“Badge is important.” If this phrase resonates with you, then no matter the outcome of this review, the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon R-Line facelift will not win you over its rivals like the BMW 3 Series or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

So I’ll just start with the verdict – if you have RM 250k to spare for a “premium” sedan, look no further than the Volkswagen Arteon. Bold statement? Well, having had the privilege of experiencing most of its class rivals, I can say that with conviction.

And no, hand on my heart, this isn’t a paid review nor is Volkswagen pointing a gun to my head as I type this. I will say that the Arteon isn’t perfect, as there are a few things I think could be better, which will be pointed out in a moment. But first, let us feast our eyes on this beauty.

Exterior - If it ain't broke...

As much as we don’t like to admit it, humans are vain creatures. We like pretty things and it’s all biological, we get similar experience of pleasure to eating delicious food, for example, when we admire pretty things.

Hence, it’s a good thing that the Volkswagen Arteon is indeed a pretty thing to look at. I know, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, design is subjective. But if anyone thinks otherwise, I’d genuinely be curious to find out the reason because it has been such a head-turner.

As I’ve mentioned in the review of the pre-facelift Arteon, it looks like just like the concept it was based on. And this facelift exercise only made minor tweaks to the exterior because, well, why mess with perfection? Oh dear, I’m beginning to sound really smitten.

Wheels are 19-inch units carried over from before, and I’ll admit that it’s not the most striking thing to look at. Size wise, I think it’s perfect. Not too small that it looks dwarfed, not too large that it appears to be wrapped by a rubber band that gives anxiety over our suboptimal roads.

If there's anything I'm not fond of regarding the exterior, it would be the fake exhaust tips. Just like the pre-facelift Arteon, the chrome surrounds on the bottom edge of the rear bumper are just that, surrounds. Personally, I would just de-chrome it and call it a day.

Interior - Subtle yet distinct updates

Moving inside, changes are more apparent compared to the exterior. For one, it’s much easier to identify the Arteon from the Passat. The full-width air vents are no more and the trim pieces have been redesigned.

There are now what appears and feels like fake stitches on the dashboard as well as the upper section of the door cards. Some may find it a turn-off, but I’m indifferent to it. Most importantly, the choices of materials and build quality are as good as it gets for the price. Yes, the door handles are plastic but they don’t feel brittle nor do any of the interior trim pieces.

The Dynaudio sound system that was in the pre-facelift model has been replaced by Harman Kardon. From memory, the Dynaudio system had a cleaner presentation with greater instrument separation, and sounds a little more natural.

However, these are just nuances between the now-defunct-in-Volkswagen Dynaudio and Harman Kardon. Both have a similar sound signature, which I would describe as the Volkswagen house sound.

On its own, the Harman Kardon system should be pleasant-sounding enough for most, a notch above what you would get in the BMW 320i or Mercedes-Benz C200.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity is fantastic to use, it just hooks up upon request and off you go. However, I do wish that the tray above the gear lever is capable of wireless charging because the wireless connectivity does sap quite a bit of battery. Oh well, first world problems.

The new steering wheel feels great around the hands and the haptics work quite well. It gives the option of clicking or swiping. The air-conditioning controls have also become touch-sensitive and there’s finally an “off” button. But the traditionalist in me still prefers good old-fashioned knobs.

Elsewhere, it’s as before with Accord-rivalling amount of rear legroom, while headroom is just about enough for a 177 cm tall individual like yours truly. And who could forget the massive boot opening and its practicality.

Driving Experience - A cruise missile

To quote an F30 BMW 3 Series owner in the family who experienced the Arteon facelift, “Wow, this car feels solid man, very premium.” That about sums it up, really. It’s composed, confident, and hushed at all times.

In terms of outright performance figures, Volkswagen claims a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 5.6 seconds. We achieved 5.8 seconds in our test. At this price point, nothing else is quicker.

Even with its output figures, traction was never an issue thanks to the 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Pin the throttle down and it’ll take off in any situation without protest.

Well, taking off may be a little too dramatic because it’s not the punch-to-the-gut type of acceleration. If you drive it in a normal, sedate fashion, there’s absolutely no indication that it has 280 PS. But once you give it the beans, the surge of acceleration is just relentless.

That's the biggest difference compared to the pre-facelift model, as it runs out of puff above certain rpm. Not in this though, not the facelifted Arteon with 280 PS. The thick wave of torque can be felt pretty much to the redline.

It was already an excellent long-distance companion to begin with and the added power just makes it a world-class cruiser.

If I were to nitpick, the throttle response can be dull depending on driving mode selected. An overtaking manoeuvre was made in comfort mode and it required more throttle depression than anticipated.

