Volkswagen Arteon R-Line: First impression

For those who just ruled out the idea of buying a crossover SUV, the all-new Volkswagen Arteon stands at the ready. Visually breath-taking from any angle, the 5-door coupe is Volkswagen’s flagship model and a spiritual successor to the popular CC sedan. 

It’s been more than three years since the VW Arteon made a global debut and impressed the world with its lines and sheer attractiveness. The signs of the Volkswagen Arteon launch in Malaysia first appeared in May last year when the strong rumors were circulating about the model. Well, Volkswagen Malaysia made it official in mid-July 2019 and opened the order books for the hi-spec VW Arteon R-Line with all the needed specifications to take on the likes of other premium brands. However, the launch got delayed.

But no more wait! Earlier this morning, the automaker finally launched the all-new Arteon at the Volkswagen Tour happening at 1 Utama. The locally assembled in Pekan, Pahang, the Malaysian-spec Arteon, gets the 2.0 TSI R-Line, priced at RM 221,065. Here we bring our first impression of the new Volkswagen Arteon, have a look.

Volkswagen Arteon Exterior

The new 5-door fastback is a true reflection of its appearance; ‘Art’ describes its harmonious lines and emotionality, and ‘eon’ signifies it as a premium Volkswagen model. Upfront, there is a louvered full-face grille that nicely gels with the LED headlights housing sequential indicators. It is sleek all over and features some defining lines on the front bonnet that integrates the front fender along the sides. The roofline neatly merges with the rear seamlessly, thus creating a classic fastback design.

At the rear end, the executive sedan houses slim two-piece LED tail lights with sequential indicators and blended trapezoidal tailpipes. The sporty front bumper, high-gloss black accents, and a boot lid spoiler flaunt the R-Line styling. Arteon rides on 19-inch Montevideo turbine-style dual-tone alloy wheels.

VW Arteon sits above the Passat saloon in Volkswagen’s line-up and is based on the VW Group’s Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform. The sedan measures 4,862 mm in length, 1,871 mm in width, and 1,427 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,841 mm. The available colour options are Oryx White, Deep Black, Turmeric Yellow, Manganese Grey, and Pyrite Silver.

Volkswagen Arteon Interior

Get inside the cabin of VW Arteon, and a very posh surrounding will welcome you. The dashboard features a very cool-looking 9.2-inch touchscreen colour display that combines navigation and connectivity with in-car entertainment, handled by the 700-watt Dynaudio Confidence system housing 16-channel digital amplifier and 11 speakers. Other than these, the hi-tech features of VW Arteon are: 

• Digital Cockpit
• Voice control
• Keyless entry
• Push-button start
• 3-zone auto climate control
• Cruise control
• 14-way power-adjustable front seats with driver’s side memory
• Powered handsfree rear hatch
• Three-colour ambient lighting
• Font and rear parking sensors

The exclusive R-Line appointments include a flat-bottomed steering wheel and carbon fiber-esque Nappa leather trim.

Volkswagen Arteon Engine and performance

Under the bonnet, 2020 Volkswagen Arteon is powered by the Passat’s 2.0 litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine churning out 190 PS between 4,180 to 6,000 rpm and 320 Nm of peak torque between 1,500 to 4,180 rpm. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a 7-speed DSG wet dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters.

Volkswagen claims combined fuel consumption of 15.8 kmpl and a driving range of 1,000 km per tank, having a capacity of 66 litres.

Volkswagen Arteon Safety

When it comes to safety, the luxurious Arteon impresses the customers with features like:

• Seven airbags
• ABS with EBD and brake assist
• Stability control
• Automatic post collision brake system 
• Rest Assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• ISOFIX child seat anchors 
• 360-degree camera system

It seems that the new Arteon is one of the hottest cars which come from the brand in the last couple of years. But If you consider it expensive, explore its full specifications that justifies the VW Arteon price well. It also includes a five-year, unlimited-miles warranty, three years of free maintenance, and five years of free roadside assistance.

Also read: Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace line-up launched in Malaysia, price starts from RM 164,430