VW Arteon Shooting Brake
The sleek estate joins the evo fleet for some stylish load-lugging duties
SHOOTING BRAKE: ‘A CAR BODY STYLE which originated in the 1890s as a horsedrawn wagon used to transport shooting parties with their equipment and game.’ So said Wikipedia when I looked it up, but to the rest of us it just means a fancy estate car. And whilst I have no plans to ferry about shooting parties or indeed game, the timing of the Arteon’s arrival at evo Towers couldn’t have been better, arriving as it did just at that time of year when the schools break up and multiple holiday miles are mandatory.
I’ll be honest, unlike many of my colleagues I’ve never been a huge fan of estate shapes (unless it’s the Ghostbusters hearse), but this one looks particularly handsome from all angles. In bright sunshine the Kings Red Metallic paint (£795) really pops, while the R-line styling touches (19-inch wheels, tinted rear glass) and the slim, frameless side windows further enhance the body shape. Literally on its first fuel stop I was approached and complimented on the car’s looks by a beaming off-duty prison guard.
The cabin is equally pleasing, with features such as a panoramic sunroof and 30-colour ambient lighting (both part of the R-line spec), plus extras on our car that include seats with ‘Carbon/nappa’ upholstery (£1560) and massage and memory functions (£1190). The dash is similar to that of the most recent Golf R, but thankfully the infotainment system is easier to navigate and is joined here by an impressive Harman/kardon sound system upgrade (£1255). There’s also Apple Carplay/android Auto, meaning Google Maps and Spotify can override the standard VW functions (hoorah!). Meanwhile, the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel give off classy vibes, the digital cockpit is nicely designed and – oh look! – there’s a head-up display to fulful all of my Top Gun fantasies.
In short, it’s loaded with an embarrassment of riches both inside and out, and so it should be, because with all of its extras this car comes in at a whopping £48,240 against the basic price of £39,550. That’s quite a lot of money for what my neighbour annoyingly refers to as a ‘posh Passat’.
And this Arteon is an R-line, not an R, which means its 2-litre four-cylinder engine has 187bhp and drives only the front wheels through its seven-speed DSG ’box. The result is 0-62mph in 7.8sec, which can feel a bit sluggish away from the traffic lights compared with most other cars on our fleet – not least our new Skoda Octavia VRS (see page 136), which cost £15k less, has 55bhp more, isn’t exactly short on space inside as a hatchback and is also available as an estate.
But not as a shooting brake. You undoubtedly pay extra for the the Arteon’s style and more luxurious feel. We’ll find out if it’s worth it over the next few months, but in the meantime the big VW is already making a good first impression, covering ground suprisingly quickly once it’s up and running and proving more fun that you might expect on a twisting road. And I’m sure eating up big miles will be a particular forté. Speaking of which, it’s time to pack for the first of this year’s holidays, and for once I’m looking forward to the long drive.
Date acquired July 2021 Total mileage 5670 Mileage this month 1400 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 36.3