Introduced in late 2017, the Arteon is the flagship of the Volkswagen range, explains Robin Roberts
. Steadily expanding, it now runs to over 20 variants here in the UK, including seven petrol or diesel engine and powertrain options, plus a choice of manual or automatic gearbox and two- and four-wheel-drive versions in two trim levels. Just the one body style is available.
Using the Volkswagen Group’s Modularer Querbaukasten or MQB modular platform, the Arteon sits above the Passat series, effectively replacing the ill-fated Phaeton, which was deleted from the range in 2016. As you might expect, the Arteon has much in common with the Audi A5 Sportback that CALIBRE drove recently.
The Turmeric Yellow paint finish and higher R-Line sporting trim of my test car never failed to turn heads and produce comments, nearly all of them favourable. An imposing car, its sleek shape is as aerodynamically effective as it is good-looking. I achieved just over 50mpg, which is excellent given the car’s size.
The 2.0 turbo-charged diesel engine was a little hesitant to start, but its 190hp output was good enough to attain a respectable acceleration from rest and through the gears when overtaking. It fairly galloped along motorways and main roads, and the seven-speed DSG box was highly responsive to overtaking, very smooth and quiet in operation, and had a manual mode if desired. The engine was also smooth and fairly quiet, and the combination worked well to shrink miles without wearing down the driver.
Our test car had front-wheel drive only, and it showed good grip and agility with a vice-free handling nature, but for the ultimate in grip, you’d have to move into a 4WD version and bear the additional cost if you really needed it to keep you moving in the mud and snow. There is no denying the steering and brakes reinforced the assured stance of the Arteon, needed little effort to feed back a strong and efficient response, and were particularly smooth.
Secondary controls were all grouped on the wheel spokes, console or fascia. The infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dash is very clear, while a familiar instrument display in front of the driver conveys the essentials and a range of readings which could be scrolled into view. All were clear and logical.
The heating and ventilation were controlled via push buttons below the central info screen. The system was easy to understand and use, as well as being effective. Powered windows and a sunroof backed it up, although the glass roof is an optional extra.
It’s an extremely roomy car, whether in the front or in any of the three back seats, and the boot can take several cases for a holiday. Access was easy throughout, and the boot space opened from knee height to reveal ample space even before the seatbacks were folded. Inside, the oddments room was good, with bins on the doors, the central console and seatbacks, and a large glovebox.
Seats included a multi-adjustable electric option on the test car, and they were very well shaped and supremely comfortable and supporting under the legs and around the back.
This brings us to the Arteon’s ride. The test car’s 19-inch wheels and tyres picked up every ripple and recess, particularly at lower speeds. However, things smoothed out at higher speeds, and it was very smooth on main roads. The suspension settings were definitely on the stiffer side and reflected the R-Line trim. There are four selectable ride settings adding eco to comfort and dynamic, but the normal setting proved the most effective.
In the daytime, the uniformly dark interior may not be to everyone’s liking, but at night the interior illumination transformed the cabin into a light-fest with colour and brightness in abundance set against that black background.
In summary, the Volkswagen Arteon is a distinctive and desirable car. Despite its size, it has good performance but a modest thirst, is easy to drive and is fairly comfortable most of the time. However, some of the optional extras I enjoyed on ‘my’ car are expensive, and the warranty is no better than average in today’s market.
But, it has raised the Volkswagen game against what many consider the premium German brands, including its sister Audi brand, and that cannot be a bad thing.
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