2021 Volkswagen Arteon doubles down on design
The 2021 Arteon is by far the most beautiful machine in Volkswagen's portfolio. Its long, low, and wide proportions convey the type of elegance typically reserved for models wearing Audi's famous interlocking rings rather than VW'S humbler logo. It's far more like the sultry A5 Sportback than the generic Passat.
Despite its avant-garde aesthetic and luxury-grade amenities, Volkswagen's sleekest hatchback (cleverly disguised as a fast-roofline sedan) isn't a big seller in the United States. Since arriving as a 2019 model, just more than 5000 copies found buyers through the third quarter of 2020. But the Arteon wasn't built for mass appeal. VW has an expanding roster of crossovers to satisfy the masses and protect its profit margins. Instead, the Arteon was made even prettier and more desirable for the 2021 model year, to continue to entice individualists who appreciate its Audi-adjacent style.
We tested a top-of-the-line Arteon SEL Premium R-line painted in Pyrite Silver that rode on a set of newly designed 20-inch wheels. The cabin gets a more dramatic update than the exterior, with VW adding some tasteful visual flair. The upper part of the dashboard now has a modernized design that scraps the pointless analog clock and relocates the buttons above the infotainment system to the bezel around the shifter. The cabin also looks great at night, the new ambient lighting featuring 30 selectable colors that highlight a strip across the dash, translucent panels on the doors, and even elements in the fully digital gauge cluster and 8.0inch touchscreen. We're also