First VW Arteon Reviews Raise Questions About Price and Suspension

When Volkswagen flies you to Hanover, puts you up in a nice hotel and gives you a €50,000 coupe to test drive, you tend to say lots of positive things. But all the reviews we've read or seen so far suggest the Arteon is barking up the wrong tree.

Like its predecessor, the four-door coupe is based on the Passat and packs the same 2.0 TSI and TDI engines. However, the Arteon is noticeably longer because Volkswagen wanted a big trunk and legroom to compete with the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.

So how does this rivalry work, exactly? Well, if you want a 6-cylinder BMW 4er, you're probably going to spend €55,000 for the 430d xDrive four-door. An equivalent Arteon would have a twin-turbo 2.0-liter TDI and set you back from €51,600.

They got the storage part right, as the liftback trunk of the VW model is way bigger and more practical. It's also got the most legroom in the class, apparently. But the Arteon is missing out in other departments.

For example, the driving experience isn't as engaging as it premium rivals, which is exactly what you'd expect from the Passat platform.

Also, comments are being made about the suspension, even though German roads are known for being the smoothest around. An unnerving thump can sometimes be felt and heard. It's something we've seen a lot of MQB-based cars, like te Passat, Tiguan or Octavia. Travel at around 50% and the potholes seem bigger than they should be.

Now, we're not saying that the Arteon is bad. In fact, it's probably going to do better than its predecessor. For around €6,000 more than the equivalent mid-sized VW sedan, you get a premium-like experience. But if you think that it looks beautiful, it might be time for your annual eye exam.