The sleek and stylish Volkswagen Arteon is one of the many models that’s getting axed as the German brand rationalises its lineup.

It’s not just the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace getting the axe as part of VW’s new strategy, but the striking Arteon too. Admittedly, the smart-looking sedan was discontinued in SA sometime ago on the back of poor sales and didn’t get the current facelifted version, which included a hot R model.

Still, losing some fringe models is a small price to pay in the overall greater scheme things. Volkswagen announced a new strategy in the middle of July 2023 where it would be focusing on revenue growth and investing in the future, but this means a streamlined product portfolio, reducing complexity of options and trim and so on. The focus will be on VW’s bread-and-butter models as well as its new electric ID range of vehicles.

The updated Arteon range never made it to SA

“The program is the number one priority for the entire Board of Management,” said CEO Thomas Schäfer. “Achieving this in 2026 is very ambitious, but feasible if we pool our efforts. This will enable us to safeguard jobs, finance our future from our own resources and continue to invest in new vehicles and technologies, in the modernization of our plants and in staff training.”

When it came to SA in 2018, the Volkswagen Arteon impressed us. Not only did it look unique with its liftback 4-door coupe design, but the choice of engines were a great blend of performance and economy. You could opt for a 2.0 turbo diesel or a 2.0 turbo petrol, the latter paired with 4Motion all-wheel drive.

So, what does this mean for you, the consumer? Well, don’t despair as the Arteon represents good value on the pre-owned market and we have a few listed for sale. The diesel-powered option is arguably the more sensible of the two, as the petrol model is basically a Golf R powertrain in a smarter sedan body.

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