Is the Volkswagen Arteon a better buy than an Audi A5 Sportback?

[@ShermanMR2]

Hey Forrest it’s Sherman. Another great review. Also, it was my pleasure helping you with your camera.

[@swjazzg7967]

I finally was able to get this car an im blown away every day on what I purchased. This is a car that is different from the normal an thats what I personally want,something thats different an stands out. I'm amazed with the technology an safty features in this car an with these head lights...... I could see into the next state lol. The power is just what I personally need driving normally. I don't drive it like a race car but believe me if you need to pass someone in traffic you will have that power.I can't say enough good things about it an it just my personal opinion. I find my self calling my family while driving telling them something new that I discovered. I do hope vw continues to make this car an that one reason why I left chvy because cars have disappeared.Only thing this car is missing is the interior of volkswagen Touareg over seas.

[@jbm0866]

I'm glad you like your car, but I'm afraid you won't be able to get a new one in the very near future. Not only is VW hellbent on going full EV before any of the other major carmakers, (they will still have some ice options in their luxury/performance divisons, but not many..and not for long) the Arteon is based on an older gen European Passat, and I can't see VW switching the Arteon to the latest gen when this one runs it's course. The lack of sedan sales among all carmakers seals the deal imo. Right now it gives VW a "flagship" in North America, but for the rest of the world the Golf R is the true flagship for cars carrying the VW badge.

[@Not_Z-vastik_Stop_Putinism]

​@@jbm0866 "Arteon R" is better (320PS)

[@kevinkennedy8003]

I love mine. Don’t care if it is or isn’t better than a n A5. It’s lovely to drive and every time I park it I can’t help but turn around and look at it.😊

[@danielperkins4610]

The car looks really good. I have a CC and it cruises nicely on the highway and gets good gas mileage, above the suggested numbers. This is more of the same plus better tech!

[@stephenhendricks103]

VW has faced major challenges in terms of selling its Euro-spec vehicles in the US where consumers want their VW's to be bigger and cheaper than European consumers. Thus, the American version of the Passat replaced the far superior smaller and more expensive European version. The well regarded first generation Tiguan was replaced by the second generation in the US, larger and less expensive. The current generation Jetta, larger than the previous generation, isn't even for sale in Germany. The Touareg was dropped in the US after the first generation and replaced by the larger, less expensive Atlas. VW has announced the basic Golf will no longer be available in the US while it remains among the most popular vehicles in Europe. Even the iconic GTI and Golf R available in the US lack features available in Europe where a fully loaded Autobahn GTI sells for over $50,000 at current exchange rates. So if one wants a VW that closely resembles its European counterpart the Arteon, the GTI and the Golf R are the closest one can get. In fact, the only significant difference between the American and European versions of the Arteon is the fact that the American version has a conventional 8 speed automatic transmission while the European version has VW's excellent 7 speed DSG. (Sorry, Forrest, you were wrong about that.) And that accounts for the minor shifting delay in the US version. VW opted for the difference as a result of American consumers' preference for the more "normal" feeling of a torque converter version of an AT, especially in a near luxury vehicle. When evaluating the Arteon it's important to understand the difference between American and European perspectives about "performance." Americans invented drag racing; Europeans invented rallies. Americans' view of "road racing" is repeated laps around large high banked ovals where the primary vehicle capabilities involves mashing an accelerator and turning left. In Europe road racing takes place on public roads or tracks (e.g Nurburgring) designed to simulate the curves and elevation changes of public roads. The typical metrics of "performance" in America are 0-60 and quarter mile times on straight, flat pavement. In Europe a GT sedan is built to "perform" in comfort at high speed on well maintained highways for hours at a time. Different expectations on different continents. The Arteon is a European car designed for European expectations and for Americans with those expectations. When VW opted to make the Arteon available in the US, two years after it was introduced in Europe, VW CEO Herbert Diess said he didn't expect to sell many Arteons in America. (And he was right.) But he wanted Americans to know what VW is capable of producing in terms of an upscale sedan and to give Americans who want an affordable European GT the opportunity to buy one. The 2.0L turbo EA888 motor in the Arteon is one of the world's great engines, deployed in various tunes in the GTI, the Golf R, the Tiguan, and even the Atlas. Those who haven't driven a vehicle with the engine would be surprised how quick and strong it is. The stock tune in the Arteon is well designed for its mission but for those who want more power a Stage I 30 minute ECU tune will add gobs of HP and torque without either undermining reliability or invalidating the VW factory warranty at a price well under $1000. And with AWD, the Arteon can put that additional power down on the pavement without worry. Finally, speaking of price, here in the Pacific Northwest dealers are currently offering the top trim AWD SEL Premium R-Line for as little as $38,000, nearly $10,000 less than MSRP. That increases the difference in price between the Arteon and the smaller Audi A5 Sportback far, far more than $10,000. In fact it rivals the price of an Accord 2.0L Touring model. Its price is also in line (or less) than the real world price of a Stinger GT, an excellent Americanized version of a European GT sedan but significantly less "upscale" than the Arteon.

