2022 Volkswagen Arteon

　　

2022 Volkswagen Arteon Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　The Volkswagen Arteon is one of the best cars you're not buying. It's a travesty, really. Blessed with distinctive style, fantastic comfort, available all-wheel drive and a roomy cargo area, this full-size family hauler is an SUV for people who don't want to drive an SUV. Plus, VW has had the Arteon on a near continuous program of improvement since it first went on sale for 2019.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Volkswagen Arteon SE R-Line 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$166/mo  for Arteon SE R-Line

　　Arteon SE R-Line

　　SE R-Line 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $40,750 MSRPSEL R-Line 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) (Most Popular) - $45,550 MSRPSEL Premium R-Line 4dr Hatchback AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7AM) - $49,550 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　That's especially true this year. The 2022 Volkswagen Arteon gets a handful of meaningful changes that make it better than ever. For starters, the car's appealing R-Line design treatment is now standard equipment, accompanied by a new wheel design in base SE R-Line trim. The SEL R-Line adds standard all-wheel drive for 2022, along with a new 20-inch wheel option. But the big news is an engine and transmission swapped in from the racy Volkswagen Golf R.

　　The new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder boosts horsepower to an even 300, a 32-pony gain over 2021. Torque rises, too, from 258 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft. To manage the added motive force, Volkswagen drops the previous eight-speed automatic transmission in favor of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. These modifications definitely make the 2022 Arteon more engaging to drive.

　　Otherwise, the Arteon continues to offer the kind of practicality that only a five-door hatchback design can. Open the rear liftgate, and the trunk holds a generous 27.2 cubic feet. Fold the rear seats down, and the Arteon can swallow 56.2 cubes of stuff, plenty of cargo space for a weekend run to the big-box store. To get a sense of how much volume that is, an Audi Q5 SUV offers no more 54 cubic feet of maximum cargo room.

　　Speaking of Audi, the Arteon is a credible alternative to the similarly configured A5 Sportback or even the far more expensive Audi A7. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is another rival. But the car smack in the middle of the VeeDub's crosshairs is the Kia Stinger, and now the Arteon is armed to compete. Check out the Expert Rating below for our test team's complete evaluation of this year's updated Arteon.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Arteon drive? The latest VW Arteon is pretty quick thanks to its 300-hp engine. Our test car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, which is similar to sport-oriented sedans such as the Kia K5 GT. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission shifts quickly and unobtrusively.

　　The Arteon's steering is nicely weighted and communicative. In the Comfort or Normal driving mode, there's noticeable body roll when driving around turns. Switching to Sport really tightens up handling, and the Arteon's all-wheel-drive system does a good job of helping the car accelerate out of turns. The Arteon is more planted and stable when pushed than most midsize competitors.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Arteon? For the most part, the Arteon is a quiet, comfortable midsize sedan. The front seats are nicely shaped and have a decent amount of cushion and support. As for ride quality, the Arteon feels comfortable and in control. Driving over large bumps or broken pavement can be disruptive, however.

　　The standard three-zone climate control and rear air vents keep air circulated throughout the cabin and passengers happy, but the touch controls require more concentration to push than we prefer. Another concern is that the standard seats don't breathe much, so hot days create a swampy effect unless you opt for the top-of-the-line trim with ventilated seats.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below