Compare the2023 Volkswagen ArteonVS 2023 Lexus ES

Both the Arteon and the ES have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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.

The Arteon’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the ES’ (7 vs. 6 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Arteon for 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the ES (2/20,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are almost 3 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Lexus 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 ES’ engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 97 more horsepower (300 vs. 203) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 184) than the ES 250 AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 85 more horsepower (300 vs. 215) than the ES 300h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 267) than the ES 350’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6.

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

Both the Arteon and the ES Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Arteon’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Arteon has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the ES Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Arteon has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the ES’ standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 15.9 gallons).

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 ES doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

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

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 ES are solid, not vented.

The Arteon stops much shorter than the ES:

For better traction, the Arteon has larger tires than the ES (245/45R18 vs. 215/55R17). The Arteon’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ES (245/45R18 vs. 235/45R18).

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 ES’ standard 55 series tires. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s tires have a lower 35 series profile than the ES F Sport’s 40 series tires.

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

The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion handles at .84 G’s, while the ES 300h pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the ES 300h (26.7 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Arteon is 4.4 inches shorter than the ES, making the Arteon easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Arteon has .2 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the ES.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Arteon’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The ES’ useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Arteon’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The ES doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

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

The Arteon’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The ES’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Arteon’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the ES’ headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Arteon has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the ES. The Arteon SEL Premium also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the ES.

The Arteon has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the ES.

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 ES.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Arteon has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the ES.

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 ES doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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