[@Ksmoovey]

Surprised no one commented on such a well-detailed comment. Thanks for the information on this, based on everything you broke down I can definitely see how the Arteon is a great bang for your buck. I wasn’t even aware that tuning was an option on this thing. I work remotely in tech , 26 years old and make a decent salary. I was actually considering saving a bit more, and getting an Audi S5 Sportback later this year. Idk man, I drool over that car lol. The attention to detail with the interior, the diamond shaped leather seats, the exterior etc. But damn it, VW just had to come out with a similar car with the same Sportback design, for a good deal less. Also, if the S5 Sportback is a 10 in looks, the Arteon is at least an 8-8.5, it’s a very attractive car as well but I’m thinking of both cars with exterior mods/black out accents etc. Oh, I don’t like the limited options of ambient lighting on the Arteon but I guess that’s not a big deal. Well time to go shopping , you’ve made choosing a car more difficult for me but gave me a cheaper alternative to look into, appreciate it!

[@kishenrathod6709]

the gauge cluster can in fact show the navigation and you can minimize the dials as well! also for USA, its 8 speed auto only, the 7 spd DSG is reserved for other markets

[@karmendimas5274]

wrong. the dsg is in the usa models for years 2022 to 2024

[@kishenrathod6709]

@@karmendimas5274 it wasn’t the case 3 years ago

[@karmendimas5274]

has nothing to do with '3 years' i just said the YEAR OF THE CARS, not the time difference! @@kishenrathod6709

[@DMCarReviews]

Was originally planning to get the A5, but once I saw the Arteon, went with the Arteon. It's more comfortable than the A5, and uses the bigger IS38 turbo too. Also prefer the smoothness of the 8 speed automatic. The gas pedal delay in motion is easy to get rid off by driving more aggressively, since it adapts to your driving style. Also before flooring, ease into the throttle at least 10% so it builds some boost. Here is my 1/4 mile run for your reference. 90° day, a/c on, and 93 gas. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmbQn4Corbubfrs

[@christopherdeming7929]

Hi Forrest! Love your reviews. A couple of notes if you were interested. The car isn't a DSG, just a normal automatic, which may explain your experience with the transmission. Also, it can perpendicular park itself. It can sense them automatically or you can hit the parking button again to switch it to perpendicular. I also noticed they gave what appears to be a spare key. Thankfully, the real key is actually a little nicer than the typical VW key with metal accents and nice weight, going along with the general feel of the car. Lastly, you can get mapping on the digital cockpit and expand it, but you're right, it's not nearly as nice as the Audi version. I bought the Arteon (in part thanks to your previous review!) coming from a 2017 A4. I was so curious to see your second take on it.

[@AshwinF1Bloke]

Also, the Arteon doesn’t have a DSG.It's a conventional torque converter automatic.

[@Cerro999]

Idk about US version, but In Europe it comes with DSG( I drive it)

[@dirkcurritzki9585]

@@Cerro999 only the NA model uses the 8AT. In asia and europe it has the DSG.

