Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 157

T

he Volkswagen Arteon’s
$67,490 ask is dearer
than the starting prices for
an Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and
Mercedes C-Class.
It’s also a lot more expensive
than its direct rivals, including
the Holden Calais V ($51,990),
Subaru’s Liberty 3.6R ($43,140),
Toyota Camry SL ($43,990)
and Škoda Superb 206TSi,
which shares much of Arteon’s
structural and mechanical DNA,
including i ts engine and all-wheel
drivetrain, and costs $57,290 in
Sportline specifi cation.
VW has thrown everything but
the steak knives onto Arteon’s
standard feature list, including
a large, high-resolution central
touchscreen with gesture control,
a speed readout refl ected
onto the windscreen, digital
widescreen instrument display
(borrowed from top-end Audis),
a power tailgate, Apple CarPlay,
Android Auto and navigation.
Automatic emergency braking
— with pedestrian detection
at suburban speeds and crash
mitigation at freeway speeds —

is standard, as is radar cruise

control with stop-and-go traffi c

jam assistance.

LED intelligent headlights

mask their high beams towards

oncoming traffi c. Blind zone

warning alerts you of cars or

motorcycles in adjacent lanes.

Rear cross traffi c alert, a

360-degree camera and front

and rear parking sensors — that

will activate the brakes if they

detect an obstacle — take the

hassle out of parking such a long

and sleek sedan.

There’s also automatic lane

keeping and lane wander alert

to keep you on the straight and

narrow.

Should the worst happen,

there is a total of nine airbags to

protect occupants.

Inside, the cabin has an

upmarket and futuristic look,

although the roofl ine is so low

that taller drivers may bump

their head when getting in. Once

inside, however, there’s plenty of

room to stretch your legs, with

ample adjustment up front and

plenty of room in the rear.

There are seatbelts for fi ve

occupants but adults who would

rather not rub shoulders might

prefer this as a four-seater.

VW excels at cabin

ergonomics and the Arteon is

another fi ne example, except for

the lack of a volume dial on the

massive touchscreen. Relying

on a volume tab on the steering

wheel — or the touchscreen

with gesture control — is not

ideal. An old-fashioned volume

knob on the dash would be

quicker and easier to use when

on the move.

The boot is massive, larger than

anything else in the class, thanks

in part to the hatchback design.

There’s even a full-size spare in

the boot — because there is so

much room to store one.

There is only one engine in the

range: VW’s high-performance

2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder with

206kW of power and 350Nm

of torque, as used in the Golf

R and Škoda Superb, matched

to a seven-speed twin-clutch

auto and all-wheel drive. The

only downside to its strong

performance is its insistence on

98 RON premium unleaded.

Despite riding on 19-inch

wheels, comfort is pretty good

on most surfaces, although

there’s a bit of a jolt on

expansion joins and other ruts

in the road, even with the help of

adaptive suspension dampers.

It’s also a touch noisier than

we were expecting; the engine

drone is more noticeable than

it is in other luxury cars. These

observations aside, Arteon is a

statement in style and luxury, a

serene machine with the heart

of a hot hatch.

Test drive it back to back with

the Holden, Subaru, Toyota and,

especially, the Škoda and decide

for yourself if VW’s hefty price

premium is justifi ed.

By Joshua Dowling

THINGS WE LIKE

 Stunning design inside and out

 Loaded with equipment

 Digital instrument panel

 Roomy cabin and massive boot

 Strong engine performance

 Tight, tidy handling

 Full-size spare

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Insists on 98 premium unleaded

Tall drivers may bang their head on

the low roof when getting in

Expensive

Not quite the cone of silence in the

cabin

SPECS

Made in Germany

2.0-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol/

seven-speed twin-clutch

automatic/all-wheel drive

206kW of power from

5700-6500rpm/350Nm of torque

from 1800-5600rpm

0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds (claimed)

6.3L/100km highway; 9.4L/100km

city; 98 premium; CO2 emissions

are 170gkm

Warranty: Five years/unlimited km

Standard: Nine airbags, stability

control, 19-inch alloys, head-up

display, autonomous emergency

braking, blind spot monitoring, rear

cross traffi c alert, adaptive cruise

control, adaptive LED headlights,

automatic parking, lane keeping,

9.2-inch touchscreen, Apple

CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation,

heated seats, Nappa leather

upholstery, power tailgate

Redbook future values: 3yr: 52%;

5yr: 37%

compare with ...

Holden Calais V, Subaru Liberty

3.6R, Škoda Superb 206TSi, Toyota

Camry SL

Safety

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall



STARS

S VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON FROM $67,490