Compare the2024 Acura TLXVS 2024 Volkswagen Arteon

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Acura TLX 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.

The TLX’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 TLX and the Arteon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the TLX 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 TLX’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Arteon’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

The battery on the TLX is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the TLX’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Arteon’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 TLX’s reliability 20 points higher than the Arteon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 42 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura fourth in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 27th.

The TLX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 55 more horsepower (355 vs. 300) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 295) than the Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the TLX Type S’ fuel efficiency. The Arteon doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The TLX 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.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Acura TLX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Arteon.

For better stopping power the TLX Type S’ brake rotors are larger than those on the Arteon:

The TLX stops much shorter than the Arteon:

For better traction, the TLX has larger tires than the Arteon (255/35R20 vs. 245/35R20).

The TLX 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the TLX’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than on the Arteon (113 inches vs. 111.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the TLX is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Arteon.

The TLX Type S handles at .97 G’s, while the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The TLX Type S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the Arteon SEL Premium R-Line (24.7 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

The TLX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Arteon doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The TLX has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more front hip room, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, 8.1 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Arteon.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the TLX offers cargo security. The Arteon’s hatchback body style and non-lockable folding seat defeat cargo security.

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 TLX Type S has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction 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.

The TLX is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Arteon doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the TLX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the TLX will cost $1975 to $6560 less than the Arteon over a five-year period.

The TLX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the TLX will retain 45.75% to 49.71% of its original price after five years, while the Arteon only retains 35.76% to 36.38%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Acura TLX will be $513 to $10229 less than for the Volkswagen Arteon.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the TLX second among midsize premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Arteon isn’t in the top three.

The Acura TLX outsold the Volkswagen Arteon by over seven to one during 2023.