Test drive Volkswagen Arteon
Remarkable dimensions and convenience have never coexisted in one body with such refined style and verified driving characteristics. Arteon, by its very appearance, demonstrates complete independence from any prejudice.
I sequentially turn on all the assistant systems and cruise control, set a larger distance, take my foot off the gas pedal and take my hands off the steering wheel. For some time the car drives completely independently, keeping the required interval with the leader and steering in accordance with the bends of the lane. Then he turns on a short buzzer and displays a request to take control on the instrument display. After a few more seconds, he tugs at the seat belt, then briefly but sharply hits the brakes to wake the dozing driver. And, after waiting a little longer, she turns on the right turn signal, she herself shifts to the side of the road, allowing passing vehicles to the right. Finally, after slowing down, it stops behind a solid line and turns on the emergency gang. All are saved.
No, I did not dare to conduct this experiment on the Autobahn in the suburb of Hanover with its heavy traffic. I got the experience of communicating with the system a few years ago, when Volkswagen demonstrated a promising development at their test site, together with high-resolution circular cameras, traffic control radars when leaving the parking lot and an assistant for driving with a trailer. All these systems have already become serial earlier, and now Arteon was the first to try on the emergency stop function. According to the company's speakers, it works as well on ordinary roads as it did four years ago in the greenhouse conditions of the landfill.
The slowest Arteon gains "9" a little longer than 1,5 seconds, and this is not the temperament that you expect from such a stylish car. Moreover, in the range there is a 150-liter gasoline engine developing the same 200 hp, both of which are offered with "mechanics" by default. We pass by, especially since at first they will not be offered such even in the home market for VW. The flagship is set for more vivid emotions, and its market career will begin with modifications with a capacity of at least XNUMX horsepower. In this variant, the Arteon, built on the same proven MQB chassis, will certainly keep the driver awake.
There is no doubt that the new Volkswagen flagship is built for and around the driver, even given the extra-long wheelbase. On the move, the Arteon is perceived to be as light and obedient as the soplatform Passat, although it is noticeably larger in size. Except that on uneven roads it behaves a little less noble - it seems a little heavier and transmits more vibrations to the cabin. This becomes especially noticeable in the sport mode of the adaptive chassis, and in the comfortable mode, the car returns the scrupulousness that was lost. But in any case, it drives excellently, and on a good road it gives a pleasant feeling of reliability and some permissiveness.
It seemed that a little heaviness barely perceptibly affects the dynamics of the car, but the engineers suggested that it was, rather, in the settings of the power unit. The most powerful 280-horsepower petrol Arteon does not boast of its strength and does not strive to tear passengers apart with explosions of acceleration. He has an obligatory four-wheel drive, so from the inside he is perceived as large and strong: he calmly and quickly takes off, easily turns the speedometer and feels good at autobahn speeds closer to 200 km per hour.
Diesel for 240 forces is just as reliable, although the wow factor is simpler. In the city, it is sharper and more dynamic - so much so that sometimes it seems rude for an executive car. And on the highway, on the contrary, it is quieter. For traveling in the style of "Gran Turismo" - a great option, but one feels that weaker diesels will no longer light this car. These are the same two-liter engines with 190 and 150 hp. - the latter, possibly, will appear in Russia as a base one. It is clear that the dealership will focus on the gasoline 2,0 TSI with 190 and 280 hp, but this plan can still be called very preliminary.
If we ignore the uninteresting initial modifications, we can say that the Arteon is going as expected well. The top version lacks the V6 engine with its velvet roar and avalanche-like thrust, but Volkswagen does not yet have a serial modern unit, although the Germans do not exclude its appearance. For a model that claims to be a flagship, this would be better suited even for ideological reasons, especially since the car itself really stands apart in the model range. And, most importantly, it is no longer perceived as a variation on the mass Passat theme.
For the idea and its implementation, the Germans should generally give the highest mark. Financial difficulties against the background of "dieselgate" put an end to the not very promising project of the new Phaeton, and the Chinese Phideon turned out to be simple for the European consumer. At the same time, there was a ready-made project Volkswagen Sport Coupe GTE and a niche of stylish cars in the business segment, in which Volkswagen was represented by the CC sedan that recently spun off from the Passat family.
An almost finished body of more serious dimensions was found at Skoda. So the name turned out to be hybrid: the first part is art (Art), the second is a piece of the name of the Phideon sedan for the Chinese market. Like, the flagship, but not the one.
