Much has been said about the new Arteon, and Volkswagen is so proud of its new five-door fastback that the car is now the German brand’s flagship model. The Arteon is a car that will offer luxury and state-of-the-art technology, but with a price starting from £34,035, it could well draw people away from the BMW and Merc equivalents.
Work Of Art-eon
I’ll be honest, I’m not sold of the look of the new Golf, purely because I think the bonnet design is a little off, but the Arteon? That looks pretty good to my eye. The model pictured is the R-Line, which is designed to offer a sportier look, but you can also have the Elegance model, which sits below the R-Line in the Arteon’s two-trim line-up. The inside of the car feature the latest technology, including 8″ touchscreen, eight-speaker sound system, and the 12.3″ Active Info display to to name a few.
Those looking for more tech can spec options such as the 9.2″ touchscreen with gesture control, a 700-watt 11-speaker sound system, panoramic roof and front massaging seats. In regards to the outside specification, standard features will include 18″ alloys, LED self-levelling headlights, LED rear taillights with dynamic indicators.
Spacious and Safe
Space is one of the main priorities for the new Arteon and thank to a wheelbase of 2,387mm, meaning the rear legroom on offer is a class-leading 1,016mm. Plush nappa leather comes as standard as well, so whether you’re in the front or the back, it should be a comfortable place to be. The boot isn’t exactly small either – 563 litres is available here, which can be increased to 1,557 litres with the rear seats folded.
The Arteon is built on VW’s latest MQB platorm which offers high body rigidity thanks to a combination of ultra high-strength and hot-stamped steels.Despite the car’s large rear hatch, body rigidity has been increased by 10% as measured against a comparable saloon model. There are a whole host of safety features too, including adaptive cruise control, city emergency braking, front assist and speed assist to name a few. This all combined meant that the Arteon was able to secure top marks in the latest Euro NCAP ratings.
What about engines?
To begin with, the new Arteon will come with a choice of three engines, which will then soon grow to a choice of five engines later down the line. In regards to the engines available right now, buyers can either opt for a 276bhp turbocharged petrol, or 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel which comes with a choice of either 148 or 237bhp.
To add to this, there will be two other petrol units available; a newly developed 1.5 turbocharged petrol producing 148bhp and a 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol producing 187bhp. The less powerful engines can be mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic gearbox, whereas the more powerful models only receive the latter. All-wheel drive also comes as standard for the most powerful models in the range.
Those seeking performance will need to seek out the 276bhp petrol unit, as that race to 62mph in a very respectable 5.4 seconds. However, if economy is your bag, then check out the 148bhp diesel, which is able to offer up to 62.8mpg on a combined run.
The new Volkswagen Arteon is available to order now, with prices starting from £34,035.
