Unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the Volkswagen Arteon arrived to replace the CC, a sportier-looking, coupe-style version of the all-popular Passat. A big hit when it was introduced in 2008, the CC lost its appeal after only a few years, and it became one of the company's slowest selling vehicles. A significant departure from its predecessor, the Arteon will fix that and likely give Volkswagen a better shot at the premium market. Launched in the U.S. at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show, the Arteon is not only the more appealing car on the outside, but it's also more practical.

Longer and wider than the CC, the Arteon offers increased legroom and shoulder room for both front and rear passengers, moving it closer to luxury competitors like the Audi A5 Sportback. More importantly, the Arteon has a bigger trunk, which makes it more appealing to drivers who want a car that looks sporty and youthful, but it's also suitable for family trips. Specifically, the U.S.-spec Arteon can take up to 19.88 cubic feet of luggage in the trunk, an extra 1.1 cubic feet compared to the CC. It's not as spacious as the A5 Sportback's, which comes in at 21.8 cubic feet, but it's significantly more than the outgoing Mercedes-Benz CLS' 15.3 cubic feet.

It's also worth noting that the Arteon comes with a full-size spare tire in the trunk. The CC had one too, so the new four-door coupe isn't exactly special in this department, but most cars on the market don't have one, getting a space-saver instead. The latter reduces costs and often saves a bit of space, but it's not a great deal given that these compact spares have a short life expectancy and low-speed rating. It's definitely better than the fix-a-flat can that came with the Chrysler Town and Country, but nothing beats a full-size spare.

So what do you think? Is the new Arteon a worthy successor to the CC? Let me know in the comments.

References

Volkswagen Arteon

Read our full review on the 2018 Volkswagen Arteon.

Read our full review on the 2017 Volkswagen CC.

Read more Chicago Auto Show news.

Read more Volkswagen news.