Picking up the Arteon, the first thing that comes to mind is how good looking it is. The gold colour of the car I tested may not be to everyone’s taste, but it certainly makes it stand out. The model I drove was the 150bhp turbo diesel R-line.

The R-line comes with some really impressive alloy wheels and a few other bits to make it feel and look sportier than the regular models.

Sitting in the Arteon, it is hard to tell the difference from a top of the line Passat – on which the Arteon is based.

There is the very impressive 8” infotainment system, which has all the bells and whistles including app connect for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

These infotainment systems with app connect are now becoming standard across the industry and it is nearly a surprise if they are not available.

The seats on the R-line are very nice wraparound versions with the R-line logo embossed on to them. I found them to be very comfortable and supportive. The steering wheel in the R-line is also upgraded to a nice leather-wrapped one.

In the back, the Arteon provides plenty of legroom, but the sloping roof which gives the Arteon its distinctive good looks make headroom for the taller passenger a bit of an issue – a little bit of style over practicality.

On the road

The Arteon is pitched as a cruiser, so the first place I headed for was the motorway. This car comes with a 7 speed DSG gearbox that is common across the Volkswagen Group.

Once up to speed, the car cruises very quietly, almost eerily so. This is the quietest car I have driven in a very long time and it made eating up motorway miles a pleasure.

The Arteon also comes with one of my favourite toys, adaptive cruise control. This allows you to set your maximum speed and preferred distance from the car in front. This means the car will speed up and slow down depending on the traffic, which can be a little off-putting if someone pulls out from the slow lane, leading to abrupt braking. Thankfully, it always managed to avoid the accident.

On the more twisty stuff, the Arteon feels large and can feel a little boat-like when pushed on. In saying that though, at a sedate pace it was very comfortable with the suspension setup soaking up every single one of the lumps and humps with consummate ease.

On the power front, the 2-litre diesel engine that is common across the Volkswagen range seems a little sluggish for what is meant to be a sports saloon.

The 150bhp just doesn’t give enough of a shove when you push the accelerator, and can also seem to confuse the usually brilliant DSG in traffic.

The gearbox seemed to be jumpy and not able to find the correct gear when in that situation. A lack of torque from the power plant is the only reason I can see for this occurring.

Verdict

The Arteon is one of the prettiest cars around at the minute, but that alone is not enough to make it a must-buy.

The engine is adequate – not a word you want to be using about a sports saloon unfortunately. There is nothing wrong with it, it just doesn’t match up the car’s stunning good looks. For this reason I belive that the twin turbo version should be the model any prospective buyer chooses.

Personally, I would stick with the solid and trusted Passat and save the difference for a rainy day.

Engine – 2-litre turbo diesel

Power – 150bhp

Gearbox – 7 Speed DSG

Road tax – €200

Price as tested – €43,000

UK price – from £34,305