VW Arteon Shooting Brake VS Volvo V60 Cross Country

VW Arteon Shooting Brake and Volvo V60 Cross Country, Two Grand Dames Compared

I blame you, the public with your SUV-obsessed buying habits, for killing the much-loved wagon. Wagon is no longer a fashionable word, and we have to use idiom to disguise the infinite practicality of a sedan-based fun machine. Arteon Shooting Brake comes from a long lineage of British poshness, where people went into the countryside and killed things for fun. V60 Cross Country has more than a whiff of grand exploration, so this pair had better live up to their promises.

Exteriors

Both the VW and Volvo have sexy-esque looks that belie their multi-use ability.

Arteon is slightly more handsome, with its slinky, low-slung body that begs to take a load in the back. It took the sedan to exotic places you’d not dare take a tourer. The Volvo is also long, but doesn’t look as low, however the VW is slightly taller. Looks can be deceiving.

Neither is intended to perform the testosterone-laden task thrown at a full-on SUV, so they can afford to concentrate on being elegant and lusty instead.

Both are covered in cameras and sensors, and both are AWD, with fancy motorised rear hatches, and Matrix Led headlights.

The Volvo has Thor’s Hammer DTRLs, while the Arteon’s highlight is surely its gorgeous pillarless windows. Arteon’s tail lights do a little dance as the car awakens, while the Volvo illuminates most of the D pillar in radiant LED glamour.

V60 has 19” wheels, with a space saver spare. The Shooting Brake had larger 20” wheels, a full size alloy spare, and very low profile tyres. The latter have been a problem on the badly damaged roads, and went flatter than a Trump campaign. Thank the lords for a full-size spare.

Get Volkswagen Arteon Brochure HERE: Arteon Release June 2021-11062f512afb4c0bbd7d01cda0fa19e7

Get Volvo V60 Cross Country Spec Sheet HERE: As Tested Volvo V60 Cross Country V1927

This Week: 2022 VW Arteon VS Volvo V60 Comparison

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ABOVE: 2022 Volkswagen Arteon and Volvo V60 Cross Country

The Cabins

Arteon is Germany, distilled into a single Bauhaus-inspired creation that is minimal, yet tastefully comfortable. There is a pop-up HUD, digital driver display, and large infotainment screen connected to a killer sound system.

There are acres of cow, trimmed with metal highlights. Even the plastic trim eschews the wanton cost cutting that rears its head in brand new VW models. Shame on them. The atmosphere is restful, with restrained luxury veneered over the latest techy marvels.

Seating is powered in the front, with the outer 4 seats also being heated. Arteon replaced the unloved, but equally dishy Passat CC, so has oodles of space. Rear seaters are particularly spoilt with more than enough space to hold a small military tattoo.

The sloping roof might make life snug for the very tall traveller, but we normal folk will spend many happy hours in the back, if we are not fortunate enough to be driving that is.

The new VW controls will give more people palpitations, so Arteon’s traditional style setup is more my cup of tea. There are just enough buttons to give convenience without the insanity of a control for every function. The rest sit happily on stalks and within the menus in the infotainment system.

Volvo has taken a different approach with their interior design. V60 Cross Country has hints of Scandi-Chic club with leather, wood, and metal tastefully harmonising with the gentle curves. The HUD is projected onto the windscreen, and the driver has digital instruments. The portrait style infotainment screen controls the superb sound system. MY23 car get the Google interface, but our MY22 V60 has the older style system.

Front seats are heated and cooled, with power controls including lumbar, front squab, and side bolsters. A tasty blast of cooling breeze can be had up the Khyber, making the hottest days doable, sort of.

Safety and Driver Aids

Arteon Shooting Brake has 9 airbags while Volvo V6 has 6. Both have:

• Alert/Warning – Collision Forward
  Alert/Warning – Road Sign Display
  Blind Spot Sensor
  Brake Emergency Display – Hazard/Stoplights
  Camera – Front
  Camera – Side
  Collision Mitigation – Reversing with Braking
  Collision Warning – Rearward
  Control – Crash Avoidance with Braking (High spd)
  Control – Crash Avoidance with Braking (Low spd)
  Control – Pedestrian Avoidance with Braking
  Cross Traffic Alert – Rear
  Driver Attention Detection
  Lane Departure Warning
  Lane Keeping – Active Assist
  Parking Assistance – Graphical Display

Side Door Exit Warning
Warning – Driver Fatigue

Areton adds

• Side Door Exit Warning
  Warning – Driver Fatigue

The Drive

Arteon’s 206kw/400Nm turbo 4 is frisky, very frisky. V60 Shooting Brake is also a 4cylinder turbo but has 183kw/350Nm. 0-100 times are only 1 second apart (VW 5.6, Volvo 6.6) because V60 is a mild hybrid, getting a boost from a small electric motor when needed. It is surprisingly lusty, in a dignified and controlled way.

VW’s 7-speed DSG(with drive modes and paddle shifters) had fast changes, but is a trifle jerky at very low speeds. Volvo’s 8-speed automatic is incredibly smooth, but has no paddle shifters of drive modes. There are swings and roundabouts in every comparison, right?

Handling is exceptional. Both have AWD and sedan-like cornering. In fact, these large wagons felt like svelte sports cars when getting stuck into tight bends, and get stuck in, we did.

The Volvo’s electronic shifter needs a couple of pulls to change direction, and takes quite a bit of getting used to. Do please do a little practice before attempting a 3 pointer in traffic.

Up to now, the pair was neck and neck. Both felt frisky and playful, but the Volvo nudged ahead with super-smooth stop/start, using the hybrid drive to spin the engine in to life. Its small battery is charged from braking but has no EV-only mode.

Arteon has fancy suspension that is soft in comfort mode, but Volvo’s slightly smaller wheels gave the tyres a little more spring.

Conclusion:

Our 2-person panel was so evenly divided that David chose Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake for the neat cabin, drive modes, and comfort. He likes this organised to the point of obsession.

Alan chose Volvo V60 Cross Country. He liked the mild hybrid and 8-speed automatic. Alan preferred the neat Scandi interior design, and smooth stop/start. In fact this is the only Stop/Start Alan has chosen to leave activated. Otherwise, it is the first thing to be turned off. Alan also preferred the HUD on the windscreen VS Arteon’s pop-up unit.

Both ploved the sedan-like handling in preference to an SUV of similar size. More importantly, both cars have hot-hatch performance. What’s not to like?

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