By Ian Strachan
When Volkswagen launched the Passat CC back in 2012 I wasn’t alone in thinking that the Passat name didn’t sit comfortably on such a sleek and sporty coupe. The Passat name suggests conservative dependability and practicality. The CC was something much more exciting.
Volkswagen obviously reached the same conclusion, so the Volkswagen Arteon, although a distant relative of the CC, gets its own distinct name and identity, sitting above the current Passat range.
To be fair, the Arteon, although sharing the same fastback design cues, is longer, wider and taller than the CC, and the interior is a world away in terms of style and refinement, not to mention performance and handling.
The Volkswagen Arteon has flowing, sculpted lines, a long bonnet, narrow windows, beefy 19 inch alloys and a high back end, which combine to make it look both classy and sporty. It has a roomy and well-appointed interior, and the 2.0 litre 150 PS diesel-powered version which I drove handles effortlessly, with impressive performance.
The exterior design has completely thrown off any staid images which bigger Volkswagens may have conjured up in the past. With a high boot, deep full-width grille, sleek profile and smart trim details it is far more distinctive. And you only have to get in the car to realise that on the inside the Arteon is all about refinement and quality with two-tone leather seats and high quality trim materials.
That’s not to mention performance. The 150 bhp engine is surprisingly gutsy and has all the power you need while being quiet and unfussed. In my test car it was married to Volkswagen’s six speed manual gearbox, which is pleasant to use.
The refined and responsive engine lacks for nothing and delivers power pleasantly. This is an enjoyable car to drive, and fuel consumption of 67.3 mpg in mixed driving is very impressive for a big car.
Handling is excellent and the car feels rigid and stable even when being pushed hard around corners. Road holding is sure footed and the ride is comfortable in the extreme.
Inside, the car is roomy and well laid out, with extremely comfortable, easy to adjust powered seats. There has been a lot of attention to detail, with automatic boot opening, well positioned grab handles, a centre driver’s armrest and controls which fall easily to hand, and an automatic park brake with hill-hold. The dashboard is almost entirely digital, but the ergonomics are good and everything is where it should be. Most functions are controlled vi a 12.3 inch touchscreen.
Legroom for rear seat passengers is particularly good, and the sloping rear screen doesn’t compromise headroom.
The boot is huge with class leading height and depth and a powered lid which opens upright to make loading easier. You get 563 litres of luggage capacity which can be increased to 1557 litres by folding the rear seats.
Standard features includes very nice 19 inch alloys, ABS with electronic brake pressure distribution, traction control, leather upholstery, all-round airbags along with a host of other safety features, adaptive cruise control which uses GPS to detect oncoming speed limits, electronic climate control, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, lane assist, adaptive cornering headlights with LED running lights, and DAB radio. You also get satnav with an eight-inch touchscreen which also displays the sound system and other functions..
My test car had a few extras including a rear view camera (£330), tyre pressure monitor (£140), panoramic electric sunroof (£960) and foot operated electric tailgate (£920).
This is a thoughtfully put together package. It looks great and will give you comfortable and effortless business and pleasure travelling. And at £34,745 on the road it is less expensive than some of its haughtier competitors.
