Usefulness and driving pleasure do not have to contradict each other. The Arteon R is aesthetic, athletic and suitable for everyday use at the same time. And in every respect at a high level.
For decades it was true that a Passat is a Passat is a Passat is a Passat. But the Arteon Shooting Brake offshoot, which was introduced in 2020, shows completely new, particularly emotional facets of the field staff's favorite. This applies once again to the high-performance variant R, which has been available for a few months and which makes you forget unfulfilled longings for a sports car. With 320 willing horsepower, the practical station wagon turns into a pleasure vehicle that is easy to make friends with and is difficult to part with again. Especially since the suitability for everyday use by no means falls by the wayside.
Extraordinary optics for VW
When you first rendezvous with the Arteon R, there are no questions about knee clearance, trunk space or fuel consumption. Rather, one will be surprised that such an expressive design was allowed to become a reality in the staid Wolfsburg. Thanks to the emphasis on the width of the R version and Ferris wheels in 20-inch format, the car appears almost comic-like in nature. VW's flagship looks as flat and stretched out as designers may dream of in their boldest sketches but not for series production. But the Arteon R is not a show car - it is a real car for everyday driving.
When you press the release button, the Arteon nicely clears the way so that guests can enter the spacious interior through frameless doors. Although you have to accept slight compromises in terms of space economy compared to the classic Passat Variant, the space is easily enough to meet even the highest demands. The Arteon R is not, however, upper class; the quality of the facility would not justify this. After all, the ship, which is almost 4,90 meters long, can withstand very well even five people.
Away from the Passat
The performance is full and abundant. V6 or V8? The Passat family has long since left the former Piech-Protz. With appropriate ventilation technology, entertaining 235 kW / 320 PS can be tickled from four cylinders and even from a two-liter displacement. If these are then distributed to all four wheels via the seven-speed DSG, the optionally bass-heavy, grumbling drive does what bass-heavy, grumbling drives usually do: repeatedly tempt the driver to spontaneously push the accelerator towards the floor pan more than necessary and then to push the upper body deep into the seat back.
In the regulated traffic reality you have to be careful, of course, but if you do that, you will get along well with the sporty suit, which is also well-mannered and suitable for everyday use. However, if you approach a winding country road or an empty motorway, you briefly press the R button on the steering wheel and let the many horses run free under the long hood. Then the sprint to 100 km / h ends after just 4,9 seconds and the propulsion in our test copy thanks to the top-speed unlocking system at an extra charge at 270 instead of 250 km / h. Strong values for which the 1,8-ton truck doesn't even seem to struggle excessively. The Arteon R reaches its top speed astonishingly quickly and somehow also casually, which can even be tolerated for a long time with little traffic. Even at the limit, the station wagon conveys relaxed serenity and an accuracy that suggests a comparison with rail vehicles. This also applies to rhythmic dances on winding country roads. The thick ship effortlessly braces itself against the centrifugal forces in curves at accelerated speed and claws safely and unwaveringly into the asphalt when accelerating out in order to storm the next straight. The Arteon R comes out of the curve nice and neutral without the slightest whimpering of the wheels or tugging of the steering. The seven-stage dual clutch transmission skillfully juggles the gear ratios. If you want to drive even faster, you can intervene manually using the steering wheel paddles. When accelerating out, up to 50 percent of the power goes to the rear axle, where, thanks to torque vectoring, up to 100 percent is transferred to the wheel on the outside of the bend if necessary.
Relaxed in the city
When entering the town, you press the R button again to lead the Arteon appropriately and without macho behavior. Despite the somewhat tighter basic design, the chassis ensures largely good comfort even on bumpy roads. The Arteon can simply glide along relaxed at a speed of 50 or 30 km / h like a Passat. Consumption can also be restrained. In practice, however, you will usually end up at a high level. VW says 8,9 liters according to the WLTP standard, we were only slightly higher with a consumption of 9,5 liters. In practice, you can do a lot more. Those who drive particularly quickly will certainly drive the average consumption to a double-digit level.
The situation is similar to that of fuel consumption. The R version of the Arteon Shooting Brake only starts at around 62.000 euros, and despite many standard extras, it still offers upgradeable equipment. A few ticks are enough to drive the price well over 70.000 euros. A proud price for a Passat.
Technical data
Four-door, five-seat station wagon; Length: 4,87 meters, width: 1,87 meters, height: 1,46 meters, wheelbase: 2,84 meters, trunk volume: 565 - 1.632 liters
2,0-liter four-cylinder turbo; 235 kW / 320 PS, maximum torque: 420 Nm at 2.100 - 5.350 rpm, all-wheel drive, seven-speed double clutch, 0-100 km / h: 4,9 s, Vmax: 270 km / h, standard consumption WLTP: 8,9 Liters / 100 kilometers, test consumption: 9,5 liters / 100 kilometers, CO2 emissions WLTP: 202 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 6d-ISC-FCM, efficiency class: C.
Price: from € 61.980
In brief
Why: because fathers of families want to have a little fun too
Why not: because the swank has its not exactly small price
What else: Opel Insignia Sports Tourer GSi, Audi S4 Avant TDI