Almost a year after making its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the Volkswagen Arteon finally touched down in America when it was unveiled at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show. If you’re wondering what caused the long delay of its U.S. debut, you’re better off channeling your curiosity somewhere else. The delay isn’t important. What’s important is that it’s finally here. If there is a question to ask about the Arteon, it’s this: is it worth it to get one?

The optics of the Volkswagen Arteon are very promising. It looks like what a proper, all-new four-door sedan is supposed to look like. It has a fresh design that reminds of the Volkswagen Atlas. Both models depart heavily from VW’s current design language, and that’s precisely why they stand out. I suppose this was an intentional move by Volkswagen because it is putting a lot of eggs in the baskets of the Arteon and Atlas to be the models that will jolt some life to the brand after the debilitating fiasco that was Dieselgate.

On that end, Volkswagen scored big with the Arteon’s look. I’d say it’s worth it based on its design.

On the technical and mechanical fronts, the Arteon sits on Volkswagen's new MBQ platform. It’s the same platform that a lot of new VW models are using, including the Atlas. It also happens to be versatile enough to be set up for use on a sedan. The new platform also helps VW fit its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four engine into the Arteon. This mill gives the sedan an impressive 270 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, much more than the 208-horsepower Volkswagen CC, the widely panned sedan that it’s replacing in the U.S. Once again, I’d say the Arteon is a good purchase based on its power and performance abilities.

Now, is it better than the competition it’s going to go up against? That remains to be seen, especially when you consider that the “competition” includes the BMW 320i, Audi A4, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q50, Lincoln MKZ, Acura TLX, Buick Regal, and Volvo S60. That’s a lot of competition. It’s too early to say if the Arteon is as good as any of its worthy rivals, but it sure has its work cut out for it.

Ultimately, any questions related to the worth of buying a new car depends exclusively on how much the car is going to cost. Volkswagen has yet to announce the pricing details of the U.S.-spec Arteon, but there have been numerous reports that the sedan will command just under $40,000 for the base trim option.

If that’s the case, the Arteon would fall on the higher end of prices compared to the models mentioned above. Check out the table below to see what I mean.

So, the Volkswagen Arteon will undoubtedly sit on the higher-range of this segment. We won’t know for sure until Volkswagen releases the official price list for its models and trims. From the looks of it, though, you may want to stretch your funds if you want to get a hold of Volkswagen’s latest four-door sedan.

References

Volkswagen Arteon

Read our full review on the 2018 Volkswagen Arteon.

Volkswagen Arteon Finally Makes U.S. Debut in Chicago!

Read more Chicago Auto Show news.

Read more Volkswagen news.