[@sylent6]

@@Cerro999 I’m jealous

[@kiwihame]

Very satisfying review. Very useful. I'm hunting for an Arteon now. Just a stunning looking car. Cheers from New Zealand.

[@LolLol-vw6tq]

I just bought my 2021 King metallic red arteon r-line, bought it in a package deal with my 2021.5 Atlas Basecamp SEL... I LOVE BOTH 😍

[@attocoulomb]

On the 3D camera, you just tap the screen zones to see the other views (left, right, front, back, front looking down for parking curb, etc.)

[@magellanmax]

The SEL Premium has a few extra features than your standard SEL R Line models, like the vented seats for cooling during the hot summer months, the premium Dynaudio stereo and the hands-free kick feature to open the trunk and the power button to close. Other than that, I wouldn't fork over the extra three grand for it because the car is pretty nice even without it. And just a note like some have said, the transmission on that car is the ZF-8 speed transmission which makes it feel different from the DSG tranny. Nice review there bud. 👍🏾

[@Thor570874]

I had an arteon, ride quality was great and the first gen dynaudio was rockin'!

[@faridalghali5246]

Another great video! Thanks and keep doing what you do. I would like to own this car in the future. Good job.

[@stephengriffin4990]

A VW fanatic great review love the high way comments.Here at Australia the dsg is only 7 speed.And just checked our local Wheels magazine you can not buy Arteon at Australia any more.

[@jonasrehn9883]

Awesome review! Reverse mullet cracked me up 😆

[@channinglowe6058]

Great review! VW owns Audi, Bentley , Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche. So the Arteon will be a great car and it drives great. Can’t wait to pick mines up next month

[@KI-gs8sq]

How have you found your car so far?

[@TopDogStatus25]

Got an A5 and a 911 Turbo S and in my eyes the A5 is currently the best looking car on the market. And as a daily drive vehicle an absolute dream, it's so quiet and reliable and moves so smoothly. The 911 Turbo S is a dream but that's my summer time car for special occasions

[@MichaelMasonJr]

You can put a map in the digital cockpit but it depends if you have navigation.

[@gchetail]

Great review again. Please Forrest put ou seatbelt one before starting the engine so we don't get the "bongs" Thanks :)

[@lennartdock7944]

To start, sorry for my poor english. I have an Arteon, engine is petrol, 280 hp. I am so pleast with my car, and so nice to drive. It looks like you can´t load a lot of stuff in the boot, well u can. This car is amazing and it stands out. If its petrol or diesel doesnt matter. Pure power. You wont be dissaponted!

[@royalprince5878]

How about fuel consumption? rated very low but some ppl could get higher MPg than EPA

[@ST-wi9eq]

8 speed auto isn't a DSG! Please give correct info to viewers. DSG responsiveness would make this car feel so much faster with the 268 hp. Plus, you never mentioned that this Arteon is built on the MQB platform which makes the car feel so premium and dynamic compared to the jello US Passat which is not using MQB. This is important info to share with viewers.

[@blue-ck9ns]

It seems like he never does his research before making videos. You can display a map in the gauge cluster, why in the world would they make it all digital if it didn’t have the capability to display a map? It literally says Navigation as you were scrolling through the menu. And with the park assist, it does do perpendicular parking in addition to parallel (you said it wouldn’t). Also, the transmission is an 8-speed automatic, not DSG.

[@whitneyminthorn445]

Just got one of these! It's so nice! 0% financing right now too; good time to buy.

[@miyinan]

That 8 speed is not a DSG.

[@michellevega6971]

I like the Arteon! , Especially in that green yellowish color

[@vomErsten]

Which they no longer offer. Only grey tones, now.

[@MichaelMasonJr]

That model should have Tri-zone climate control but you have to hit the menu button on the driver side therm rotary dial. Once you do that there is a rear climate control to control the rear temperature. This is helpful on models that do not have rear controls.

[@allthingslondan7562]

I would like to see a face to face comparison of the CC and the Arteon! BTW I have had my CC for a few years and still not bored!

