-facelift-facelift for this generation Passat.
Great review - I agree VW missed an opportunity to produce a great sport sedan. I drive a Mazda 6 2.5T 2019 (GT trim) and I have quite a bit more torque (310), a little less HP (250), with a better interior (in my opinion), and wait for it... a Heads-up display! also no rattling : )
all this for 15K cheaper.
No rattling for sure! I really couldn't believe how bad this car rattled, our mic didn't pick it up but even my wife commented on it the first time I took her out in it.
PRN_TestDrive crazy for that price point
The Arteon will still demolish that Mazda in any race.
@@maximzaslavskiy5980They're actually very close - the Arteon edges the Mazda 6 T very slightly 0 to 60 = 6 secs (Arteon); 6.3 Mazda 6 T; quarter mile = 14.8 Arteon; 15 Mazda ... Demolish? No - for the price point difference - Mazda wins
what a shit interior. look how stretched the back seat leather already looks... on a brand new vehicle ( 12:18 )
Good spot on that!
Sonny Visual this is typical for VW. They save the best for Porsche and like while fleecing the average consumer who just makes car payments.
Look at the driver bolster at 13:20 , the high wear areas are already struggling.
I really like the exterior styling but it would be nice to have a NA v6 or v8 engine option
I don't think we'll see either happen unfortunately, but it would be nice.
Keep in mind the Kia won't hold its value like a VW.
None the less good honest video.
Arteon is a rare car on the road and that's what I like.
Plus squeaks and rattles are not for ever, get the dealer to address the issues and happy motoring.
It's interesting, this past week I've been driving the 2025 Toyota Crown Limited, similar in the sense that it's going after a premium sedan buyer like this Arteon. I even mention the Arteon near the end of my test drive, as the Toyota does everything this should have done, but exponentially better.
Apart from looks what is the advantage of having 20 inch wheels?
Zero advantage. Makes the ride a little worse, and you'll end up damaging them easier if you hit a pothole.
For some high end sport car, you need huge wheels to fit their massive brakes in them. Low profile tire can help with handling too.
Otherwise, it's mostly aesthetic.
feel the bumps? spend more on new tires? increase wheel weight? only cons
I got a 3 1/2 hr drive in an S Mercedes; he hit a pothole and the sidewall ended up bulging out (I presume the tire needed replacing) after hitting a pothole on a major highway. Probably a $400+ tire
imo, they don't even look good either
Did anyone notice the driver seat upper bolster looked like a wet towel already? The car only has 15,000 km on it.
Often the press cars gets worn-in a lot faster than a typical car might, journalists tend to be a little rougher than they should. But it's definitely not something you should be noticing within the first year of ownership.
That's bullshit! 99% of the customers have no issues with it. Why don't you talk about Kia fires, or BMW's mismatching wood trim? Also, the interior is inspired by Audi's design. Definitely a dislike for the fake news!
Fake news? Ok champ. This car has potential, the price is what’s killing it.
The front reminds me of my Track 5 razor (although there are 6 blades here). Hard to forget the comparison once you look at it (like the Toyota Camry XSE)
Or even the new Toyota Avalon, has a similar grille design, though the Avalon takes up way more real estate.
The Arteon is a direct interior copy of the Passat B8 and it was introduced in March 2017. It has now been adapted for North America, but this does not make it a new model, far from it. In Europe it has a more lively 7 speed DSG gearbox(manuals are very limited, not available any more) and it makes much more sense. It has a wide range of smaller engines and is sold as a prettier version of the Passat - with only a 1500-2500 price premium. It is also meant to compete with BMW 4 series Grand Coupe. In similar trim/engine it is 15-20% cheaper then this car.
It seems to only make sense in VW's domestic market. Here in Canada a 2019 BMW 430i Gran Coupe starts at $53,250.00, sure it doesn't come with all the same features, but it's still a BMW. Unfortunately the only way the Arteon will work in Canada is if the price drops down, and that probably only happens if they build them in Mexico.
