It’s all in the name Arteon, reflecting on the harmonious lines of the German sedan. Stunning from virtually every angle, there’s a lot resting on the extended haunches of the four-door coupe. Replacing the Passat-based CC, the Volkswagen Arteon is the brand’s all-new halo model that is set to take on established and desirable rivals such as the Audi A7, BMW 5-Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Exterior
There is no arguing the Volkswagen Arteon is a proper headturner. With an intimidating and aggressive stance on the road, the Arteon flaunts the most emotional Volkswagen design in recent history and is a worthy successor to the legendary CC. Compared to its predecessor, the Arteon is longer, lower and wider, with a distinct coupe-like roofline that tapers into the boot. The clamshell bonnet and scallop flanks are traditional cues that add to its appeal.
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Interior
When you enter the cabin, the first impression is one of sheer space and a minimalistic design. The wide vent that runs the length of the dashboard is pretty cool and there is a huge 9.2-inch digital display, which in my opinion, sits a little too low. To accoampny the main display is a smaller active HD info display in the instrument cluster dedicated to delivering precise information to the driver.
The quality of the interior is exceptional with Nappa leather on the steering wheel and high quality plastics used only sparingly. The interior also has decent practicality with 2 large cup holders in the center console, a sizeable center storage box and large door bins to hold everything from wallets and phones to keys and water bottles.
The black carbon leather seats are adjustable in fourteen different ways and believe me when I say you can drive it for long hours and not feel tired or fatigued. In addition to being comfortable and supportive, the seats also have memory and massage functions.
The Arteon offers more rear leg room than most of its rivals, but, the sloping roofline takes its toll on rear head room – taller rear passengers will certainly find their heads not far from the roofline. You can easily get three adults settled in the rear, but shoulder room will be a little tight. The boot is the largest in its class and with the rear seats folded, it can offer you more than 1,500 liters of space.
Drive
The Volkswagen Arteon R-Line is armed with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 280 hrosepower and 350 Nm of torque. Accoampnying it is an All-Wheel-Drive system, an engaging 7-speed automatic gearbox, and launch control!
Out on the roads of the UAE, the Arteon feels nice and is effortless to drive. The steering is well weighted and precise, the 20-inch alloys do not hinder comfort and it achieves 100 km/h in under 6 seconds.
Since it sits lower to the ground and has a longer wheelbase than the model it replaces, the Arteon keeps you nice and secure on the bends. The suspension offers adjustments through the drive mode controller, including individual modes for Comfort, Normal, and Sport. While Comfort and Normal are pretty similar in feel, it is only in Sports mode that the Arteon feels truly different.
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Verdict
As an all-round package, the Volkswagen Arteon is fairly practical. It’s an ambitious move from Volkswagen to fight Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz but one that does seem to have payed off. A convincing long-distance cruiser with plenty of features, the German sedan could very well have its rivals trembling.
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