Volkswagen Arteon
First drive of premium saloon with BMW and Audi in its sights
WHAT makes a car premium? There’s an argument that the badge, the price, the technology or even the way it looks can define whether a car is premium or not. But as a rule of thumb, a mix of all four often contributes to how it’s branded.
Volkswagen is serious about upping its premium image to take on BMW and Audi, with bosses promising its cars will become more emotional and more interesting to look at in the not-too-distant future. VWS make a lot of sense to a lot of people, but very rarely does someone buy one because it makes them go weak at the knees.
The all-new Arteon is the brand’s first mid-size attempt at premium, and it gets off to a good start. It has all the right lines and curves in all the right places; its chiselled jaw and swooping roofline mean it looks unlike anything else in the current product range. To say it’s the most handsome model in VW’S line-up would be an understatement, and even up against the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and Audi A5 Sportback, the VW comes out on top.
It’s an indirect replacement for the CC, and while the styling similarities are clear, it’s actually based on the brilliantly engineered but visually lacking Passat. At 4,862mm long and 1,871mm wide, the Arteon is bigger than both its German rivals, while a 2,841mm wheelbase makes it more spacious for those inside, too. In fact, the Arteon is actually longer and wider than the Passat with which it shares so many parts.
But VW wants you to think of the Arteon as a separate model and not just another variant of the Passat – hence the new name, new proportions and more advanced tech. It’s based on the familiar MQB chassis, but features several new engines that aren’t available in the Passat. The first is the VW Group’s new 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol that debuted in the SEAT Ibiza, while the other is a Golf Gti-trumping 276bhp 2.0-litre unit. VW bosses are even discussing introducing a new high-power six-cylinder engine.
Initially, though, VW will only offer buyers the choice between two engines: the 276bhp turbo or a 237bhp 2.0-litre BITDI as tested here. Both feature a sevenspeed dual clutch automatic gearbox and 4MOTION four-wheel drive as standard.
Final prices and specifications will be announced closer to the car’s launch in October, but don’t expect any change from around £38,000. Depending on spec (only Elegance and R-line trims will be offered) and options, that figure could breach the £40,000 mark without too much trouble.
Of the two engines, the bulk of Arteon buyers are expected to go for the twin-turbo
diesel. As it shares much of its DNA with the Passat, it’s unsurprising to find the Arteon feels and drives very much like the saloon. It’s impressively refined, easy to live with, and very functional. We took issue with the firm ride when we drove a prototype Arteon in South Africa last year (Issue 1,452), but thankfully things appear to have improved.
Despite our car sitting on optional arch-filling 20-inch wheels wrapped in low-profile rubber, the Arteon handles with real composure and comfort, gliding over smooth surfaces with ease. This can be attributed to the bespoke damper system developed exclusively for this car, and while potholes are its undoing – hit one and a noticeable thump makes its way through to the cabin – it’s impressively well resolved. Of course, we’ll need to get the car back on UK roads before we can really recommend the larger rims.
VW’S adaptive damper system comes as standard if you go for the 237bhp diesel, with the usual choice of Comfort, Normal and Sport modes. Normal is the Arteon’s preferred setting, reining in the loose body control of the Comfort mode, while remaining much more forgiving than Sport. Whichever mode you’re in, though, don’t expect BMW levels of engagement. The Arteon is designed to be a stylish, longhaul cruiser, not a four-door sports car. The steering isn’t brimming with feedback but it’s accurate enough, making it feel more agile than its size suggests.
Unfortunately, our test route around Hanover in Germany didn’t give us a chance to fully assess the Arteon’s dynamic repertoire. An extended test against rivals should rectify that, although VW advises it’ll be a few months before that’s possible.
The 2.0-litre diesel is an incredibly strong motor, though, hauling the Arteon from 0-62mph in just 6.5 seconds. The combination of 500Nm of torque and 4MOTION four-wheel drive makes it doubly
“VW wants you to think of the Arteon as a separate model and not just another variant of the Passat”
effective at dragging you out of slow corners and passing dawdlers on the motorway. It isn’t the most efficient, though, returning a claimed 47.8mpg and emitting 152g/km of CO2 – a six-cylinder BMW 430d xdrive will manage more than 51mpg between fills.
A brief stint behind the wheel of the potent 276bhp 2.0-litre turbo didn’t do much to alter the Arteon’s character. In R-line spec each model is lowered by 20mm over the more luxurious Elegance models, which unsurprisingly adds a slight sharpness to the ride. It gives the Arteon a more purposeful stance on the road, but as far as we could tell, has little effect on how it drives. The four-cylinder motor is rapid, hitting 62mph in 5.6 seconds, but it’s quite coarse when extended to the top of the rev range. The bi-turbo diesel is a much better character fit for the Arteon and feels just as brisk thanks to the large amount of torque available from just 1,750rpm.
On a practical level, the Arteon scores well. The shapely body has come at the expense of a slightly reduced boot capacity over the Passat, but the 563-litre load bay is only 87 litres smaller than the saloon’s. Both the BMW and Audi can only serve up 480 litres of space, and the VW’S seats fold to offer a 1,557-litre load bay. That plunging roofline has only stolen a few millimetres of headroom, but those over six feet tall will be more than comfortable in the rear. There’s also acres of legroom.
While the overall cabin design and feel is on a par with the BMW, the Arteon doesn’t quite match the Audi when it comes to perceived quality. The cabin is a carbon copy of that from the Passat, which is no bad thing, while VW’S latest 9.2-inch infotainment system can be added. It’s here the Arteon begins to lose its grip on the premium image, though. There’s nothing wrong with the design or its functionality, but with the Arteon being labelled as a more upmarket alternative to the Passat, it does feel like it’s missing that final layer of polish.
One thing the Arteon won’t leave you wanting for is more tech; VW boss Herbert Diess claims that it is the most advanced car currently built on the MQB chassis. A new Active Lighting System uses GPS data to move the headlights, illuminating the corner before you even turn the wheel, while a new Adaptive Cruise Control function adjusts the car’s speed depending on local limits by reading road signs and changing automatically. It’s intuitive to use, and not once did it get caught out by the constantly changing limits on our route in Germany.
Nothing has been officially announced yet in terms of specification, but as VW’S flagship model you can expect a raft of kit to be included on both Elegance and R-line models as standard.
Alcantara and leather seats, 18-inch alloys, heated seats, adaptive dampers and an eight-inch infotainment system with sat-nav should feature on every model. An extensive options list, including a panoramic roof and those larger 20-inch rims, will give buyers plenty of scope for personalisation, too.
“Those over six foot will be very comfortable in the rear. There’s also acres of legroom”