@@PRNTestDrive Exactly so. I keep getting amazed by the prices you get. Just looked up a 430i xDrive. The starting price in Europe translates to 71,147 CAD. Stinger GT starts(and ends) at 86 517 CAD. A euro spec Passat B8 starts at 45 000 CAD, pretty much bone naked with a 150hp engine. The same goes for the Arteon. The car you tested would cost around 60 000 CAD here. Still much cheaper then the BMW and the KIA. So yeah - I'm glad for you. :))
The Arteon has the 8" Discover Media system, which is the latest infotainment system from Volkswagen. However, it is not the highest-end, that would be the 9.25" Discover Pro system, which is only found on the e-Golf in the states. Why Volkswagen doesn't include this system on the Arteon or Golf R in the US/Canada is very surprising to me.
All comes down to cost cutting unfortunately.
My 2019 arteon rattles and I'm trying to track where it's coming from. Sounds like it's from the passenger side door.
This one sounded like it was coming from the passenger side also, but more like the dashboard area.
I have had numerous rattles from Arteon. The doors are poorly insulated and I can't listen to any bass or else all the doors rattle. I have a rattle from the glove box and I think its coming from the CD player and I hear a lot of creaks/noise from the fake portion of the AC vent. Very disappointed in the Arteon. I came from a 17 Passat that was extremely solid and a lot less money.
I own a 2015 VW CC 3.6L R-LINE. One of the very last VR6 motors...sadly :( Love the CC. This Arteon needs a VR6 motor, 4 cylinders is just not enough for this hunk of a beast of a Car. Thanks for sharing!
After driving this we've set our eyes on featuring a CC, it looks like a proper attempt to make a seriously good sedan.
6:39 Can’t even get the body/trunk lined up properly (check the left tail light)
I noticed that also, there were some fit & finish issues on the exterior of this.
I notice that in the cc as well. Wth?
Not too long they'll discontinue this from the north American market because of sales numbers
I'll be surprised if they continue into 2021 at this rate. I wanted to use the Stinger's first year of sales in our discussion to see what they looked like, in case there was a drop across the board in sales, and while the Stinger did lose traction in 2019 (second year), the sales were pretty strong, especially compared with the Arteon.
@@PRNTestDrive This is another miss opportunity for VW.
I too have only seen one on the roads here in Quebec. Stunning car from the outside and... well, Volkswagen on the interior. Not bad, but for 50 grand you can buy a 2020 Lexus ES and I’d be hard pressed to find anything better in the arteon. Not to mention the lexus will give you reliability, a V6, and a much more “executive” look.
To sum it up, this feels like more of a lease car but even then I can’t justify leasing it for that price
I couldn't justify leasing it either. I should have looked at the Lexus ES, you're the second one to mention it now. While you lose out on AWD, the 2020 ES 300 with the Premium Package is about $3k less (MSRP), and if you go with the Luxury Package which adds almost everything you'd really want at this price point, you're only spending about $3k more than the Arteon.
Lexus ES 350 $45k Canadian. Toyota Avalon fully loaded with panoramic sunroof is $47k with everything. And Lexus has a 6 year 110,000Km standard power train warranty. VW is expensive to repair and you will need to repair a lot more than Lexus/Toyota. Genysis G70 365hp V6 is $52k and the Stinger top spec is $50k. The Arteon looks awesome - yellow is great. But it's just all show.
Agreed. Much better vehicles out there, much better prices also.
Here in the states that car has a price tag of $47,000,the stinger GT1,the Genesis g70 with a 3.3 turbo engine, and the Lexus gs 350 are far superior vehicles at that price point completely agree with you great review
It's so strange, recently we've noticed that a lot of sedans sold here in Canada have the same dollar amount in the US, but based on the exchange rate it ends up costing way more down there. That's about $62,000 CAD when you do the exchange, and it's definitely not worth that.
Add the Kia Cadenza on the list as well. All those cars can give the Arteon a run for its money, and that's before the mid cycle upgrades.
you hate everything about this car, then don't drive it, how can you be comparing this car to s class.
