2019 Volkswagen Arteon ExeclineJil McIntosh OVERVIEW A hatchback sedan with crossover capability PROSGood looks, tons of cargo and passenger space CONSSome downscale interior bits VALUE FOR MONEYFeels a bit pricey, but you do get a lot WHAT TO CHANGE?Give it more steering weight and feel HOW TO SPEC IT?I’d get it as-is, without options Sedans are getting lost in the shuffle to crossovers and sport-utilities, but even among sedans, theres a subset of comfortable and nice-to-drive four-doors that, for whatever reason, seldom end up on the radar. These include oft-overlooked models like Toyota’s Avalon and Chevrolets outgoing Impala. The Volkswagen Arteon will likely end up on that list, too, and thats a shame because it has a lot going for it.Its handsome, roomy, and comfortable, but thats no longer enough to make it in a world where sport-utes dominate the roads. But if youre still into sedans, its definitely worth a look.An all-new model for 2019, the Arteon debuts at the top of VWs sedan lineup, replacing the discontinued CC. It comes only in top-level Execline trim, at $47,995. My tester was further optioned with a $2,095 Driver Assistance Package that added park assist, lane-keeping assist, and a 360-degree camera, as well as the $2,995 R-Line appearance package, bringing it to $53,085 before freight and taxes. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine churning out 268 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission which comes with a real shifter, not one of those awful push-pull-heres-a-button-for-Park electronic monstrosities. American buyers can get the Arteon in front-wheel drive, but Canadian models are all-wheel.The engine can be a bit rough at idle, but it accelerates smoothly and with no turbo lag. It tucks into corners very well, but Id like to have a much closer relationship with the car. The steering is too light, and I felt disconnected from it. I dont want to have to push the car around, but I like to feel like I have more input into what its doing. That said, though, the ride is luxury-smooth even in Sport mode, in keeping with the Arteons top-of-the-heap position in the lineup.It may look like a conventional sedan, but the Arteon is actually a hatchback, with a massive amount of cargo space that can be lengthened even more by folding the seats or by opening the central pass-through. But even with so much of the Arteons footprint dedicated to luggage and groceries, theres a very generous amount of legroom and headroom, despite the sloping roofline, for rear-seat passengers. My only issue is with the rear head restraints, which chew up far too much visibility out the back. Its time for Volkswagen to trade in the tombstone-style design it prefers, in favour of restraints that can be folded or pushed down when theyre not required for rear-passenger duty.Theres plenty of room in the front as well, and the chairs are typically German, meaning that they may seem a bit too firm when you first get in, but you soon discover theyre so supportive, they keep your spine happy even on long drives. Both the front and rear seats are heated, the front ones are ventilated as well, and the driver gets a massage function.The features list is quite long as it should be for the price and includes such items as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, a power liftgate, adaptive LED headlamps, a panoramic sunroof, an auto-dimming mirror, leather upholstery, and three-zone automatic climate control. The eight-inch touchscreen has a proximity sensor that brings up the control icons as your hand gets close; it includes navigation and satellite radio, and sends the music out through a 700-watt sound system with ten speakers and a subwoofer.But for all that, and interior styling that echoes the exteriors horizontal chrome lines and is just as handsome, some of the cabin feels more mainstream than upper-end. Theres a lot of hard, nubbly plastic where soft-touch surfaces would make much more of an impression. No, you didnt move up to an Audi where everything would have been more luxurious, but then again, you have shelled out almost 50-grand for this Volkswagen. Ive also never quite clicked in to why Volkswagen insists on putting spacers into the plastic panels surrounding the shifter. Some of the little panels are buttons, operating features like the heated steering wheel and disabling the automatic start/stop system. But the lower ones are always blank, and it always looks like they would have been real buttons if only youd ponied up for more options. Which you cant, because you already have everything there is to get, but thats how it looks.But that said, I really like the simplicity of the controls, where climate functions are handled by dials and buttons, as they should be. You also use hard buttons to pull up the centre screen menus, and once youre in them, theyre intuitive and easy to
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Volkswagen Arteon