2019 Volkswagen Arteon

The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon takes the VW DNA to a stylish new level.  First revealed at the Geneva International Motor Show two years ago…the new to the U.S. Arteon supplants the CC as Volkswagen’s flagship…and is underpinned by the latest MQB architecture.

This sleek 5-door cruiser sits low and wide as Arteon shares the CC’s coupe-like profile. Beneath the full width clamshell hood is a 268 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo I-4 with 8-speed automatic. Throttle response is quite good, there’s plenty of power and low end torque. A slick shifting 8-speed automatic sends power to the front wheels or all 4.

Light steering precisely maneuvered us through the curves during our drive around Santa Barbara, California. MacPherson struts up front and a four-link independent suspension in the rear easily soak up the bumps. The adaptive damping quickly reacts to the road surface… working with 5-different drive modes.

The interior is more upscale than the Arteon’s stablemates; with a wide dash…familiar controls…and plenty of soft touch materials. The digital cockpit brings more technology to the roomy cabin… with an Audi-style navigation screen inside the gauge cluster. The wheel base is 5-inches longer then the CC and more than an inch longer than the Passat. Space has been scooped out of the headliner too… so there’s a generous amount of head and legroom in the back despite the sloping roofline. The big hatch makes it a snap to load the trunk.

Despite cars in general being out of favor these days, Arteon holds on to VW’s driver oriented tradition, but now with true grand touring style and comfort. The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon is on sale, starting at under $36,000.