I don't hate everything about this car. I hate the price and the piss-poor materials that make the car rattle like a 1994 Dodge Ram.
The problem is Audi exists and VW doesnt want to hurt Audi sales by making a less expensive car with the people car logo on it. Thing is, I really really like the Arteon, to my eyes it looks better than the A7 and the missing features arent a big deal to me..this is a well equipped car. Having said that, you're spot on that it's overpriced..and thats in the U.S. as well. If this was a car that topped out at $45k with every option possible..it would be a great deal. I believe we get a base model Arteon in the U.S., but its still priced like some loaded models of some very compelling competition. VW has simply never taken the North American market seriously enough to become the big player here they claim to want to be. Sure they made the Atlas (biggest VW ever) with our market in mind and to take advantage of the current crossover craze...but why are we denied the T-roc? Even tiny Mazda has 4 crossover models in North America including the CX-3 which is a wee bit smaller than the T-roc.
Price is ultimately what's going to kill this car. I spot maybe 1 on the road every couple months here.
I waited for the Arteon to come here and ended up disappointed. I have an 09 VW CC w/VR6 and I wasn't impressed with Arteon for it's price. The four banger is loud, the transmission gets lost during shifts, and has some serious nvh issues. When you have a car that's over 10 years old that feels nicer than a car off the showroom floor, that's a problem. My old CC has less creaks, rattles, and engine vibration than this Arteon. The only benefit of the Arteon is the tech and more modern looks.
After driving this I want to check out the CC, I was looking at some of the 2017s for sale and they look a lot more promising than this. Definitely hold onto yours!
I concur,after test driving the arteon I was left unimpressed,because I have the cc rline sport and its super awesome the arteon is just over priced
The Arteon is way more refined than a CC. Days better than my 2014 CC was. It's way quicker too. Car and Driver measured 64 decibels at 70mph, which is on par with the Audi A8L. Your observations are very wrong.
@@socialjusticeinitiatives3082 The fact that it's out of your budget, does not mean it's not a good car.
Sharif Armstrong the fact that you have been hoodwinked still doesn't mean it's a good car...
This is a great honest review of the Arteon. VW in general doesn't seem to get why they can't outsell Toyota worldwide. This car is a prime example of why Kia, Hyundai, Honda and Toyota is really cornering the sedan market. NOBODY is going to buy this car over a Lexus ES350 with sexy looks, comfort, stellar build quality (no creaks and rattles!) and supreme reliability. And let us not forget the diesel scandal. How can you trust a car manufacturer that was so brazen as to assume that everyone else in the world were just idiots when they presented these bogus figures to the US EPA? This is not a formula for success in this market. By the way, the sedan market in the US (save Toyota, Honda, Kia and Hyundai) is a tough sell these days. VW isn't helping this issue with this offering.
The Lexus ES looks incredible by comparison. I mean the Lexus is already great to begin with.
It doesn’t have the new interior design language because it’s actually already a couple of years old in production
That's a great point, but this interior design language really hasn't evolved from the 2011Jetta's interior.
PRN_TestDrive No but that typical for German manufactures, nothing changes much until there’s wholesale wide the as models get changed they get rolled out with the variations of new designs. It is a shame that the Arteon didn’t pick up VW’s new interiors (Golf 8, latest Touareg). After watching your video I went to check the pricing strategy (opposed to the base Audi A5 Sportback) and I discovered that the Arteon is no longer on their website in the New Zealand market which does and doesn’t surprise me given they a. They’re a fresh model and b. They haven’t sold well here either which is unfortunate, our version has over 300hp and is fairly heavily specced but it was the one and only version you could buy short of changing the rims and adding a sunroof I think.
I think buyers are more interested in SUVs these days. This car will likely go away.
I don’t disagree, however if a car is well made and suits buyers then it will sell. I’m driving the 2025 Toyota Crown this week, very competitive to this, and I’m expecting the Crown to stick around whereas this only lasted 3 models years in Canada.
