Volkswagen Arteon Coupe (2017 - 2024) Elegance 2.0 TSI 272PS 4Motion DSG auto 5d Owner Review

I came from a Golf 7.5 R, which I loved but have just retired and it was just too harsh for a long term keeper. I traded it for an ex demo Arteon in Tumeric with nominal mileage, and paid £28500. It's everything I hoped for - extremely roomy, plenty fast enough (the 272ps is the only version I would consider), very refined. It's an R-Line, which is pretty well equipped though I miss a few things, especially keyless entry. I had a reversing camera retro fitted for £800 (a penny pinching omission as standard). Mine is one of the last cars before the facelift, which improved the rather plain interior BUT went all touch-screen operation, on which basis I wouldn't buy a new one. Mine still has buttons/dials for aircon and other functions, which is miles better than these dangerous touch/slider controls (I had a Velar - I know!). I simply would not buy a new car that is all touch screen (Golf Mk 8, for example). Very few cons. The car is a superb cruiser, and on 19" rims in comfort mode, rides very well. Road noise is a big issue though, and poor surfaces are very noticeable - a fault in all German cars. It's not as bad as a BMW 3 series in this regard. It's also thirsty, especially if pushed, and returns the sort of MPG you'd expect from a good 3.0 6 cylinder. Best I've had on a gentle long distance run is 36, usually manages about 29-30. It's not as silky as a V or straight 6, but they've tuned the 2.0 to be very refined. On another planet to the petrol 2.0 Merc E300 coupe I had, which was like a tractor. The simple fact is that as a nearly-new buy, this was about £8K less than an equivalent Audi A5, with more kit, more room, and sensational looks. Sure, it's slightly less dynamic on the limit, but who really drives like that other than motoring journalists and wanna be drug lords? The 4x4 comes as standard on this model, which is re-assuring. The colour is stunning, and the car attracts more attention than far more exotic and expensive cars I've owned. If you can live without an Audi/BMW/Merc badge, these are a fantastic buy either new with a big discount, or even more so, ex-demo or nearly new. The fact there's so few about is an added bonus.