Is the Volksagen Arteon a Passat?
The Arteon is Volkswagen’s latest sporty addition, and no, it is not a Passat. However, it replaces the Passat-based CC in the medium-sized passenger vehicle category or the D-segment in European classification. It is a five-door fastback designed and manufactured based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform, the same one that underpinned the European version of the VW Passat.
Volkswagen started producing it in 2017 as an upmarket replacement of the low-selling Volkswagen CC.
The Origin of VW Arteon’s Name
The Arteon name is an amalgamation of two words—art and eon—an allusion to timeless beauty. VW’s latest Gran Turismo vehicle displays low-key elegance with sculpted creases along with its clamshell bonnet, an aerodynamic roofline that swoops right to the boot lid spoiler, aggressive ridges along the base, and rear glass that lifts with the boot lid.
While aesthetics seem to be its main selling point, there’s a reason to suspect that there’s more to this metallic beauty than just its perfectly moulded outlines. The Arteon recently came out as the overall winner in the 2019 Tow Car Awards. If it can be both a beauty and a beast, then we’re looking at a car that would soon wow the world, if it has not already.
Volkswagen Arteon: Timeline
So here’s how Volkswagen Arteon’s timeline looks like.
2015
In 2015, Volkswagen announced the expansion of its Gran Turismo lineup with the introduction of the Sport Coupé Concept GTE, a stylish and futuristic coupé. Concept cars are heavily modified as they reach production, so it is surprising how the Arteon resembles its concept model so closely. The ridges had been toned down, but most of the concept details found their way to the production car.
The concept car had the same wraparound LED lamps integrated with the grille, bold ridges that were echoed from the clamshell bonnet down to the base and the rear, swooping roofline, upswept rear, wraparound taillights, and two incredibly full bumper-integrated exhaust exits. Except for toned-down ridges, the production car has no doubt given justice to its coupé prototype.
2017-2018
The Arteon debuted finally—first in March 2017 at the Geneva Motor Show, and next in February 2018 at the Chicago Auto Show. In 2017, almost 10,000 Arteons were sold in Europe, while the rest of the world had to wait until 2018 or 2019 for its release in their country.
Before it could even take off to the markets outside of Europe, the Arteon won the 2017 Golden Steering Wheel Award for the midsize and premium category. More than 40 car models were evaluated based on the performance of their chassis, engine, and steering, and this newcomer bested them all. It only goes to show that the Arteon is more than just a pretty face.
2019
By this time, it has already reached all its intended markets, including the United States, Canada, China, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia, and South Africa.
Also within the year, this sleek fastback showed some muscles when it became the Overall Winner in the 2019 Tow Car Awards. With another feather to its metallic bonnet, the Arteon gets a closer look from car enthusiasts. And they’re not going to be disappointed because there’s a lot to see—the powertrain, the classy interior, and the state-of-the-art technology.
Powertrain
The engine lineup for the VW Arteon include the following:
- 1.5L TSI petrol engine, paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed direct-shift gearbox (110 kW, 250 N⋅m)
- 2.0L TSI petrol engine, paired with a 7-speed DSG (140 kW, 320 N⋅m)
- 2.0L TSI 4Motion petrol engine, paired with a 7-speed DSG (206 kW, 350 N⋅m)
- 2.0L TDI SCR diesel engine, paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG (110 kW, 340 N⋅m)
- 2.0L TDI SCR diesel engine, paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG (140 kW, 400 N⋅m)
- 2.0L TDI SCR 4Motion diesel engine, paired with a 7-speed DSG (140 kW, 400 N⋅m)
- 2.0L BiTDI SCR 4Motion diesel engine, paired with a 7-speed DSG (177 kW, 500 N⋅m)
Not all options are available for all markets. In the case of Australia, this five-door five-seat fastback arrived with a 2.0L TSI 4Motion workhorse (206 kW, 350 N⋅m) shod in 19-inch alloy wheels.
This powertrain has a claimed top speed of 250 km/h, fuel consumption of 7.5L/100km, sprint time of 5.6 seconds from standstill to 100 km/h, and CO2 emission rate of 164 g/km.
Volkswagen Arteon Trim Levels
Three trim levels are available for most countries—the SE, SEL, and Premium grades—but some markets may have differently-labelled trim packages. In Australia, for instance, there’s only one trim available, and it’s labelled 206 TSI R-Line. The “206 TSI” label refers to the engine, and the R-Line refers to the performance-inspired top spec, which will complete the look, feel, and performance of this next-generation Gran Turismo fastback.
The interior of the Arteon is ergonomically designed, very much like its VW siblings, the Golf and the Passat. All the instruments, driver-assistance controls, and digital cockpit display are accessible to the driver and cohesively designed with a slim air vent that spans the width of the dash.
This trim comes standard with a three-zone air conditioning system, which means that there are three separate controls for the temperature. The driver gets the lion’s share of this extravagant styling and creature comforts with ventilated and massaging seat and heated steering wheel, aside from the standard heated front and rear seats. Overall, the interior space is roomy, cozy, and plush, and there’s a power sunroof to bring in the sunshine if desired.
Safety Features
Aside from the usual safety features like airbags (front/knee/curtain), child seat anchors and child-proof locks, and driver-assistive features, the Arteon is equipped with driver fatigue detection, emergency assist, and intelligent crash response systems. With these features, the car would be able to activate a series of actions if the driver had been unresponsive for a certain period or if there had been an accident and the driver failed to react promptly. It’s like driving with an emergency driver on standby.
Volkswagen Arteon is a futuristic car not only because of the edgy aesthetics and top-spec trims that it gets noticed for, but because of its combined beauty, strength, and versatility. All these elements contribute to a car that will age well and continue to be practical in many years to come.
By Jeannette Salanga