Thanks for your honest presentation. Great job bro, cheers! Keep it up👍
I'm glad you think so, thanks! Some people get upset when I don't sugarcoat VWs like a lot of other reviewers.
If it had a V6 and had Golf R driving dynamics I'd get it over a Kia Stinger
That's what I was hoping for when they first announced it. I feel like they had half the formula right, make a sexy attractive sedan, but then they didn't bother with the engine/suspension.
Great video mate.
Glad you liked it, thanks! I'm always worried what the reaction will be when I'm critical of VW.
@@PRNTestDrive I know what you mean, but you have to be honest and people who watch know you well so in my opinion you did an outstanding job with this review
I appreciate that 😀
Good review. Can't imagine the people at VW will like it as much, though
They need a bit of truth once and a while. I feel that most of the videos I watch on VW content always gush and rave about how amazing the cars are, but then again I've never been a VW fanboi. This car could have been great, and I was hoping it would be. Maybe they'll look at the sales of this car and realize something needs to change.
@@PRNTestDrive
I tend to agree. I rented a Passat in Germany 2 years ago. It was really nothing special.
The seven speed dual clutch should have been on the American market when that car was released. Until that changes I’m still going to utilize and drive my 2013 cc sports plus
There's a lot of things VW really needs to add before this thing will truly be worth the price they want for it.
Great quality car love it
Hey we're glad you like it!
I'd rather buy a Toyota Avalon. No rattling and far more reliable.
I'd like to be able to feature the Avalon, looks like a much better buy.
James Wilett this a great reply. Heck, I'd argue that for $53K USD, you could get a nice entry level 2020 Lexus ES350 minus the taxes and fees. I know you can get an awesome 2020 Kia Stinger GT or a Genesis G70 3.3T for that price. VW will only sell 2K -3K (units) of these in the US for model year 2020 at this exorbitant price.
@@PRNTestDrive do you have a preference between the Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300?
Haven’t driven either of them recently unfortunately, but I’m told a 2020 Chrysler 300 will be available on the fleet for us this summer and I plan on booking it. On looks alone I’d go with the Chrysler, but an older SRT and try to retrofit some of the newer tech.
This car as configured costs closer to 55K with freight and PDI. That's Tesla model 3 territory. Before the rebates are applied. That's also part of the reason for the low sales numbers.
Buy one driven off the lot. It will be in the Jetta price range.
@@bradleypollack5658 Same for any other car in its class🤷♂️
Definitely
I'm only getting this because it is exclusive. I only driver exclusive cars.
2011 Nissan Murano Cross Cab 2019 Ford Flex and im getting this at the end of the year. Or next year to give my accord coupe a nice long break.
I've started to spot a couple more of them on the road, in fact I've seen two so far this month in my limited trips out of the house. It is a really good looking car, it's just too bad Canadian dealers are still asking full MSRP on 2019 models.
Did I just see Acton Vale in the Nav screen at 2:55?
Yup, we filmed episodes of this show in Acton Vale for about 5 years.
The big knock on VW is reliability.
10tenman10 my golf R was flawless for 7 years, and this car comes with class leading 6 year 72k mile warranty...
@@gsengle and my 2011 Golf was a total lemon. Repairs were way to expensive too.
Agreed 100%. Wonder how these are doing in 2024.
i think this car is that kind of car that you buy with your soul...it just looks fantastic and so all the negatives don't matter anymore.
the interior is from a passat, as is the interior of an audi a5 from an audi a4.
sure, passat is a much cheaper car, but the arteon relies heavily on it's styling to justify it's price.
second hand this car is more than worth is tbh.
also, this car has very important benefits, for a GT.
it has a very spacious interior thanks to the transversal engine layout.
Stinger and A5 are much more crammed inside. Cargo space in the boot is also very generous with this car vs it's competition.
Sure, you have to compromise, when you choose something, but VW is using a lower end platform to fight into the premium category and solves a few problems of the competitors, bringing on it's own a few negatives. If you want everything, then you have to buy a Rolls Royce. The you have space, engine, quality, everything. But then again, it also costs 5-10x over this car.
