Volkswagen Arteon

VAG’s “flagship” model is a clever, attractive saloon with a real cracker under the bonnet. Charlie Flindt finds little to moan about

THE fact that Volkswagen is calling the new Arteon its “flagship” is interesting, not least because it’s a million miles away from VW’s previous standard bearer, the not-much loved Phaeton. The latter was a four-door saloon that looked like a muscled-up Passat, was hugely sophisticated (aka complicated) and quietly slipped off the price lists a couple of years ago. It’s now one of the best second-hand bargains out there.

The Arteon, far from being a bland saloon, is (and I love quoting press releases) an “avant-garde gran turismo with svelte fastback styling”. Run that line through the bullshit filter and it comes out as, “a low and wide four-door saloon with a long, sloping hatchback”.

It looks better in the metal than it does on the press release, with the multiple lights cleverly incorporated into the horizontal lines of the front grille.