The article was originally produced on October 16, 2017, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Volkswagen Arteon

The class journey Volkswagen has made cannot go unnoticed, and with the new model Arteon, the position is strengthened another step against the premium competitors. 

Twenty years ago, no one would have believed you if you said your new Folka was a luxury premium sedan. But over the years, the German brand from Wolfsburg has made a class journey like few others. The model that has been the most driving force on this journey is the Passat and in 2008 the Passat CC model was launched. A four-door coupe with sleek lines. When the model was to be refined and given a facelift, the name Passat was dropped and the model was later called CC. Now the CC has also gone out of time and the place is now left for the new model Arteon. 

We are still talking about a four-door coupe, but now slightly larger and with a hatchback. Models to compare with are either the Audi A5 Sportback or the BMW 4-Series Gran Coupé but both are slightly smaller than the Arteon so it becomes more logical to compare with the Audi A7 and BMW 6-Series Gran Coupé. However, slightly larger, but models that convey a lot of weight. The appearance of the Arteon with its massive grill with longitudinal chrome bars that merge into the headlights and its LED loops clearly shows Volkswagen's new design language. The Arteon's design will make it easy to recognize when it appears in the rearview mirror. The overall length of the Arteon is 4.86 meters and compared to the Passat it is nine centimeters longer and the wheelbase is 5.4 centimeters longer. The difference is clearly noticeable in the rear seat, where the legroom is better. However, Volkswagen has been firm on the point that this is not a refined Passat. What we are talking about is a new model that will fill the space between the Passat and the Phaeton. The latter, which is the brand's true luxury vehicle that few know about, is now waiting for a sequel. The name Arteon described by Volkswagen themselves sounds as follows "The name Arteon − with emphasis on the first syllable − consists of two parts: "Art" is taken from the Latin word "art" and alludes to the car's harmonious and emotional lines, while the ending "eon = eternity" identifies the car as a premium model." 

When it comes to cars in this class, buyers expect to be showered with new technology and refinements to simplify every moment of driving and maximize comfort. Of course, Volkswagen has taken this very seriously and the Arteon is packed with the latest technology. To raise the level of the adaptive cruise control, there is now a system that reads the speeds on the road signs and lowers or increases the speed when you pass a sign with a new specified maximum speed. The system has been named "comfort finesse" by Volkswagen. In the most equipped version, the infotainment system lacks almost all buttons. Now there is a large touch screen in the middle of the console where most things are controlled. Even the space in front of the steering wheel is now occupied by a large screen and physical gauges have now had to give way to a fully digital screen. In addition to the classic gauges that are now displayed digitally, you can also have the navigation map displayed here. The layout can be changed to suit your taste. 

Nowadays, a car should be able to contain more than a Kinderegg, it should be able to be a practical pack donkey, a comfortable long-distance car and a sporty curve hugger. The Arteon succeeds really well on these points. With the rear seats folded, the car swallows a whopping 1,557 litres. When it comes to comfort for long journeys, the adaptive dampers make the ride smooth and compliant even on poorer road surfaces. Even the noise from wind noise, tires and the road surface is very well dampened on the Arteon, which makes the soundscape in the passenger compartment very pleasant. If you suddenly feel the need for a more active and sporty drive, this works perfectly. With a simple push of a button, you select the sporty driving program and suddenly the car has changed a number of settings, which makes it much more alert and resilient. If you choose the largest petrol engine option, with the name 2.0 TSI 280 DSGS 4Motion GTR, you get a powerful two-liter machine with a whopping 280 horsepower. The power is transmitted to all wheels via a now updated dual-clutch gearbox called DSGS. The sprint to 100 from a standstill is completed in 5.6 seconds. As usual when it comes to most German car brands, the top speed is electronically limited to 250 kilometers per hour. 

The Arteon is a really stylish car with its daring shapes and new design. With the launch color "Kurkuma Yellow", no one will be unmoved when the car passes on the street. Two other color choices that are guaranteed to make the car stand out from the crowd are "Atlantic Blue" and "Chili Red". With the Arteon, Volkswagen takes another step closer to the three obvious brands at the top of the premium segment.