Many Volkswagen model names are inspired by an earth-wind phenomenon or a story, and the Arteon name is not lacking in imagination.

‘Art’ refers to the harmonious lines of artistry and the suffix ‘-eon’ is a reference to the quality and luxury of the Volkswagen Phideon, which was exported to the Chinese market. The Arteon is clearly aimed at those looking for a more sporty Passat.

Wider and bolder styling

The Arteon hasn’t skimped on design. The design of the Volkswagen range, especially the front bumper, is really wide and straightforward throughout the range. In the Arteon, the design of the front bumper is even wider.

The headlights are large and the grille on the lower bumper extends from side to side. On the exterior, a lot of chrome trim is used throughout the car on the Elegance and R-Line equipped models.

The body profile has a sporty coupe shape at the rear and the roofline slopes gently downwards. The design is intensified between the rear fender and the window. This has given the Arteon a stronger appearance at the rear end, even though the car is not available in rear-wheel drive only.

The Arteon’s design has hit the nail on the head. A clearly different and exotic model from the rest of the range, it attracts attention. For the more adventurous, the Turmeric Yellow metallic paint, often seen in Arteon’s advertising images, is available in a turmeric yellow colour that catches the eye of fellow motorists.

Enlarged Passat

In terms of size and appearance, the Arteon is positioned between the A5 and A7 models from Audi.

The Arteon is quite large inside, especially the rear passenger footwell, where space is at a premium. The neatly sloping body design doesn’t take up much headroom.

Up front, there’s also plenty of room on both sides of the cabin and good visibility outwards. The Arteon is not much bigger than the Passat, but the cabin space is clearly better than the Passat.

Unfortunately, however, the feeling of luxury that comes with the name is not fully matched by a feeling of quality in the cabin. The driver’s view is almost a carbon copy of the Passat’s cabin and the Arteon, which has high expectations in terms of looks, fails to live up to them in the cabin.

The cabin feels like a quality cabin in terms of materials, but there are no surprises for better or worse. With the Arteon, Volkswagen would have been in a clear position to take a swipe at the Audi A7, Mercedes CLS and BMW 6 Series, offering a much more affordable alternative.

Stable and unsurprising

In terms of handling, the Arteon is a comfortable game and the ride is unsurprising. The test car is powered by a two-litre diesel and a seven-pot dsg automatic.

Engine options vary according to trim level. The 150 horsepower test car is the smallest diesel in the range. Two more powerful versions are also available, the 190 and 240 horsepower models, which also come with 4Motion all-wheel drive.

On the petrol side, there is a choice of a 1.5-litre or two-litre TSI engine. The smaller model has 150 horsepower and the two-litre engine is available in 190 and 280 horsepower models. All engines available for the Arteon are four-cylinder.

A traditional six-speed manual is available on Arteon models starting at prices, but most models come with that dsg automatic transmission found in the test drive.

The automatic is quick to shift into the higher gear on the fly and keeps the revs very low at all times. RPMs may even stay below 1200 rpm. On the smallest diesel in the test car, this has no effect on driving comfort, but on the lower-performance petrols this may not be the case.

The car is very stable and safe to drive. Even with the smallest diesel engine, the ride is quite effortless. Volkswagen’s driving aids, such as lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, work well and make it easier for the longer traveller to get around.

The steering feel is very traditional Volkswagen. The Arteon’s sporty looks would benefit from a sharper and more precise steering feel. Changing the driving settings doesn’t seem to change the feel much one way or the other.

A company car or a replacement for the old Passat?

One could imagine that the Arteon would be a good choice for many people looking for a higher quality company car, thanks to its very competitive price and striking styling. For die-hard Volkswagen fans, the Arteon brings an alternative to the Volkswagen range with a personality that stands out from the crowd.

In many cases, even the sporty coupés of competitors in the Arteon’s size category quickly escape the price tag of over 100,000 euros. With its competitive price, the Arteon is surely deliberately targeted at this niche to breathe down the necks of its more expensive rivals.

Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TDI SCR DSG R-Line

• Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl.
• Max power: 150 hp.
• Maximum torque: 340 Nm.
• Acceleration 0-100km/h: 9.1 seconds.
• Starting price (Arteon 1.5 TSI Evo): €39,916
• Starting price (test car): EUR 49 082
• Test drive price: €59 184

Pros:

– 59.59 € 59.59 Atel

– Competitive price

– Familiar and safe Volkswagen

Room for improvement:

– Like a Passat inside

– Plug-in hybrid not yet available