COTY
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/8-speed automatic Curb Weight
(F/R Dist) 3,942 lb (57/43%) Wheelbase 111.7 in Length x Width x Height 191.4 x 73.7 x 56.5 in Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 169/125 kW-hr/100
miles CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.86 lb/mileSPECS 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 4Motion R-Line
Base Price/As Tested $38,640/$48,175
Power (SAE net) 268 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 258 lb-ft @ 1,950 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 7. 4 sec
Quarter Mile 15.6 sec @ 91.9 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 121 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.84 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 26.9 sec @ 0.65 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 20/27/23 mpgD
id you know “Arteon” in
French means “budget
Audi?” No, it doesn’t. I
kid. But it should. And that’s not
necessarily a bad thing.
The Volkswagen Arteon’s
svelte, sleek style mimics the Audi
A7’s design with similar panache.
Subtract the four-circles logo and
about 30 grand, and you have the
Arteon. What’s wrong with that?
Not much, as it turns out. But
the differences are real.
If you have a family of long-
legged teens, the Arteon’s backseat may be the solution for your
carpooling dilemma. Plus the
hatch area is immense. But the
interior fitments and switchgear
do leave something to be desired
in their similarity to the lower-
tier Jetta. Priddle described the
view from the driver’s seat as “a
horrible horizon of cheapness.”
As for ride comfort, the Arteon
won praise as one of the most
comfortable, quiet, and stable
when going over myriad lumps,
bumps, and jolts. It simply
absorbs road crud with aplomb.But ride and performance are
two very different beasts, and
the Arteon falls short in the latter
category. Its 0–60 run was the
longest 7.4 seconds of everyone’s
day—saved only by the eight-
speed automatic’s decisive,
quick, and responsive shifts.
Then there’s getting it to
corner, where the Arteon was
riddled with understeer, body roll,and tire squeal. “This is no sport
sedan,” Markus said. Walton left
the driver’s seat unimpressed:
“Handsome styling and forget-
table driving experience.”
But the Arteon deserves more
than such summary dismissal.
With a starting price near
$37,000, it delivers value with
stylish presence, roominess, and
an excellent ride. Mark RechtinPRO Audi looks; V W price • Comfortable ride • Huge back seat
CON Costly options • Jetta switchgear • Underwhelming performanceVolkswagen Arteon
Vehicle Layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan Engine/Transmission SE 2.0L DOHC 16-valve I-4/6-speed manual Hybrid LE 1.8L DOHC 16-valve
I-4 plus AC synchronous permanent-magnet elec motor/cont variable auto XLE 1.8L DOHC 16-valve I-4/cont variable auto Curb Weight (F/R Dist) SE 3,001
lb (60/40%) Hybrid LE 3,054 lb (60/40%) XLE 2,992 lb (60/40%) Wheelbase 106.3 in L x W x H 182.3 x 70.1 x 56.5 Energy Consumption, City/Hwy SE 116/94
kW-hr/100 miles Hybrid LE 64/65 kW-hr/100 miles XLE 116/91 kW-hr/100 miles CO2 Emissions, Comb SE 0.61 lb/mile Hybrid LE 0.37 lb/mile XLE 0.60 lb/mileSPECS 2020 Toyota Corolla SE 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE 2020 Toyota Corolla XLE
Base Price/As Tested $23,705/$23,705 $24,055/$24,055 $25,005/$26,720
Power (SAE net) 169 hp @ 6,600 rpm 121 hp @ 5200 rpm + 71 hp (elec); 121 hp comb 139 hp @ 6,100 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 151 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm 105 lb-ft @ 3600 + 105 lb-ft (elec) 126 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm
Accel, 0-60 mph 7.8 sec 10.3 sec 10.2 sec
Quarter Mile 16.1 sec @ 87.5 mph 17.6 sec @ 79.0 mph 17.8 sec @ 81.0 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 126 ft 133 ft 128 ft
Lateral Acceleration 0.83 g (avg) 0.77 g (avg) 0.81 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 27.7 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) 29.1 sec @ 0.54 g (avg) 28.1 sec @ 0.58 g (avg)
EPA City/Hwy/Comb 29/36/32 mpg 53/52/52 mpg 29/37/32 mpgfour-cylinder engine is loud,
laborious, and slow with the CVT,
taking more than 10 seconds to
go from 0 to 60 mph.
The 2.0-liter offers a manual
transmission—but it has long
throws, clutch take-up is a bit
vague, and rev-matching was
poor. As for handling, however,
Rechtin was impressed that the
Corolla now has better road
manners than the longtime
back-road favorite Mazda3.
The 2020 Corolla is Toyota’s
best effort yet, especiallyN
ow riding on the new
TNGA-C platform, the
12th-gen Corolla may not
light up the test track, yet Toyota
has made its econobox-for-the-
masses somehow ... fun?
High marks for the exceptional
value of the $24,055 hybrid
with a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle
engine and the extra power
from the 169-hp 2.0-liter I-4 and
six-speed manual in the SE. But
as the XLE is the volume model,
prospective customers should
know the aged 139-hp 1.8-literinside. Loh liked the “modern,
funk y, kind-of-Ikea design.” The
stitching and two-tone color
schemes make the hard plastic
look fresh. The cloth seats are
rough but appear durable. But
the minimalist center console
houses the only USB outlet.
Toyota embraces the Corolla’s
econobox place in the food
chain, with manually adjustable
seats, standard 15-inch wheels, a
hand brake, and tinny-sounding
doors. It’s front-drive only with no
plans for AWD, a turbocharger,or trading in old-school nickel–
metal hydride batteries in the
hybrid for lithium-ion.
The amount of standard safety
equipment, independent rear
suspension, the hybrid’s 53/52
mpg fuel economy, and fresher
look add up to a good value and
comfortable commuter.
The Honda Civic may still be
our compact sedan segment
leader, but the redesigned
Corolla has definitely upped the
competitive pressure.
Alisa PriddlePRO Great value • Standard safety equipment • Great fuel economy
CON Weak base engine • Tinny-sounding doors • No rear USB outletsToyota Corolla
JANUARY 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 83