You're certainly on to something there. I don't know if it's enough to truly justify the car, but considering it's no longer available getting one in the used market will be a lot like a Phaeton, a much better deal.
The interior looks the same as my 2019 jetta! No creaks and rattles tho...
Glad to hear that you aren't having any rattling on your Jetta. The interior on all of these VWs is identical, always reminds me of my friend's 2010 Jetta.
The fact that this car doesn't have a VR6 is an absolute deal breaker for me.
I despise 4 cyls...I don't car how much power they have. All these turbo 4 cyls have lumpy\surging power delivery, sound like blenders, and just take away from the refinement of the car. To add to that, this car has too much plastic in the interior for the price.
When it depreciates, it will still be hard to settle on because most of it's competitors, which offer more for the money, will have depreciated as well.
Would much rather have an Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 over this, and they are priced very well on the used market.
A used Q50S is certainly a good deal, considering Infiniti has mostly forgotten about it. A 2018 is basically the same as a 2020 but much more affordable!
Way better than the stinger
Doubt.
Deeply discounted now in the US. You can get an R-Line for $37K.
That's never a good sign for the health of a car's marketability if they're being heavily discounted to get them out of dealership lots.
Looks nice. I think $10,000 over price is about right. I've seen the videos with the creaking and rattling. Has me regressing a purchase.
The Arteon is probably my biggest disappointment since starting this show, I had high expectations for it being a premium offering from VW but it ultimately doesn't live up to the price point. Even the mild facelift won't be enough to convince me.
I need to know what the R-line stands for in the VW lineup.
VW is using their 'R' brand in the same way they use 'S' for Audi, it's meant to be their sporty design, on most of their vehicles the design looks similar to the Golf R, hence where the R-Line comes from.
It is purely cosmetic on the Arteon. Don't confuse R with R-line.
Gary Allman Ok I see, that was the problem. I was thinking Golf R compared to GTI, performance boost. Lol ok I see now. Thanks
VW rely heavily on their dedicated fans to carry the company. You are bang on when talking about the company reusing old parts. In the U.K. they don’t even fit electric seats to their alleged premium model. How crass and a blatant rip off is that? You can see the same penny pinching with the new MK 8 Golf where they have fitted a down graded digital display and removed all the soft linings to the pockets and glove box. The Arteon has nose dived in the U.K due to its rip-ff pricing you have more chance of meeting the Pope than an Arteon. One would think that VW would have learnt its lesson about ripping off its customers with Diesel-gate, alas but no. Having said all that I have just brought a 5 month old R Line 190ps with 5k on clock. £15k off the list price. It is after all a lovely Passat in a frock!
Can't go wrong with one when there's a deal on it! Sounds like you got a good deal on it. Cheers!
The arteon cost most than a fully loaded lexus es 350 and you don't even get the lexus dealer experience at a vw dealership. It looks great but mazda can tell you being pretty isn't enough to compete. You have to great at everything and being less peppy and hardly more luxurious than a accord, camry, or k5 gt is a problem. Toss in the extra 10 to 15k and it's no wonder people love the look but don't buy
We'll be seeing videos in 10 years on why this car was a major flop for VW, but you heard it here first!
savage😂, definitely Stinger is much better ☺️
Savage maybe, but Volkswagen needs a kick from reality instead of the usual raving I see online. This car had potential, but it ended up being a major disappointment.
Kia is dealing with the lasting stigma of old Korean cars, so it pretty much HAD to be good. This Arteon comes across as being a half-ass attempt. No soul went into making the Arteon. It comes across just another generic Volkswagen.
