Compare the2023 Volkswagen ArteonVS 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Arteon are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Alfa Romeo Giulia doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Arteon has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Giulia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Arteon has standard Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Giulia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Arteon SEL Premium has a standard Area View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Giulia only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Arteon and the Giulia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 all wheel drive.

The Arteon’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Giulia’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Arteon for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Alfa Romeo only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Giulia.

There are almost 5 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Arteon’s warranty.

The Volkswagen Arteon’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Giulia’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

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 Arteon’s reliability 31 points higher than the Giulia.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo With 28 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Alfa Romeo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volkswagen 5 places higher in reliability than Alfa Romeo.

The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (300 vs. 280) than the Giulia’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Arteon FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Giulia RWD (25 city/33 hwy vs. 24 city/33 hwy).

The Arteon has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Giulia (17.4 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Arteon offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Giulia doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Arteon’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Giulia:

The Arteon’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Giulia are solid, not vented.

The Arteon stops much shorter than the Giulia:

For better traction, the Arteon has larger tires than the Giulia (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R17). The Arteon’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Giulia (245/45R18 vs. 225/40R19).

The Arteon’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Giulia’s standard 50 series tires. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Giulia’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Arteon has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Giulia. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Giulia.

The Arteon has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Giulia; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Arteon is 1.2 inches wider in the front than on the Giulia.

The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion handles at .90 G’s, while the Giulia Ti Q4 pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Giulia Ti (26.7 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.1 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Arteon a Large car, while the Giulia is rated a Mid-size.

The Arteon has .4 inches more front shoulder room, 5.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Giulia.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Arteon’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Giulia doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The Arteon has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Giulia has no towing capacity.

When the Arteon SEL/SEL Premium is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Giulia’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Arteon SEL Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Giulia doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Arteon SEL Premium has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Giulia.

The Arteon SEL Premium’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Giulia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volkswagen Arteon, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Alfa Romeo Giulia isn't recommended.