The Volkswagen Arteon

Dramatically styled all-rounder with a luxury feel.

This new model is certainly aimed at the style-conscious consumer who may be pursuing many miles each day for business purposes. There isn’t much to criticise about the Arteon, it has it all; style, technology and luxury to take on its premium-badged rivals like the Audi A5 Sportback or the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Not only does it come with its eye-catching features, but its coupled with low running costs and reasonable company car tax bills. What isn’t there to like?

We want to know all about its exclusive features!
It has all the features to be designed for a sportier feel, including 19-inch alloy wheels, and R-Line bumper with gloss black air intakes, a gloss black tailgate spoiler and body colour mirrors. Inside you get sports-style seats and a dark headliner. Major optional extras include DCC adaptive dampers, parking cameras and the usual upgrades to seats, audio and infotainment systems. 
But what about the engine, performance and its drive? 
The Arteon engine line-up starts with the 148bhp 2.0 TDI that does 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds and 138mph flat out. The performance figures are all-but identical whether you pick the six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearbox. A 187bhp 2.0 TDI engine will launch with or without 4MOTION all-wheel drive, though for now, the only other diesel is the fastest twin-turbo BiTDI which offers 237bhp. It comes with 4MOTION only and does 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds with a 152mph maximum speed. The petrol engine range is limited to two options, starting with the 187bhp 2.0 TSI. It’s available only with a DSG automatic gearbox, does 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds and 147mph. Otherwise, you’re looking at the 276bhp 2.0 TSI which also adds standard 4MOTION. It’s the hottest Arteon with a 5.6-second sprint from 0-62mph and a 155mph maximum.
It’s extravagant styling and high tech features do not match how on the road the Arteon performs with its soft drive, however it really excels as a long-distance motorway cruiser. The Passat is already supremely efficient in this regard, and the extra cabin luxury and slippery body-styling of the Arteon mean it’s even more comfortable, quiet and refined on long hauls. 
If you want driving thrills, there isn’t a shadow of a doubt that the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe provides a more responsive experience. The Arteon’s steering offers little road feel and switching the DCC adaptive dampers to Sport mode reins in the body roll but at the noticeable expense of ride comfort. We ended up leaving the DCC system in Comfort – which can feel occasionally floaty ­– or Normal, most of the time. This last setting works very well, with a decent balance between ride comfort and body control, but it’s an acknowledgement that being a good all-rounder is the Arteon’s strongest suit.​

Warranty
The VW Arteon comes with Volkswagen’s standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty. This used to be standard fare, but BMW and Mercedes both offer three years cover with unlimited mileage.
 
Servicing
You can expect lengthy service intervals if you drive an Arteon. The 2.0 TDI models are especially impressive, with no service requirement for three years or 37,000 miles.
 
Overall, the only cons we could find with this VW model were that it lacked rear headroom and wasn’t aimed at those who love the thrills of driving and it is not a premium badge. Despite this, the pros of this upcoming model push the negatives out of perspective, when it includes premium styling inside and out and most importantly it is an overall refined all-rounder with exceptionally low running costs.

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