@@panzer_TZ Kia's just keep burning to the ground, and keep facing recalls. I love how people even dare to compare a really nice car to a piece of shit Kia.
m.carcomplaints.com/Kia/Stinger/2019/electrical/rear_fuse_panel_caught_fire_and_burned_car_to_the_ground.shtml
Sharif Armstrong lol 1 complaint and it gives zero info.......kia is in the top 5 for reliability......vw is near the bottom.....plus there factory warrenty is miles better also
@@InfoumusMOBB Kia is a piece of shit😂
dealer discounts make this car really great.... SEL-P R level in the US for under $40K
Maybe the dealers in the US are able to do better deals, a quick search on AutoTrader.ca shows that you might be able to get a few thousand off MSRP with a demo, but the rest that are listed seem to be for about full price.
Oh that red is sexy., VW loves horizontal lines I see. I must agree that car manufacturers need to have an entry level pricing on a good amount of models. Because without that cult following of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, etc, charging a lot for a Volkswagen isn't going to sell well. I think that's why Kia/Hyundai is booming...cheap prices, but quality product.
Agreed. I suppose the Passat is now designed to be the entry-level pricing for the Arteon as the 2020 facelift changes some of the interior/exterior design cues to match this.
Kia Stinger? I would choose VW anyday.....
Fair enough
I hate panoramic sunroofs.
There's a lot of people out there who feel the same way, not many manufacturers give buyers the option anymore, FCA is one of the few that keeps a sunroof as a standalone feature.
Feel the same way
l have 2014 CC and was looking forward to the Arteon. I love the exterior but the completely missed the mark on the interi
or. The interior from the Atlas or Euro spec Passat would've looked great in the Arteon.
I'm pretty disappointed with this overall. I had high expectations for it, but VW half-assed it.
The Arteons interior is directly out of the Euro Passat🤦♂️
i honestly like CC better. Especially the R-Line and VW used to offer it with manual transmission :)
I think a gently used CC looks pretty good by comparison, they're still a little pricey here for a few years old.
The Arteon is a Niche car that wont take any sales away from the Passat as the Passat tops out at $33k U.S and anyone looking to spend $33k isnt going to spend over $40 to get the Arteon. The Arteon interior is done exceptionally well especially when you compare it to its competitors.
David Kolean Maybe a used passat without extras for 33, not a new one, vw have made the prices higher they Said. And i guess they can because everyone still buy
4 years in you’re probably right, the Areton must have sold dozens over the run here in North America.
Sad to see this actually :/ Im from EU and I have a, soon 22 years old, Passat B5 (its been in my family for 8 years) and it has been very reliable and its still going strong. I like VWs very much but this is pretty disappointing to see what VW is doing. Sadly it seems that most of the companies are going on the "make more money" route. Great video!
Everyone wants to make more and sell more, while delivering less. It’s unfortunate, but one of the reasons we love doing the classic cars here in TestDrive.
Bought a cc brand new that car was buggy. Matter of fact it has been sitting for a solid year now. Not getting another vw until they up their reliability
VW hasn't ever been known for their reliability, though people seem to think they are.
@@PRNTestDrive I was one of those people
This car looks AMAZING, and i'm sure with typical VW deprecation, in a few years, these will be in the low 30's. Imagine if this were built by a reputable manufacture, oh what could have been :-(
It'll probably be about $30k in a couple years if anyone bothers to buy & trade it in. A well-equipped 2017 VW CC is about $30k here.
I don't think the design is anything better. It's a pig with lipstick.
I'd just look for a used A5 sportback. If I didn't already have a stinger, that is.
The Stinger is still the way to go 😉
Wow , the Arteon is so damn cheap , in Germany a fully loaded Arteon exceeds the 75k Euro which is nearly 80k Canadian dollars.. even this here it is not fully equiped in german understanding..
The Audi A5 probably makes more sense in Europe than this. Even with the DSG, HUD, and better infotainment.
@@PRNTestDrive Hi, yes obviously. Even here in Germany the Arteon is quite rare because of its uppet price level. But therefore the leasing conditions are quite good. A5 cars you see a lot here but the outside of the Arteon is sexy, hell yeah! but as you told the inner quality isn't what to expect...
