Compare the2023 Acura IntegraVS 2023 Volkswagen Arteon

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Acura Integra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Volkswagen Arteon doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Integra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Arteon doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Integra’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Arteon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Integra and the Arteon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available rear parking sensors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Integra its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Arteon has not been fully tested, yet.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the Integra 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Arteon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Arteon ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Integra’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Arteon’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Integra’s reliability 20 points higher than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Acura vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 38 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 15 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

On the EPA test cycle the Integra gets better mileage than the Arteon:

The Integra has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Arteon doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Integra has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Arteon doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Integra has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Arteon doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Integra A-Spec Technology handles at .87 G’s, while the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Integra’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Arteon’s (38.1 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Acura Integra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 800 pounds less than the Volkswagen Arteon.

The Integra is 5.7 inches shorter than the Arteon, making the Integra easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Integra has 1.1 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 38% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

The Integra A-Spec with Technology Package has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and warning readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Arteon doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Acura Integra and the Volkswagen Arteon, based on reliability, safety and performance.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Integra as the 2023 North American Car of the Year. The Arteon has never been chosen.

The Acura Integra outsold the Volkswagen Arteon by over seven to one during 2022.