Driven: 2022 Volkswagen Arteon – Last of a Breed

Now that the Passat is passé, traditional sedan shoppers only have two choices in the VW lineup, the Jetta, which now slots in size between a compact and midsize offering, and the Arteon, which does the same trick between mid- and full-size models.

Arteon has classic VW styling: clean, chiseled and understated. The horizontal grille design accentuates the car’s width, while in profile, it has a sporty, athletic attitude thanks to its steeply raked rear hatch. Large 20-inch alloy wheels fill the arches to give the car a planted, muscular look.

The interior is every bit as upscale and contemporary as the exterior. The cabin on our SEL Premium R-Line model is fitted with well-bolstered sporty seats clad in Nappa leather. Two display screens, one a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and the other an 8-inch central infotainment touchscreen, are nicely integrated into the dash which features plenty of soft-touch surfaces and piano black accents.

While VW likes to use haptic touch surface controls, there are also a few traditional analog knobs for the sound system to satisfy the curmudgeon in me. The Arteon is an interesting vehicle in that while the front cabin is very much what you expect from a sport sedan from its hefty leather-clad steering wheel, paddle shifters and traditional gearshift selector, the aft cabin is another story. Open the back door and you’ll be amazed at the amount of rear seat legroom, some 40.2 inches. Drop the seats and you have 56.2 cubic feet of load space easily accessed through the large rear hatch.

The Arteon benefits from VW’s experience in building both fun-to-drive sporty cars and the uber-luxurious Phaeton from years gone by. The influences of both seamlessly blend into a package that stands apart from anything else in its class.

As substantial as the Arteon appears in the flesh, looking at the drivetrain some may be underwhelmed by the fact that power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. However, it’s tuned to produce 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Output is delivered to all four corners via VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Thanks to the torque and the gearing of the DCT, the Arteon steps smartly off the line and has plenty of power for high-speed cruising. Handling is crisp with precise steering in the best German tradition. While it offers the roominess of a traditional full-size sedan, it can attack twists and turns with the ease of a compact sport sedan. That nimbleness in Sport mode does come at the expense of suspension compliance. The low profile 20-inch wheel and tire package combined with a taut suspension telegraphs bumps and bounces to the cabin especially at lower speeds. It's a small price to pay for a car that has plenty of confidence-inspiring grip, especially in the wet thanks to the 4Motion all-wheel drive.

As Volkswagen’s flagship sedan, the Arteon comes with a long list of standard features including tri-zone climate control, front heated/ventilated seats, heated rear seats in the outboard positions, heated steering wheel and a premium Harman Kardon sound system.

The Arteon’s displays utilize VW’s Digital Cockpit technology that allows for multiple configurations. The instrument cluster can show up to 21 different screens that include traditional displays of instrumentation, vehicle status, infotainment options and navigation maps and directions and various combinations thereof.

The Arteon also carries a full complement of driver and safety assists under the IQ.Drive banner. Among these features are adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, and semi-automated driving assist called Travel Assist. Other features on our test car includes a surround-view monitor, park assist, dynamic road sign display and automatic high beams.

Fully equipped, the 2022 Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line lists at $49,550. The only option at $395 is the Kings Red Metallic paint scheme. With $1,195 delivery, the bottom line is $51,140. If you forgo the 4Motion version, a front-drive Arteon starts at $43,010 for an SE R-Line, while the better-equipped front-drive SEL R-Line is $47,180. With the average cost of a new vehicle topping $46,000, the Arteon represents good value for those seeking the traditional trappings of a full-size sedan that blends a sport sedan’s spirit with an SUV’s functionality.