Volkswagen has updated its stylish Arteon with some new engines new technology and revised styling and they’ve also made a high-performance R version and a completely new estate. Here we have top 10 things you need to know about the new Volkswagen Arteon
Design
The old Arteon was a pretty handsome looking car so VW hasn’t changed much for this new model at all. The biggest difference is a new strip of daytime running lights on the grill that stretch from one headlight to the other it makes the Arteon face look a little bit like robocops. VW also tweaked the Arteon brake lights and they’ve given R live models a set of 4 chrome exhaust tips instead of 2, although these are almost fake like they were on the old car.
The rest of the Arteon looks pretty much the same as the previous model so it’s a bit sportier than a Passat but not quite as aggressive as an Audi A5 Sportback.
Performance
VW is making a proper high-performance R version of this new Arteon it uses similar mechanical bits to the forthcoming Golf R so it gets a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine and 4-wheel drive as standard.
The new Arteon is going to be down on power though it makes 320 horsepower and has 420-newton meters of torque now VW hasn’t said how fast it will be but you can bet the Arteon will do 0 to 60 in less than five seconds flat which should make it slightly quicker accelerating than a diesel-powered Audi S5 Sportback.
The Arteon also comes with some visual upgrades so people can tell it’s an R model even when he’s stopped at the traffic lights he gets a black grille for starters 20-inch alloy wheels and tinted brake lights there’s also a sports exhaust suspension that’s 20 millimeters lower than the standard car and a Lapis blue paint option that’s exclusive to R and R line models.
Estate
There is big news about the new Arton is that there’s now an estate version obviously it’s not called an estate because it’s a german car, for example, Audi says the estates are Advanced, BMWs are Touring, and Mercedes has Wagons, and now VW has chosen the name Shooting Break for its brand new Arton estate.
Arteon’s shooting break looks really good it gets a longer flatter roof than the regular Arteon that just really suits the car and the kink in the rear window all this means it looks lower and longer than the regular Arteon but it’s actually exactly the same length as a standard saloon and it’s even 19 millimeters taller.
Boot
The whole point of a VW Shooting brake is to be more practical than a hatchback or a saloon. Arteon shooting brakes boot is than the regular cars it’s just two liters bigger that’s all. The Arteon shooting brakes boot still has 565 liters of luggage space which is 85 liters more than you can fit in an Audi A5 Sportback although you can fit 650 liters in a VW Passat estate.
Interior
VW made a few changes to the Arteon interior as well the old car’s analog clock has gone which is no big deal but the physical heating controls have also disappeared now you get a row of touch-sensitive keys under the infotainment system just like in the new Golf.
VW has resisted the temptation to give the new Arteon the Golf’s micro gear selector instead, you get the full lever as the old car but they have changed the layout of the dashboard and air vents so it doesn’t just look like a copy and paste Passat cabin anymore.
You can also get the Arteon with some fancier interior trims so you can choose to pay for carbon fiber or eucalyptus inserts for a more natural feel. The car also comes with six different styles of seat trim and mood lighting where you can choose from 30 different colors.
Engines
The new Arteon 320 horsepower engine 2-liter turbo you’ll be able to get the Arteon with a bunch of tamers less expensive more economical.
Petrol engine includes 150 horsepower 1.5 liter and a 2 liter with either 190 or 280 horsepower the latter of which is all-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive if you still like diesel there’s a 2-liter with either 150 or 190 horsepower the 190 is available with all-wheel drive as an option.
Hybrid
Volkswagen has also added a hybrid to the Arteon range this uses 1.5-liter petrol and an electric motor to produce a combined 218 horsepower, fully charged it’s 13-kilowatt battery and you can drive for around 33 miles in the electric-only mode. The Arteon hybrid should return similar performance and economy figures which mean 0 to 60 in around 7.5 seconds and 180 miles per gallon claimed well so long as you plug it in regularly, as an added bonus the Arteon hybrid also lets you turn on and set the car’s air conditioning remotely using an app on your phone that’s handy on very hot or cold days.
Technology
Volkswagen has upgraded the Arteon infotainment system it’s the same as you get in the recently revised Passat and unfortunately not the all-new system from the new Golf. There’s a 9-inch touchscreen as standard which is the same size as the upgraded optional display you could get in the old Arteon and you get the same old digital dials as well. however, you can now connect your phone via Apple car play and Android auto without using a cable it’s all done via Bluetooth and the VW we connect app lets you use your smartphone as a key to unlock the car.
The new Arteon also comes with VW’s latest voice command system it’s supposed to understand plain speech
Safety
You will be able to get the new Arteon with upgraded cruise control that’ll keep working all the way to 131 miles an hour. Now that you should ever use cruise control at more than 70 miles an hour. It will also accelerate brake and steer for you in traffic and it can recognize roadworks and slow down for them and help steal your own cones, however, be warned Volkswagen has upgraded the sensors that can tell when you’re not holding the wheel so now you won’t be able to cheat it to drive hands-free as you could in its older cars. Meanwhile, as standard, there’s the usual auto emergency braking park assist and automatic headlights.
Price
Volkswagen hasn’t said how much a new Arteon will cost or when it’ll go on sale but you can expect to be able to put your name down for one before the end of 2020 or the new car’s extra tech means it’ll probably set you back a smidge more than the old model across the range so you’ll have to fork out from around $ 35,995 for an entry-level saloon and more like $ 46,197 for the new Shooting brake.
