2022 Arteon Review: Volkswagen’s Best Kept Secret

VW Arteon is a Car Fit for a Queen.

As we wafted down Oxford Street in the heart of Sydney’s gay Mecca, a twink crossing at Taylor Square gave us the thumbs up, saying, “nice!.” Not for a moment did I suspect the attractive blonde was talking about anything but the Volkswagen Arteon.

We continued down Oxford, through the city, and on to The Rocks for our pub lunch. After a quick Shepard’s Pie and low-count beer, we continued over the Harbour Bridge, and on to our overnight digs. Ethan’s place on the Hawkesbury sits high on the sandstone cliffs, overlooks the river, and has sea glimpses beyond.

I could go on about the quirky sandstone cottage from Australia’s early days as a colony, but it was Ethan who turned our attention to the Arteon by bringing drinks to the verandah. The day’s driving done, we tucked into a cleanskin red. If I’m honest, it tasted like a bottle worth nearer the hundy than a fiver. In many ways it paralleled our VW. It is a car that looks and feels more than it costs, at least hear in Australia.

See our LAUNCH review HERE:

This Week: 2022 Volkswagen Arteon 140TSi Elegance REVIEW

ARCHIVES: 2018 Volkswagen Arteon 206 R-Line LAUNCH REVIEW

Help Support Gay Car Boys Subscribe to our Youtube Channel 

ABOVE: 2022 Volkswagen Arteon Review

It is A cheap Audi in a different frock

Even in the base model elegance, the only option is a sunroof, unlike Audi that has a host of pricey options.

The LED matrix lights work brilliantly, and is something hard to live without if you like an evening spin. Leave lights and wipers in fully automatic mode, and you never need worry, and the same goes for the rest of the driver aids. There is the usual blind spot monitor, and a vast array of airbags, and the Travel Assist makes long distance touring feel stress free. Smart cruise and lane centering make the car feel more like all passengers are being chauffeured, even the driver.

Active damping changes with drive mode settings, but it is the engine that was most surprising. 140kw/320Nm might sound a trifle limp, but even in normal mode, the front wheels scamper when the loafer is thrust into the carpet. I’d prefer VW’s 8-speed automatic to the 7-speed DSG, but the old 7-speed gets the job done. changes are tight, even tighter in Sport Mode.

If the 7.9sec 0-100 is not enough for you, there is a 206kw/400Nm model that’ll do the same sprint in 5.5 seconds. That gets you to your destination a whole 3 seconds faster, big deal.

The weekend, and the shortish drive out to the city limits, was hardly a test of what Arteon can do, but was more likely what it will be used for.

The big tourer would take a couple in the back with plenty of legroom, with the outer seats being heated. Front seats are heated and cooled, with a gentle massage available at the touch of a button.

In short, Volkswagen Arteon is a cheaper Audi A5/A7. The infotainment system is the older VW system so has proper climate controls separate from the infotainment screen, HOORAH. My love/hate relationship with the brand-new system is turning, and not in a good way.

Get Your FULL BROCHURE Here: Arteon_Brochure

What The Boys Thought:

Alan

Masculine looks, able performance, and a comfortable cabin, make a good argument for a car costing 60k. The drive is light, yet it sits on the road with the confidence of a sports car.

Handling in Sport Mode is far better than you might think. The ride isn’t ruined, but the comfort settings are more to my tastes. A custom mode is the sweet spot if you fancy fettling your own parameters.

Casper

Arteon is a lovely looking thing, but it is the gorgeous cabin that gets me going. I’m not normally a lover of big cars, and Arteon is big. Perhaps it is the frameless windows, or the nappa leather, that makes it feel luxurious. Despite that, it doesn’t feel pompous.

I love gadgets too, and the semi-auto parking system gets you in and out of kerbside spots, and in to 90^o spaces.

Ethan

It’s a cracker. I guess it is going to be an older buyer who “gets it” fully, but young guys like a bit of bling too, and metal trim is really classy.

Wireless CarPlay is brilliant and the Harmon Kardon sound is great, even if the others don’t like my taste in club music. Just don’t let Alan choose, or it will be either classical of Buddha

Conclusion:

There is a Shooting Brake (AKA station wagon) for those wanting an SUV alternative, but the lift back is gorgeous as it is.

Arteon is 5 years old, but it still feels fresh because it was ahead of its time, but that is also its Achilles heel. VW sells relatively few of them, and it had a bit f a hiatus from the OZ market. Big passenger car sales are going down as buyers move to SUV. No one can figure out why, but there it is.

I’d be more likely to pick this over an SUV because it is rare, sexy, capable, and value.

Price: $59,990

Engine: 2.0L turbo petrol, 4cyl

Power: 140Kw/300Nm

Econ: 7.2L/100k

CO²: 142g/km

Trans: 7-Speed DSG

Tags: volkswagen arteon, 2022 volkswagen arteon elegance review, gay volkswagen arteon, gay grand tourer, volkswagen arteon 140tsi, favourite gay coupé

HASH #volkswagenarteon, #2022volkswagenarteonelegancereview, #gayvolkswagenarteon, #gaygrandtourer, #volkswagenarteon140tsi, #favouritegaycoupé