Launched here in July this year, the Volkswagen Arteon facelift is currently offered in a sole R-Line 2.0 TSI 4Motion variant that is priced at RM248,693 on-the-road without insurance (over RM27,000 more than before). Today, we bring you a full gallery of the stylish sedan for your viewing pleasure.
Keep in mind that the asking price accounts for the ongoing sales tax exemption, which is 100% in this case as the Arteon is locally assembled (CKD) in Pekan, Pahang. Also included in the price is a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and three years of free servicing.
In terms of visual updates, the latest Arteon gets a redesigned grille that incorporates an LED light bar linking the daytime running lights, joined by new taillight graphics with an inverted L-shaped design. The standard R-Line appearance package also comes with more aggressive bumpers, with the one at the front sporting body-coloured air intake blades. Meanwhile, the rear gets a black diffuser accompanied by faux quad tailpipes.
A few notable changes on the inside too, as the analogue clock on the dashboard is now gone to accommodate new angular air vents and a silver strip that runs across the front half of the cabin. Elsewhere, the climate system now comes with touch-sensitive controls, there’s a new steering wheel design, the ambient lighting system now boasts 30 colours, and the ErgoComfort seats have a sportier look with integrated headrests brandishing an embroidered R logo.
All the logos and badges are also of the Volkswagen’s latest corporate look, making the Arteon the first model in Malaysia to get them. In terms of colour options, you have access to Lapiz Blue and the existing Oryx White, Deep Black, Pyrite Silver and Manganese Grey, but the previous Turmeric Yellow hero colour offered for the pre-facelift has been dropped.
Under the bonnet, you’ll find an EA888 2.0 litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine that serves up 280 PS from 5,100 to 6,500 rpm and 350 Nm of torque from 1,700 to 5,600 rpm, the latter being 50 Nm less compared to European-market models.
However, both figures represent a gain over the pre-facelift car’s 190 PS and 320 Nm, and there’s even Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system to go with the standard seven-speed DSG wet dual-clutch transmission. The result is a 0-100 km/h time of 5.6 seconds, which is around two seconds faster than before.
2021 Volkswagen Arteon R-Line 2.0 TSI 4Motion spec sheet; click to enlarge
For the sum, the kit list includes full LED headlights, LED taillights with sequential indicators and 19-inch Montevideo two-tone alloy wheels, all the same as the pre-facelift model. Inside, find Nappa carbon-print leather upholstery along with a 12-speaker, 700-watt Harman Kardon sound system in place of the previous Dynaudio setup.
The sum paid also nets you keyless entry and engine start, power-adjustable front seats with driver’s side memory function, triple-zone auto climate control, automatic headlamps and wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a 9.2-inch Discover Pro infotainment touchscreen with gesture control plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive dampers, a 360-degree camera and a hands-free powered tailgate.
In the safety department, the Arteon gains lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert, joining the usual six airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, stability control, post-collision braking and ISOFIX rear child seat anchors. However, the car still isn’t offered with autonomous emergency braking, despite the presence of the front-facing camera.
