The CC was a good seller, especially in Germany, the UK and the US. Why then did Volkswagen decide to change the name, the body style and the size when planning a replacement for its four-door coupé?
Market positioning
There’s no official word on whether or not a wagon is planned.
Remember the Sport Coupé Concept GTE? This had its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March 2015 and gave us the first hints of how VW intended to bridge the gap between the Passat and Phaeton replacement. The series production version turned up at this year’s Geneva salon and so far is available only as a hatchback.
There’s no official word on whether or not a wagon is planned. Given that within Volkswagen, if a sound business case for a new model or derivative can’t be made, then it doesn’t get approved, it could go either way with a possible estate.
I know what you’re thinking: what about the second generation Phaeton? Yes, let’s see how that works out, especially as this model will be electric-only. There are reports that the car’s entry-point price will be lowered so as to bridge the current large gap from the Arteon (and in China, the Phideon) to where first generation Phaeton pricing started. It is, or will be, sold in Europe, China, the Middle East and North America.
It has gained length compared to the CC, but the Arteon is still 70mm shorter than North America and China’s Passat.
It might have gained an additional half a metre of length compared to the CC, but the Arteon is still 70mm shorter than North America and China’s Passat. That might seem strange, yet the Touareg is smaller than the Atlas/Teramont but it costs more. The next Touareg, which is only weeks away from being revealed, will still be shorter than the XL-sized Atlas and its Chinese market twin, SAIC Volkswagen’s Teramont. For the VW brand, larger doesn’t always mean more expensive.
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Something new for this Volkswagen is adaptive cruise control (ACC) which takes into account speed limits as well as route information. Using these, the ACC automatically adjusts the car’s speed according to the legal limit.
Another feature uses GPS navigation data to tell the headlight beams to direct their light in anticipation of a corner. You can see this here.
So-called second generation Emergency Assist is a further debut for Volkswagen. Should the driver become incapacitated by a medical emergency, the hazard warning lights are activated, the car is slowed and should following vehicles allow enough room, the Arteon will be automatically steered out of the traffic.
Proactive occupant protection system
One new safety feature could save lives and prevent whiplash injuries.
A further safety feature could save lives and prevent whiplash injuries. For the first time, the PreCrash sensors can ‘see’ a car approaching too rapidly from the rear and take action. The system’s radar monitors the positions and speeds of cars following the Arteon.
Even if the car is stopped at a red light and its engine off due to stop-start, the system is still calculating the probability of a collision. Volkswagen claims that the PreCrash assistance system reacts “in the blink of an eye”. If there is a risk that the Arteon is to shunted, its hazard warning lights activate immediately, all windows and the sunroof are closed to just a small gap (for optimal bolstering of the side airbags), tensioners tighten the front seatbelts. There is a video of what happens here at just after the four-minutes mark.
Model grades
In Germany, there is a base trim level but in Britain, the other two – ‘Elegance’ and ‘R-Line’ – are the only ones available. That underlines the importer’s positioning and pricing of the car. Which also shows how unique the VW brand remains in the UK. It’s already number two, having recently overtaken Vauxhall. Ford is also declining month-on-month, while Volkswagen’s share rises. Would Ford or Vauxhall have much success trying to sell a GBP32,000-40,000 hatchback positioned above their Mondeo and Insignia models?
Powertrains and dynamics
There is so far only one petrol engine but there are two diesels.
The Arteon went on sale in Germany from mid-June, and has been rolled out across other markets in the European region since then. There is so far only one petrol engine which is a 206kW (280PS) 2.0 TSI, but there are two diesels: 110kW (150PS) 2.0 TDI and 176kW (240PS) 2.0 TDI.
Two additional petrol engines are on their way: 150 PS 1.5 TSI and a 190 PS 2.0 TSI.
The car I tried had the petrol engine, the same one which also powers the Superb 2.0 TSI 280, the fastest Skoda yet. Top speed is limited to 155mph, 0-62 takes a claimed 5.6 seconds and the CO2 average is 164g/km. This 1,984cc turbocharged unit produces 350Nm of torque, which for a relatively small capacity petrol engine is as impressive as the power output. Will VW of America offer its Arteon with a V6? Seems unlikely as the 3.6-litre ‘VR6’ in the Atlas produces the same 280PS as the Arteon 2.0 TSI.
The worst official consumption number is 30.7mpg and yes, if you use a lot of the car’s accelerative abilities it’s easy enough to drop down into the low thirties. Drive less enthusiastically and you’ll see 35mpg, easily. With the Arteon weighing 1,716kg in as-tested R-Line trim, that’s really very good indeed.
One problem the CC didn’t present
That elegant but heavy tailgate really needs standard electric assistance to raise it.
That elegant tailgate needs standard electric assistance to raise it and VW should also specify a wiper. It’s a big piece of glass and the reason why the hatch is heavy. The Design department would likely say that a washer/wiper system would ruin the lines but the real reason would be the weight that the motor would add. That would render the tailgate heavier still and so VW would be forced to absorb the cost of having to make power assistance standard.
Another small fault: while the tilting VW badge is clever with its camera hidden from dirt and rain, it does mean you get a dirty thumb every time you press it.
Enough with the fault-finding; there is a lot else in this car’s favour. It isn’t just on the outside that the Arteon scores major points for having the look of a concept car, its interior is just as beautiful. There is also a vast amount of legroom for five people although, given the low roofline, headroom front and rear isn’t that generous.
VW’s infotainment system is still the best in the business as it’s so intuitive, the door pockets are vast and will take a large bottle of water, while the entire layout of controls plus their look and feel makes you think Audi rather than Volkswagen. One detail is revealing about how the Volkswagen Group’s take on premium contrasts with other OEMs. In VWs, the volume control and track forward or backwards controls are on the central screen. In an Audi, though, there is an additional knob and a couple of buttons to the left of the gear lever. Who says putting everything on a screen is ‘advanced’ tech? Not Apple, and not Audi.
Finally, a Volkswagen Group model with a faultless DSG.
Finally, I have found a Volkswagen Group model with a faultless DSG. This one, a seven-speeder, never shunted at low speeds in the way that the transmission sometimes will in an Audi R8. Shifts were perfect – as good as those in one of ZF’s supreme eight-speed torque converter gearboxes.
All-wheel drive comes as standard with the 2.0 TSI engine, which is one of the reasons why this is hardly a lightweight car. It corners cleanly, although push it as hard as you might in something like a BMW 5 Series or Jaguar XF and understeer soon sets in. It can be fun, though, and the added safety of having drive to both axles shouldn’t be underestimated.
VW hasn’t announced any sales numbers, or annual build expectations, but the Emden plant in Germany is probably looking at around 30,000-40,000 units of production in 2019, after US sales commence from mid-2018.
Summary
The Arteon manages to feel like a genuine luxury model in a way that its predecessor didn’t. The low-slung CC certainly looked the part, especially in the gloss black which was popular in many countries, but the interior wasn’t different enough to that of the Passat. VW hasn’t made that mistake this time. Is it good enough to take sales from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and others in the E-executive segment? It is.
The Arteon reached UK dealerships in September. Prices range from GBP33,505-39,955 (the least expensive 1.5 TSI versions are not yet listed). The basic on the road RRP of the R-Line 2.0 TSI with seven-speed DSG is GBP39,540. The test car, including options, is listed at GBP44,885.
