When shopping for a new car there are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration. Is it comfortable? Is it fun to drive? Is there room to haul my stuff? Is there room to haul more than two people comfortably? Though there are many cars that will give you a yes answer to these burning questions, Jason Torchinsky from Jalopnik argues that people are overlooking Volkswagen’s Arteon as a car that checks all of these boxes for the driver in need of a spacious car that is both practical and fun.
It can be hard to sift through the layers of nearly identical sedans and crossovers to find something that both looks different and checks all of those other boxes about capacity and zip. Well, the Arteon looks a little different, and it’s a good thing. With its good looks and fastback styling, it stands out from the crossovers and sedans while still giving an impressive 27 cubic feet of cargo room, ample knee room for backseat passengers and enough hauling capacity to win the 2019 Tow Car Award in the UK.
Though we love hearing about towing capacity and legroom, the real question is about what is under the hood. With 268 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque coming from a turbocharged 2.0-liter intake straight four which can go from zero to 60 in about 6 seconds, it is has a respectable amount of pep which makes it fun to drive. Is it a Porche 911? Of course not, but for a comfortable sedan, it’s got style, comfort and is a lot of fun.
Though the Arteon—which starts at $37,000—is indeed more expensive than some other sedans, it can better be seen as a replacement for Audi’s A5 Sportsback, a car with similar features and styling, and a heftier price tag that starts at $42,000.
