Written by Marco Carvajal
Photographs by Marco Carvajal
The new Arteon is a luxury mid-size Volkswagen sedan with a sleek coupe-like design that replaces the previous Volkswagen CC. T
I am test driving the first edition of the beautiful all-new Arteon, the 2019 model, the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon, top of the line trim model, 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION.
Volkswagen is becoming more successful in the US market with new models like the new Atlas SUV and the redesigned Tiguan crossover. New for 2019, the new Arteon sedan, a model that could continue the line of success of new Volkswagen cars.
The new Arteon has the luxury style and high performance level typical of a luxury Grand Turismo car, with a lower ticket price, from 36K to 46K.
Volkswagen CC Replaced by the New Arteon
The Arteon is the successor of the Volkswagen CC, but it is bolder, faster and premium-looking. The Volkswagen CC, was originally known as the Volkswagen Passat CC in its first generation. The CC was a four-door sedan version of the Volkswagen Passat with a stylized swept roofline, reducing rear space and cargo space producing an elegant sporty look.
The name CC refers to Comfort Coupé, despite not being a coupé due to the body design having four doors. The CC was wider than the Passat, making it more executive-oriented looking. But the CC is history, the car has reincarnated with the new name and larger body of the Arteon.
New 2019 Volkswagen Arteon
Sleek design, aggressive R-Line Style, classic fastback and Aerodynamic design. The Arteon, follows the Passat line adding a more luxurious design.
The all-new Arteon is based on the MQB platform, shared with the new Atlas SUV. The Arteon has a long wheelbase of 111.9 inches, which makes it longer than the Passat. The Arteon is wider and longer than its predecessor CC, with an extra 5 inches in length in the wheelbase.
The Arteon maintains the four-door coupe profile of the CC and offers a range of great turbo engines coupled with automatic transmissions with double clutch and 4Motion all-wheel drive in some models.
Arteon’s high-end trim SEL Premium includes a 268 horsepower turbocharged engine with a 2-liter engine with standard eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. The standard base model has 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, LED headlights and heated leather front seats.
The Arteon look includes a wider posture, frameless windows, double trapeze shaped exhaust tips, and a wide chrome grille. Standard security features include a rear view camera, blind spot monitoring, emergency braking, and rear traffic alert. A great feature is the automatic post-crash braking, among many advanced features and technology.
2019 Arteon Trim Models
- SE
- SE with 4MOtion
- SEL with 4MOTION
- SEL R-Line with 4MOTION
- SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION
Pricing
The Arteon is a very luxury sedan priced at a low price compared to all what it offers. The base trim model SE is priced at $35,945 MSRP, the price keeps going up until we get to the top of the line that I am test driving, the SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION at $46,210 MSRP.
2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION
After driving the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION you feel that Volkswagen has elevated its new sedan to a high level of elegance and style.
This new Arteon smells like luxury everywhere and driving it can become addictive, I just want to keep driving.
The interior of the SEL Premium has beautiful leather finishings, my favorite leather design is the Stone and Raven leather style with two different gray colors that look very elegant and sporty.
The transmission of the Arteon Premium is an 8-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and Sport mode that performs very smoothly, combined with the impressive stability of 4MOTION all-wheel drive and electromechanical power steering with variable assistance.
The 2.0L TSI, 16-valve, DOHC, in-line 4-cylinder turbocharged engine produces a good power of 268 Horsepower, more than enough for most adventurous rides.
The audio on the SEL Premium is of great precision and quality with the Dynaudio brand premium sound system.
There are several accessories available like the Base Carrier Bars and Bike Holder Attachment so you can bring your bikes on top of the roof of the Arteon.
Highlights of the 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line with 4MOTION
- 4MOTION all-wheel drive
- 2.0L TSI, 16-valve, DOHC, in-line 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with intercooler and direct fuel injection
- 268 Horsepower @ 5500 rpm
- 258 lb-ft Maximum torque, lb-ft @ 1950 rpm
- 8-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic and Sport mode
- 19″ alloy wheels
- Hands-free Easy Open and Easy Close hatch
- DCC adaptive chassis control
- Performance Monitor
- Start-Stop System
- Parking Steering Assistant
- Fuel tank capacity 17.43 gal
- 23 MPG Combined Fuel Consumption
20 MPG in the City / 27 MPG in the Highway
The sedan medium-sized segment still has many players, including the Toyota Camry that remains the best seller. Volkswagen believes the Arteon’s coupe-like design, safety features, and the new powertrain will appeal to new consumers, I believe it too! The Arteon is a great choice for luxury sedan drivers who want to pay less than $50K.
An added bonus for the Arteon and all new Volkswagen cars, the Arteon includes Volkswagen’s People First Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty. This great long warranty provides coverage for six-years or 72,000-miles (whichever occurs first), and it is transferable to subsequent owners throughout the remainder of its duration.
The Arteon can be very successful if car buyers get to know this amazing product, totally worth to go to a Volkswagen dealer to test drive the new Arteon.