[@karthiknimma8879]

It's not a dsg. Please correct it. 8 speed tiptronic is an automatic

[@jbm0866]

Since Audi shares platforms, engine/drivetrains with VW, the Audi A5 Sportback is worth $10k (likely more if truly fully loaded) more than the Arteon only if you must have the four ring badge. Of course a fully loaded A5 sportback is going to have a bit nicer interior materials and likely some options not available on the Arteon, but not sure any of the differences would be worth $10k+, especially since I like the overall look of the Arteon more. (Subjective of course, for some the Audi badge vs VW would make up for any shortcomings in the looks department)

[@semagcp]

Guys, I own one of this car, the video is nice but it is not in the same frame as A5, so the comparison doesn’t fit properly. Even from size point of view is in line with A7 or 7th series from BMW if you want.

[@sak1339]

It's a beautiful car. Is R-Line just trim, or does it enhance the engine and suspension, aside from bigger wheels? Like your reviews! Keep it up :)

[@attocoulomb]

R-line is just cosmetic and wheels. Not worth the price difference to me. I wanted a "regular" Premium, but only Premiums around were Premium R-line.

[@nanalala3902]

@@attocoulomb ​ Gary Allman agreed. also you are forced to get the 4motion as well....would be great to get a sel premium w/o r line and 4motion

[@fearfactz1]

I really like your voice Forrest.

[@miyinan]

You can’t have the map shown in virtual dashboard when using Apple car play and etc but you can have the stock nav map shown in there.

[@Magnetorheological]

I haven't seen a single one on the road yet! I thought they came out a while ago, and have been dying to see one in person! Looks pretty sick

[@forrestsautoreviewsofficial]

It looks incredible in person. Unfortunately, it is a bit of a tough sell for VW. 😕

[@dmvrti]

Have seen only 1 - a silver example on 35N near Denton, TX. Have also seen a few GLI's in the same area. Very slick looking!

[@attocoulomb]

I've only seen 3 in person -- all on dealer lots. I drove all three.

[@evanyoder1451]

its because they are crap lol. I have one and I already regret it.

[@zmarg07]

@@evanyoder1451 what don’t you like about it? I have the exact car he shows in this video. I think it’s a great bang for your buck.

[@heytherekay777]

I recently test drove one of these and I was very happy with how smooth it was as well as how aggressive it looked. Sadly the price tag was a little high for what you get in my opinion.

[@magellanmax]

You can get this car between $3K to $10K below MSRP right now, you just have to shop and then hit up the dealership and negotiate an even lower price. One of my neighbors just got his SEL-R Line two months ago for $36K from a $43K MSRP tag.

[@BMH-xz7nh]

I have a 2016 Touareg tdi and the miles are getting close to 100k so would anyone recommend the Arteon as a replacement?

[@larryFWD]

Beautiful city - I wonder which city this is. Great video btw. Thanks

[@IvanBosnjak89]

Our Arteon doesn’t have the DSG, it’s using the 8-speed Aisin. I drove it and I’m happy with it, it’s a fair bit smoother than the DSG, especially at lower speeds.

[@liuzeyu1044]

Personally, I drave an ARTEON, it is a good car with strong Horsepower. My friend got a A5 and the interior looks cheaper than Arteon

[@gladdy02]

Where is the heads up display though?🤔

[@shan5445]

Basically, VW is not stepping on the toes of Audi. Makes sense. They are looking at capturing a specific market. But then the cost doesn't make sense.

[@elident7828]

Hey Forrest I have the top of the line Arteon, and you can make the display all of the map if you prefer it their rather than on the entertainment display... do you have a 2021 , I have a 2021 r line premium

[@mikeballai2690]

I will get one. I like the ev, but it’s too early for those right now.

[@thinkingofHim.]

I just got a black r-line. I cant stop looking at it, but it is a little underwhelming driving-wise.

[@neil9658]

really? why do you say that?

[@thinkingofHim.]

@@neil9658 I know its not a performance car, but I was hoping it had a little more pop. I definitely noticed it differ from my Eos.

