When Volkswagen introduced the Arteon back in 2017, it came with presence even greater than that of the CC, which it replaced.
Flash forward to last year, and VW launched the Arteon R with more performance to match its stylish looks. Now the question remains: is the Arteon R Volkswagen‘s jack-of-all-trades grand tourer? Autogefuhl attempts to find out in his latest video, where he conducts an in-depth review of the fastback sedan.
First up is exterior styling. The Arteon R has an elegant, coupe-like appearance that is indeed very much in line with its grand touring image, and little touches like the full-width light bar and clamshell hood only add to that. Things like the blue brake calipers, quad exhaust tips, and new bodywork all help remind you that this is the sporty R model, and drives as such.
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The interior has a very mature design, with good build quality and soft touch materials all around. It features a good seating position and decent headroom, and the sporty theme from the exterior carries over with a new steering wheel, new seats, and blue contrast stitching throughout. The cabin is very well insulated to road noise, but thankfully the nice exhaust note still makes its way through in the sportier drive modes. Standard equipment includes a Harman Kardon sound system, ambient lighting, and a digital instrument cluster.
Under the hood lies a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 316 hp (320 PS / 236 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque that sends power to all four wheels via a 7-speed DSG gearbox. 0-62 mph (100 km/h) takes a respectable 4.9 seconds, and top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).
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Arguably one of the most important things about a GT is its driving experience, and the Arteon delivers. On the Autobahn, the car displayed strong acceleration and was very stable at high speeds, being stiff but not harsh. In the countryside, it was very relaxed in Comfort mode, but when the driving got more spirited, the new torque split from the AWD system livened up the car, making it much more agile in corners. Steering is precise and the brakes provide more than adequate stopping power.
In the end, the Arteon R proved to be a very competent, well-rounded car and probably the closest thing Volkswagen makes to a proper grand touring car. To watch Autogefuhl’s full review for yourself, check out the video below.