Review
VW Arteon
The new VW Arteon has become a five-door that combines the comfort, space and elegance of a fastback with the design and driving experience of a sports car. This new addition to VW is built in Germany and positions itself above the Passat. VW itself talks about an avant-garde business class gran turismo. We were introduced to this elegant appearance through a test drive with the 2.0 TDI with 150 hp.
Finishes
The basic version of the Arteon is available from 40,470 euros. Then you get alloy wheels, LED headlights for low beam and high beam, the distance control system “Front Assist”, city emergency braking function “City Emergency Brake”, ParkPilot parking sensors (front and rear) and rear lights with LED technology. Our test car was equipped with the “Elegance” finish and the base price is 42,820 euros. Then you get, among other things, 4 stylish and sporty alloy wheels of the “Muscat” type, rear lights in LED technology with dynamic indicators, seat center panels in Alcantara, center armrest and seat side bolsters in leather “Vienna”, separately heated front seats and “Line Light Black” inserts at the front. dashboard and door trim (see demo video). For sporty people there is also the R-Line from 43,570 euros. Personally, we are fans of the sportier versions, but an elegant car such as the Arteon also came into its own in the stylish “Elegance” finish.
Motorizations
At launch, the Arteon will be available with 3 engines. You can choose the basic version and the Elegance with a 2.0 TDI of 150 hp. With the R-Line you have the choice of a powerful 280 hp petrol engine or a diesel of 150 hp or 240 hp.
The intention is to eventually add a 1.5 TSI Evo with 150 hp and also a TSI and TDI with 190 hp each.
Our test car was equipped with a 2.0 TDI with 150 hp and a max. torque of 340 Nm. You can park this in your driveway in Elegance version from 42,820 euros. Under the hood we find one four-cylinder TDI SCR diesel engine with a capacity of 1,968 cc. The sprint from 0-100 km/h takes 9.1 seconds and the top speed is around 220 km/h. The Arteon is equipped with front-wheel drive and in terms of transmission, the Arteon has a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. The DSG shifts smoothly and the Arteon drives very smoothly with 150 hp.
Innovative driver assistance systems
The Arteon is available with numerous innovative driver assistance systems that bring this VW one step closer to autonomous driving. Emergency Assist 2.0 enables the Arteon to detect that the driver is no longer able to drive himself and can autonomously stop the car if necessary. It uses various driver assistance systems that work together: ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), Side Assist, Lane Assist and Park Assist.
For example, if the driver has fallen asleep, sensors will notice that the steering wheel, accelerator pedal and brake are no longer being used. In this case, the system will provide acoustic, visual and even physical warnings by means of a powerful braking impulse to wake the driver up. If the driver still does not respond, the system will start the procedure to autonomously stop the car. The flashing lights turn on and the Arteon makes gentle steering movements to warn other drivers. The Arteon will automatically start to brake. On multi-lane roads, the Arteon will even be steered to the outer lane in a controlled manner, taking into account oncoming traffic.
Another innovative optional driver assistance system is Pre-Crash. The latest generation of this system can detect danger at the rear of the car. If the system detects that a collision is likely to occur, it will activate the flashing lights, close the windows and panoramic roof and tighten the seat belts to protect the occupants as best as possible.
Yet another improved driver assistance system is the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). From now on, this system will also take speed limits and upcoming bends into account to adjust the speed accordingly. This ensures that the Arteon is an ideal cruiser for long distances.
Conclusion
The VW Arteon has become an elegant car with an original look, a beautiful finish on the inside and an overall futuristic appearance. The new Arteon can also impress in terms of technology. There are numerous innovative driver assistance systems available that can make the driver’s life safer and more comfortable.
Additional images of exterior and interior:
Johan De Haes
Test driver