What a dissapointment. The exterior is really sharp and upmarket-looking, but inside its škoda tier. That climatronic, infotainment, blank buttons and materials they use are almost the exact same on a 20k€ octavia fleet car, except they dont rattle.
Both Audi and VW feel cheaper with every new generation, especially the interior.
LOL about the rattle.
In germany we have to pay much more for this car. And i think the 8-speed automatic is the better option.
Everyone pays too much for this one unfortunately.
@@PRNTestDrive maybe y pay for every car too much money. f.e Cadillac, Infinity, Lexus etc.
I’m only scared about quality control on Volkswagen I owned a 2006 Passat 2.0T B6 . man o man that car had problems, I’m curious how the new VW cars fair up after all the quality problems and smog scandal.
Considering I had some pretty loud rattling already on this car wasn't a good sign, but I hope they've made a solid product for this price point. It'll be interesting to see how these end up on the used market in 5 years.
I just bought a 2011 Audi A3 TDI 2.0 full premium package with navigation and it’s nicer then this 51,430 miles on the clock and I only paid $11,500 US. I’ll pass on most Audi and Vw products they seem old
Can't beat that!
Gosh $53,000? I mean I know it’s probably heavily optioned, but knowing that Lexus will happily sell you a much much much better ES for $39,000 to start makes buying this an almost impossible choice regardless of the sex appeal. Besides, the interior isn’t all that and neither is the performance.
The Lexus ES 350 keeps coming up in the comments, you can get a really nicely equipped 2019 for the price of this, you just lose out on AWD.
ES350 is basically an Avalon, in FWD. It can't compete in handling, technology, or performance.
Different classes...
Maxim Zaslavskiy The fact that you think a Lexus ES350 can’t compete in technology to this Volkswagen is shocking. I’d give you the performance arguments, though the Arteon is no sports sedan itself. The Arteon’s interior wouldn’t look out of place in a $18,000 Jetta. The ES is in a different league. The ES is also likely to get AWD as a $1,400 option somewhere down the road. That’s $41,400 for the ES and still a better buy in my book.
@@Soh90 The ES350 is in the Avalon's league. It's grill is hideous. Technology? The Arteon has 4motion awd, an hd touchscreen, massaging/ventilated nappa seats, 360° parking camera, pedestrian detection, engine from the Audi S3. What does the Lexus have? Misses half of those features at the very least. Smoked an ES350 at the drag strip btw, yet my Arteon is stock. The ES350 is a Toyota lol. The steering wheel has exactly the same buttons and blinker sound as a Corolla. Once I get an APR stage 1 tune done, I will be going up against GS-F in quarter mile times.
Maxim Zaslavskiy I find it very hard to believe that someone took their ES350 to a drag strip, not exactly what the car is intended for, but I digress. The ES is a Toyota, the Arteon is a Volkswagen, you don’t have to search long to see which one is the better company lol. But more power to you man, you think the Arteon is worth the price because it’s faster. I think there are much more luxurious ways to spend $50,000. Volkswagen’s own Audi A4 is better than this car for the money
Oh and all those features you named above are options. Options on the VW that the ES has as standard equipment. In fact those things are standard on the cheapest Corolla you can buy.
Was gonna get an arteon in 2 months and thankfully saw this honest video. Having mixed feelings now :|
In the used market this might be a steal, but I was very disappointed, as I had high hopes for it.
Dont have mixed feelings ivr had this car for sometimes and it absolutely love it! Great power and its gorgeous
I just tried a 2019 2615 km used one. Beautiful car!! But you’re right, lots of rattles and it’s almost new! The price is great but rattles are bugging me.
This car looks great, not gonna lie. But for the price, it is seriously underpowered. Should have at least a v6. Havent seen a single of these on the road yet.
The VR6 we tested in the Atlas barely makes more power than this. VW really needs better engine choices overall.
Wow 5 blank buttons. Looks bad.
I haven't driven a fully loaded VW yet that doesn't have mostly blank buttons in the centre, I wonder what they're saving them for 😂
@@PRNTestDrive Even the Panamera has loads of blank buttons.