This wasn’t the case in the pre-facelift Arteon, which gave a greater sense of immediacy and felt more light-footed. A simple solution would be to stick to normal or sport mode.

The real downside would be the lack of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). Though I think some credit should be given for the Side Assist and Lane Assist systems, which were absent in the pre-facelift.

Speaking of the Lane Assist, I wish it would remember the last setting instead of having it enabled by default every time the car restarts.

Let's talk a little bit about how it handles. The Arteon is as capable as ever when you show it some corners, even more so now with all-wheel drive. It tracks accurately to where you're pointing it towards with plenty of traction in its reserves.

Steering is sharp and direct given the progressive steering fitted (it takes just two turns from lock-to-lock), while body movements are well controlled depending on damper settings. It gives drivers the confidence to push on due to its surefootedness.

Compared to the G20 BMW 320i, the Arteon still falls short in terms of driving involvement. The BMW 320i is just on another level when it comes to driving dynamics, with rear-wheel drive and a wonderfully balanced chassis.

But here’s the thing, how much of that driving prowess actually matters? In daily driving situations, the Arteon is more adept to the mundane stuff of isolating the occupants. And let’s face it, the main reason you’d pick the 3 Series over this is down to the badge, not its dynamic capabilities.

Ride Comfort - DCC Magic

One of the reasons why it’s great at mundane tasks is due to the flexibility of the DCC adaptive dampers. Curiously, unlike the pre-facelift Arteon, the ride in sport mode seems to have improved.

It’s noticeably firmer than other modes, of course, but doesn’t feel as busy as before. I suspect that this could be due to the increased weight of the facelifted Arteon, or perhaps subtle recalibration has been done.

Regardless, it’s good news. Comfort mode now feels almost wafty. It just gives the sense that the suspension breathes really well over our less-than-ideal roads. Though at higher speeds, the body does wallow just a tad when tackling a set of sweeping bends.

It’s far from alarming, but selecting normal mode will tighten things up with negligible loss of suppleness. It still filters out most of the harshness and remains taut enough for the high speed stuff.

Personally, normal mode is ideal for most situations, which became my default mode. Perfectly balanced, as the Mad Titan would say.

Compared to the BMW 320i and Mercedes-Benz C200, the facelifted Arteon simply rides better than the two irrespective of modes.

As for seating comfort, the new bucket style seats not only look great, they offer fantastic support from the sides, thigh, and lumbar. With the 14-way powered driver seat, there’s more than enough adjustment flexibility for all body types to get comfortable.

Cushions in the seats are typical-Teutonic firm, no surprises there. Some may find the rear seatback to be a little upright, but I personally think it’s sufficiently angled. Plus, thigh support is decent as well.

Exterior noises are impressively muted, even without double-glazed windows. Wind noise is minimal due to the aerodynamic shape. Tyre noise can be noticeable on some surfaces and at higher speeds. Our decibel meter recorded pretty much identical noise levels to the pre-facelift model:

Fuel Consumption

Over a 125.7 km journey broken down to about 60/40 highway and city driving, 11.2 litres of fuel were required to brim the tank once again. This gives the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon R-Line facelift a fuel consumption figure of 8.9-litre/100 km.

Considering the power output, number of driven wheels, and weight, it’s a decent achievement. The pre-facelift FWD Arteon with 190 PS recorded 7.2-litre/100 km, while the G20 BMW 320i did 8.0-litre/100 km.

Conclusion

As you would already be able to surmise, the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon R-Line facelift is a an easy recommend for those looking for a premium offering under RM 250k. It’s fast, comfortable, spacious, and practical. It fully deserves to be in the premium bracket.

This is car that I struggled to find faults with and would result to nitpicking – things like the lack of a wireless charger, muted throttle response in certain modes, or the Lane Assist’s intrusion. The only potential deal-breaker here is the omission of AEB.

I won’t excuse it but Volkswagen Malaysia did say that they expect to feature it one day once they’ve done the research and development as well as obtaining the necessary permissions. For the time being, the Arteon only gets Side Assist and Lane Assist.

The bigger hurdle for the Arteon right now would be for consumers to look past its badge; to get them to ignore their acquaintances / friends / relatives who said they had issues, bring up resale value, or question why didn’t they get a BMW/Mercedes-Benz instead.

Because if there were three cars parked in front of me – Arteon, 320i, C200 – and I get to choose to drive home one of them, I would pick the Arteon without hesitation.

When the situation gets better, try the Arteon out for yourself. If you like it, then forget about anyone who tries to convince you otherwise. As ironic as this may sound coming from a review - buy what you like, not what others say you should like.

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