Roughly speaking, the roof of the Superb liftback was crushed and all body parts changed. The silhouette of the Arteon resembles the Audi A7, but looks like no other car in the group. The bulging beak of the hood, the lines of the headlights passing into the strips of the false radiator grille and the inverted trapezium of the air intake - this will now be the new corporate identity of the brand. And the choice between the more discreet lines of the Elegance version or the puffy air intakes of the R-Line trim will remain a matter of taste of the owner.
A special chic - the side windows without frames. Opening the door with the glass down, you really experience a completely "compartment" feeling. Although the folkswagens themselves have not used the term Comfort Coupe for a long time, which they used to decipher the abbreviation Passat CC.
The size of the Arteon is almost identical to the Superb except for the height. But this does not prevent him from being surprisingly spacious. The back is no longer cramped - the slope of the roof does not press on the top of the head, and there seems to be enough room for a basketball player on the legs. In any case, a person of average height, without exaggeration, can safely cross his legs.
The third, however, is undesirable - a massive floor tunnel sticks out in the middle, and the sofa itself is too clearly molded for two. It is a pity that a version with separate rear seats is not provided - for the predecessor of the Passat CC, this went stylistically, while the solid Arteon could really play the role of a representative one. Although why all this for the car for the driver?
Salon from the "eighth" Passat fell just right for the flagship. There were no design revelations, and this is good: in the older trim levels, this interior looks solid, thorough, but not unprincipled. The fundamental difference is that the landing in the Arteon is lower and the equipment is richer.
For example, the base has an air conditioner, electric front seats and a touch media system. For a surcharge, they will offer the same set that is on the sedan's options list, including massage seats, climate control for rear passengers, a head-up screen and a dashboard display.
The profiled seats are good both in the conventionally comfortable Elegance version and in the sporty R-Line with stronger lateral support. You can easily get into the seats even with a low roof, but instinctively you still put the seat as low as possible, and the backrest is more vertical - for a better feeling of the car.
The Arteon, like the conventionally basic Passat, can be equipped with a remote boot opening system with a swing of the foot under the rear bumper. People from Volkswagen jokingly call this technique Low kick by analogy with the reception of striking technique in martial arts.
The large door is lifted by an electric drive, and here it is no longer a joke - under the curtain there are as many as 563 VDA-liters - only slightly less than in the reference Passat and Superb. And this is no longer a narrow opening of the former Volkswagen CC. Considering the fact that Arteon does not have separate rear seats, and the rear sofa is foldable, the possibilities for loading seem endless.
All this set of seemingly incompatible things in one car makes it about as unique as the Skoda Superb. But if the Czech flagship will carry the stigma of a very family and super-practical in life, then the German Arteon, by its very appearance, demonstrates a declaration of independence from any standards and prejudices.
Remarkable dimensions and convenience have never coexisted in one body with such refined style and verified driving characteristics. And it is definitely not perceived as an appendage of any well-known family, although it is produced on the same line of the conveyor as the Passat sedan.
In Germany, a base Arteon with a 150-horsepower diesel engine and DSG costs 39 675 euros, that is, approximately $ 32 972. A more correct car in a good configuration Elegance with a 280-horsepower 2,0 TSI and all-wheel drive is already sold for 49 euros - almost $ 325. Diesel 41-horsepower is even more expensive. That is, our flagship, taking into account the configuration, is almost guaranteed to fall into the category of luxury, where it really belongs.
However, there is still no final decision on deliveries - the representative office is still discussing 2018 and wondering which versions the market will like. Personally, my choice is the performance of Elegance, and let there be even a 190-horsepower gasoline engine under the hood. And it is better to leave the emergency stop system in the list of options - we do not have very much markings yet, you will not get bored on the roads, and we also prefer to drive a car ourselves.
| Body type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4862/1871/1450 | 4862/1871/1450 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2837 | 2837 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1716 | 1828 |
| engine's type | Gasoline, R4 turbo | Diesel, R4 turbo |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1984 | 1968 |
| Power, hp from. at rpm | 280 at 5100-6500 | 240 at 4000 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm | 350 at 1700-5600 | 500 at 1750-2500 |
| Transmission, drive | 7-st. robot., full | 7-st. robot., full |
| Maksim. speed, km / h | 250 | 245 |
| Acceleration to 100 km / h, s | 5,6 | 6,5 |
| Fuel consumption, l (city / highway / mixed) | 9,2/6,1/7,3 | 7,1/5,1/6,9 |
| Cargo space, l | 563 - 1557 | 563 - 1557 |
| Price from, $. | ND | ND |
