The Volkswagen Arteon Years To Avoid
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In a world focused on SUVs and trucks, Volkswagen broke with the pack when it introduced a stylish sedan, the Arteon, in 2019. For car buyers looking to be different, the Arteon presents a compelling alternative to the Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys that make up much of today’s sedan market. And if you’re considering buying a pre-owned vehicle, knowing the Volkswagen Arteon years to avoid is vital.
Being the Arteon is relatively new and not the most popular car on the road, identifying details that make the vehicle prone to unreliability isn’t easy. We’ll review this information later on. In the meantime, let’s explore what the Volkswagen Arteon is all about.
THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON
As with any car, the Volkswagen Arteon has some model years that are more reliable than others. In this post, we will examine the current lineup of this high-end sedan and identify the most reliable Volkswagen Arteon year and the ones to steer clear of.
Volkswagen Arteon At-A-Glance
Exterior
Inspired by the rakish Volkswagen CC, VW designers took sedan styling to the next level with a five-door fastback. Its aerodynamic profile gives the Arteon an upscale look, while a hatchback rear provides this Volkswagen with SUV-like versatility.
Beneath the distinctive exterior is Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, which underpins vehicles like the Volkswagen Atlas and previous-generation Audi A3.
Interior
The Arteon’s head-turning looks extend to the interior with a streamlined and modern cabin for five. There’s plenty of legroom for the front and back, but the sloped roof makes back-row access less convenient.
Advanced features like a configurable digital instrument panel and a standard suite of driver aids (like automatic emergency braking) continue the Arteon’s contemporary theme. At the same time, a 60⁄40-split folding rear seat helps with practicality and convenience.
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Powertrain
At the heart of the Volkswagen Arteon is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Output from the 2019-2021 model years is 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque delivered through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional.
VW reworked the powertrain for the 2022 model year, including dialing up the engine to 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. A new dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission manages the wheels upfront or on all four corners.
Safety Testing
There’s no safety testing conducted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the VW Arteon. However, the car gets high scores in crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2020-2022 model years got the nod as an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and the 2023 Arteon received the organization’s Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Model Year Overview: Volkswagen Arteon Years to Avoid
Let’s look at each Volkswagen Arteon model year available in the U.S. We’ll include information about owner complaints and trouble reports submitted to NHTSA, carcomplaints.com, and edmunds.com.
2019 Volkswagen Arteon
The debut year for the U.S. rollout of the Volkswagen Arteon is uneventful. The sleek sedan also fails to break sales records as the automaker only moved 2,449 copies. That’s less than one percent of all the vehicles sold by VW in the US for 2019.
This helps explain the lower number of owner complaints regarding the 2019 Arteon. NHTSA has six reports about issues with the Volkswagen ranging from tire troubles to a faulty backup camera. But this slim number of criticisms makes pointing to patterns or consistent problem areas impossible.
A single recall covers a mis-installed brake booster.
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2020 Volkswagen Arteon
U.S. sales of the Arteon increased by 50% for 2020, which means the company sold just 3,602 examples. So, the lack of Arteons on the road translates into few owner complaints. In fact, neither NHTSA nor carcomplaints.com shows any reports for the 2020 Arteon. There are no recalls.
A look at owner feedback via Edmunds shows two comments (out of 35 for all Arteon model years) that give the 2020 Arteon a two-star or lower ranking (out of five). These observations point to problems with excessive wind noise and underpowered characteristics. While these issues are certainly nuisances, they aren’t related to reliability problems with any of the car’s mechanical or electronic systems.
2021 Volkswagen Arteon
Although the 2021 Arteon gets some cosmetic updates, its running gear and other main components stay the same. Curiously, recalls increased significantly to four for this model year. One covers a previous problem, a troublesome brake booster. The other recalls are for a malfunctioning rearview camera and a faulty TPMS (tire pressure management system).
Meanwhile, NHTSA records seven owner complaints about the 2021 Arteon. A few focus on forward collision avoidance protection, the tires, and the electrical system. Otherwise, there isn’t a particular prevalence among these reports. VW’s Arteon sales in the U.S. increased to 5,537 units in 2021.
2022 Volkswagen Arteon
The 2022 Volkswagen Arteon addresses previous concerns by adding more horsepower and an improved automatic transmission, making driving more engaging. Yet, owners have almost nothing bad to say about the 2022 Arteon. NHTSA cites a single complaint about repeated flat tires. There’s no other negative feedback from the usual sources.
In addition, as of this writing, there are no recalls for the 2022 Arteon.
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2023 Volkswagen Arteon
Consumer Reports’ first comments about the Volkswagen Arteon cover the 2023 model year. It ranks the car’s predicted reliability a 3 (out of 5), which isn’t exactly definitive one way or another (CR calls it average reliability). The organization’s assumptions are based on VW’s brand history and findings about other cars. In other words, they’re making an educated guess.
From the official side of things (NHTSA), there are no recalls or consumer complaints as of this writing.
Final Thoughts: Volkswagen Arteon Years to Avoid
Without extensive amounts of owner feedback about the Volkswagen Arteon, it’s challenging to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to any particular model year. However, at a minimum, the 2019 edition is on the list of Volkswagen Arteon years to avoid. It’s the first model year in the U.S., and a new model’s debut year is often vulnerable to gremlins and bugs that get worked out in later years.
Any purchase of a used car should always include having the vehicle checked out by a qualified mechanic before completing the transaction. It’s no different with the Volkswagen Arteon.
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