[@AshwinF1Bloke]

Great car. I owned a 2014 CC and loved it! We looked at leasing the Arteon but boy they lease absolutely terribly! Even VW knows it and I think VW don't have great lease support in the first place. But when I saw the residual value on the lease, I was shocked. Over 3 years, the Arteon loses nearly 55% compared to say a fully loaded Accord/Mazda6. As a result the monthly payments were in high $600s. You could lease an Audi A5 Premium Plus for that kind of money.

[@DMCarReviews]

Residual is set by the manufacturer. They make a low residual with virtually 0% interest, so you can easily buy it out.

[@attocoulomb]

It looks to me like you were driving the SEL Premium R-line, not the SEL R-line.

[@jordandennis2702]

Hey Forrest! Love the look of the arteon, excited for the refresh coming soon, cost aside, would take the Camry TRD or this?

[@jbm0866]

I'm not Forrest, but your question got me thinking. My conclusion is I'd probably get the Arteon because it's such a rare and good looking car, and also a good one. Having said that, if turbo 4cyl engines cause you anxiety, there arent many engines more bulletproof than a Toyota V6, and the Camry overall will likely provide a far more troublefree ownership experience versus anything VW. This coming from a previous GTI owner (2016 SE) that I recently sold and got into a Mazda 3 turbo hatch that I like a lot even though it isnt perfect. I never had any catastrophic failure on my GTI, but little issues (some that I've never had with any other car) kept mounting up and giving me warnings. VW's are generally great cars, but in many ways arent ideal for the extremes of weather in North America, and certain cost cutting by VW isnt readily apparent until something fails. So there ya go, my .02. I'd still take the Arteon simply because Camry's are a dime a dozen..and not sure the TRD really stands out among the sea of other Camry's...except for the sweet v6 under the hood.

[@jordandennis2702]

@@jbm0866 that’s a good take. We have a 2016 Jetta and an 2011 r56 Mini Cooper s, both notoriously unreliable depending on who you talk to, But ours have been very reliable.Sorry to hear about your GTI that’s rough.. To your point I’ve seen maybe 4 Camry TRDs around my town, Only 1 Avalon TRD, and maybe 2 Arteons when they first came out. I think an arteon would be a fantastic daily for a more refined luxury feel. I think the Camry TRD is a little more special, for those who are in the know. I’d love to see a sporty Arteon build series here on KZbin. I have a buddy who works at the local VW dealer that said the arteons with a stage 2 ARP tune rip.

[@jbm0866]

@@jordandennis2702 Oh for sure, the TRD is special among it's class since everyone else has dropped their V6, but at the end of the day, a TRD Camry is simply a Camry with the engine it should have. Having said that, an Arteon is a better looking Audi A5 sportback at a discount, and can outperform the TRD with a tune, which most Arteon owners wont bother with.

[@314jrock]

I wish that Volkswagen bring the high performance 400hp version of the Arteon to the United States.

[@IReahpZz]

Ecu tune only and your making 400.so there's your solution

[@DMCarReviews]

@@IReahpZz Yep. 350-380hp.

[@A_guan]

How does this car drive or handle in the corners or canyons compares to kia stinger gt?

[@attocoulomb]

The Arteon is great on large sweeping turns. The Stinger has tighter handling, and is better in tighter turns.

[@floadingtv1466]

What is the lease on these

[@sunilsidhwani4757]

I thought the Arteon was on the same platform as the A7? So why compare to one step below at the A5?

[@IReahpZz]

It's on the mqb platform aka the golf gti platform not the a7 lol no idea where you got that info. Also the a7 is 40k more to start than an arteon so there's no comparison

[@attocoulomb]

Arteon size is halfway between A5 and A7. The A5 and A7 are on the MLB-Evo platform, for longitudinal engines.

[@DMCarReviews]

@@attocoulomb A7 is 3-4 inches longer.

[@MichaelMasonJr]

Another correction, the Arteon does not come with a DSG. But it is an 8-speed automatic.