Honestly, it doesn't deserve a new name, it should be called the CC still
I think the only reason they changed the name is so the car would conform better to the new design language of having the name written across the trunk, Arteon looks better spread out than CC. Golf is already pushing it on the 2020 Mk8 Golf, looks a little silly with such a short name.
My '16 GOLF TSI SE's interior looks as good as this lol
My buddy had a 2010 Jetta and its interior looked about as good as this too.
I am sure the 2016 Optima SX-L looks as good as the new Stinger GT, without the tablet screen exception.That's called brand styling.
Most all other reviewers mention that the car is a little underpowered although they still love the driving dynamics of this car,as well as a few other minor issues, however non except you that (I have read)have mentioned anything about rattling.
Personally I find a lot of automotive journalists and vloggers are completely in love with VW and fanboi over their vehicles, often leaving out any negative points about the vehicles.
Rattles? I own one. No rattles.
No rattles... yet. Give us an update around 20,000km.
How’s it hanging so far Dan?
@@TheChaosrebirth So far so good, no issues or rattles, April will be one year of ownership
It’s a beautiful car, but it lacks the 8 speed dual clutch trans, and for that reason I am out.
There's a few things it's missing to make it worth the price.
In Europe we get 8 speed
2:01 that epic forest!!!
VW nailed it with the location on that clip, I just wish whoever they used to hold the camera didn’t shake it around so violently all the time.
No heads up display or garage homelink ? You serious ?
That's VW for ya.
Smart people going to wait till this thing hits the used car market.
I don't know, even in the used market the rattling would annoy me quite a lot.
But if people don't buy it new,we cannot buy it used.
Great point also.
Mazda 6 cost less and has a way better design.
with 50k budget what did you prefer? a fancier version of a Passat or a proper luxury four door coupe with a powerfull 3.3 liter V6 and rwd?
check vw arteon moose test on km77 channel, one of the worst handling ever see, no wonder i see only one arteon on the road (and that one was the same color as arteon used by car journalist in italy, maybe was the press car lol) no one want this overpriced mediocre car.
I mean I understood literally 0% of what was being said in that video haha, but I did see the difference between the first test at 74km and the very next at 75km, seemed substantial. By comparison they just did the Kona EV which I'm in this week and that car seemed to do better.
Didn't learn their lesson with the Phaeton, I suppose.
Well, the Phaeton was actually a nice car. It had a lot of reliability issues, but it introduced a ton of tech, features, and some serious engineering prowess. This, on the other hand, is a parts bin scavenging effort by VW. Nothing unique, poor drivetrain, overpriced. The only thing it has going for it is looks, and that's pretty subjective. Personally, I think it looks ok, but not all that great. I'd personally much rather get an Acura TLX SHAWD A-Spec; starts at $42.5k and is fully loaded at $49k, or maybe a Stinger, or spend more and get an Audi A5. The options are endless.
I agree, the Phaeton wasn't great for reliability, but you got Audi A8 luxury for less, and those engine options were pretty fantastic. With this we didn't get even close to Phaeton luxury, I think even the first model year had more going on than this did. I don't think VW is going to learn from this one either though, worse sales in Canada & the US compared to the Kia Stinger, and it's getting smoked in sales by the A5 Sportback. No point to it unfortunately.
Except, the Phaeton was an actual masterpiece of engineering, compare the quality of a Phaeton to the S-Class of the time, and you can see why it cost what it cost back then, it was a Volkswagen-branded Bentley. This Arteon just a cheaper-to-build version of the Passat CC, which it replaces.
@@PRNTestDrive yup but the Phaeton was actually a Bentley in VW badgets. arteon is just crap
My Skoda Superb is much better, and so much cheaper here in Australia compared to this car in USD. Same car platform, better interior, more features, and it is the lower cost brand.
I think that's the worst thing about the Arteon, is how VW's other brands offer a much more logical option over this.
@@PRNTestDrive Exactly. It's not a bad car. Just doesn't make sense against even its own VW stablemates.