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The Arteon is a beautiful and well-designed car. The problem is that it’s not just about it. It’s about the hopes that have been pinned on it by VW. VW has produced many cars but some have not received the recognition they deserve because of the badge they wear. The Arteon is here to address this issue. VW has thrown everything in it to ensure that it competes against the likes of the BMW 4 Series and stable mate the Audi A5 Sportback.

Exterior design

Perhaps that’s one of the best-selling points of the Arteon. It’s uniquely beautiful. Nothing compares to it in terms of design in the VW stable. The front has dominant LED lights which are designed with floating lines that merge onto the large grille. This creates an assertive and bold look. The side has one dominant sweeping line that curves towards the back. The back is also beautiful to look at due to the nature of the fastback design with a sloping roof. The back LED lights also add a bit of flair with dynamic indicators.

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Interior

Inside the Arteon is spacious and comfortable. The theme of modern and beautiful design continues. Quality materials dominate the interior. A dash of chrome on the wheel, gear knob and door handles add a bit of class.

Apart from elegant design, the Arteon’s cabin is a technological masterpiece. The odometer is digital and so is the touchscreen infotainment screen. You can glean your navigation both on the infotainment screen and odometer. The odometer also allows you to toggle between information about the car, entertainment and navigation.

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The leather seats are generous and comfortable, and the front seats can be operated electronically. There’s ample space for all the occupants and the rear legroom is amongst the best in its class.

Comfort is high with the rear passengers are able to adjust their car temperature. On days where you want to get close with nature, a generous panoramic roof opens to the skies for some African sunlight.

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Safety, technology and drive

The Arteon priorities safety with innovations such as adaptive cruise control being available in the vehicle. The LED lights also employ a radar system that allows the lights to anticipate corner and adapt much quicker. You also get conveniences such as keyless entry and an automatically operated tailgate.

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The Arteon offers something that the VW Golf GTI offers has perfected. The Arteon 2.0 R-Line with 206 kW and 350 Nm is quick, doing the 0-100 km sprint in 5.6 seconds. This means at a flick of a button to sport mode, you suddenly have a fastback that is ready to play. It’s quick and takes corners beautifully with the VW 4motion at your disposal. Oh, the GTI parallel. So, it performs but it’s also a generous vehicle in terms of size and space. You can fulfil your family obligations easily with the Arteon but also know you can tango when the need arise. With regards to fuel consumption, VW claims 7.3l/100km. I managed 9.0l/100km, which I deem pretty decent. The Arteon is good, possibly good enough to be positioned as a premium offering but it has a big fight on its hands in shifting perceptions that a car with a VW badge can be seen as premium offering that can be selected over more established premium competitors.