[@mrlive005]

It is dsg in europe and asia

[@joshuapounds7646]

In Europe is DSG lol

[@darrylbunch7174]

It downshift an takes off slow because they programmed it that way to protect the 4motion if it was the 2wd is more aggressive

[@Not_Z-vastik_Stop_Putinism]

Hier is ZT-8 automat. DSG-7 is better.

[@nolanzeng]

It’s a torque converter not DSG

[@rossparish2039]

Someone else mentioned this, but the price comparison at the beginning of the video should really just say $40k for the Arteon because nobody! is paying msrp for these.

[@kamala80]

Nice looking car but it doesn't look like it's worth $50K.

[@IReahpZz]

In what way? Heated cooled massage seats, awd, more space, unique looks plenty of power day to day and a highly tune able engine. Smooth on the highway, etc etc

[@raziel630]

Dude, what do you have against stop signs and signaling.......lol

[@bassandtrebleclef]

Seems like arteon is both value lux AND overpriced for a VW. Both the regal sportback gs and the stinger come across similarly... All are these cool shapes with hatches, but all are about 50k. It's just too much money, even though they're all really good cars.

[@AubreyBeauford]

It's not that I don't like it 😒 it's just that it doesn't wow me despite being a nice looking car. It's not the car...it's me

[@joshuagommers3672]

It's a cool vehicle but the interior is too cheap looking and feeling at that price point. The Mazda 6 is $37000 when fully equipped but it's interior is much better looking and feeling.😬 I really wonder why Volkswagen doesn't put that much effort into luxurious interiors. Older Volkswagens like the older Passat and the Phaeton where unbelievable luxurious at their time..

[@KI-gs8sq]

It's interior is nicer than the Audi including the touch Display(Audi non touch) seating is also massage.

[@zrandy]

Why is he acting like the mileage is poor when he tested one in 2019 and it got over 40 mpg?

[@royalprince5878]

Yeah I remember he achieved 41 MPG. Impressive it exceeds the EPA figures

[@neil9658]

Damn it seems pretty slow for being 268hp

[@DMCarReviews]

Hope this solves any confusion. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmbQn4Corbubfrs

[@sahirjohri]

Thought this was a comparison of Arteon with A5 as the title says but in the whole video , this car is being compared to Passat which is misleading. Wasted 26 mins of my life watching this

[@gladdy02]

I pity the fool that actually pay anywhere near the MSRP on this vehicle.

[@attocoulomb]

The were going for $6k off retail end of last year, and I've seen more discount since then.

[@DMCarReviews]

@@attocoulomb They were going with 10k off.

[@lukasmurmann625]

"Gonna be" "Gonna be" "Gonna be" Okay okay, but it's not right now?

[@claudelacasse1276]

cheap looking key fob for a 48k vehicle....

[@TheOnlyMMshow]

That was the valet keyfob.

[@cruzingrsx4484]

The first thing I’d do is replace those rims, I think they look ridiculous on this car. Love your reviews bro.!

[@ediltonspencer6974]

This car is overrated!! So much plastic (typical to VW) and lack so many basic stuff! A Kia Stinger gives you way more for the money you spend.

[@spk8989pl]

And noone buys stinger

[@attocoulomb]

@@spk8989pl Stingers sell more than Arteons. I drove both, back to back, and bought the Arteon.

[@DMCarReviews]

The Kia is crap. Arteon has the same amount of plastic as an A5🤷‍♂️ It's actually the same plastic.

[@ripitsympatico5843]

I disagree entirely. Owned one for 3 years - reliability is off the charts. Test drove the Stinger...bought the Arteon instantly. Stinger is faster but quality is crap. This car is a unicorn. Being a drummer it fits everything with room to spare- SPORTBACK! A stage 1 tune brings it to almost 370hp. So...see ya Stringer.

[@2moe]

I want to like VW. I can't. It's bland inside out. It feels like a hollow shell. I know I am wrong, and that VW has good tech and good mechanics, etc. But I just can't like them.

[@GeordiLaForgery]

That's what I'm like with Skoda.