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Auto Express Car Reviews
Up close with the new Passat
We try out next version of Volkswagen’s ever-popular family and fleet star for size
Text: Luke Madden / Photos: Pete Gibson
October 2010
With more than 15 million sales worldwide over the past 37 years, the Volkswagen Passat has quite a reputation to uphold!
Now a new model has arrived to fight it out with the Ford Mondeo and Skoda Superb – and Auto Express has been given exclusive access to find out if it can live up to the benchmark set by its predecessors.
Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the VW Passat
Making its global debut at the Paris Motor Show, it’s fair to say that the new model didn’t cause many heads to turn on the VW stand. But away from the artificial glamour of the hall, the Passat looks sharp, thanks to subtly updated styling.
Every panel has been replaced apart from the roof, and it makes for an elegant and understated design. It’s not likely to set pulses racing, but it won’t put off potential customers either.
Head-on, the newcomer is lower and wider than the car it replaces, with clean, angular lines and a narrow grille. Thin foglights, lots of chrome and LED daytime running lights round off what is a classy and subtle look.
Move to the rear and it’s a similar story. The Passat appears wider, while chrome strips and M-shaped LED tail-lights matching those found on the flagship Phaeton also feature.
In fact, the Passat adopts quite a few cues from VW’s range-topping model. As well as the styling, the newcomer has taken steps to re-create the Phaeton’s excellent comfort and refinement. Sound-deadening has been improved and the cabin has been better isolated from wind and road noise, too.
Business and private buyers alike will love the variety of kit available, and the technology on offer wouldn’t look out of place on a car costing twice as much.
For example, you can specify radar-guided cruise control that can brake the car to a standstill, as well as accelerate away, if it detects a rear collision is about to happen.
Then there’s Dynamic Light Assist, which always uses main beam lights, but blocks out an area of light to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.
There are also systems that will park the car for you, try to prevent you from falling asleep at the wheel, inform you of speed limits and help you safely change lane. All very clever – but it’s when you sit in the Passat that it really impresses. Fit and finish are exemplary, with luxurious soft-touch materials used throughout the cabin. An analogue clock and optional ambient interior lighting add a touch of class. Customers can even specify seats with integrated heating, cooling and massage functions.
It’s extremely practical, too. The estate model boasts 513 litres of boot space, rising to 1,641 litres with the back seats down. In the saloon, there’s 565 litres of luggage-carrying capacity – up from 485 litres in the old model. There’s also
a pair of levers in the boot that will fold the rear seats down, boosting space to 1,001 litres. The cleverest feature, though, is a sensor underneath the rear bumper that, providing you have the smart key in your pocket, can open the boot when you wave your foot underneath it.
Under the bonnet, there’s a range of petrol and diesel engines. Kicking off the petrol offerings is a 1.4-litre turbo TSI with 120bhp, but a 1.8-litre 158bhp unit and a 2.0-litre TSI engine with 207bhp are also available. When fitted with stop-start and brake energy regeneration, the 1.4-litre TSI produces only 138g/km of CO2.
The oil-burners start with a 1.6-litre TDI, which when combined with BlueMotion tweaks, including stop-start and brake energy regeneration, can achieve 68.8mpg and delivers CO2 emissions of just 109g/km. There’s also a 2.0-litre diesel engine that can be ordered in two states of tune – 138bhp and 168bhp.
Expect 0-62mph times to range from around 12 seconds in the 1.6-litre TDI BlueMotion to just under eight seconds in the 2.0-litre TSI. The engines can be paired with VW’s DSG double-clutch gearbox, with the exception of the BlueMotion model, which must be specified with a six-speed manual gearbox.
The company is keen to improve the Passat’s dynamics, too. Although it’s based on the same platform as the old model, engineers will likely fit the XDS traction control system from the Golf GTI to more powerful models. This hi-tech set-up mimics a limited-slip differential to reduce understeer and improve traction.
There’s no word on pricing just yet, but base ‘S’ models are set to start at around £18,000 and come as standard with a leather multifunction steering wheel, alloy wheels, air-conditioning and an iPod connection.
In addition to that, ‘SE’ models will get a digital radio, Bluetooth and fatigue detection. Sport variants will top the range. Estate and saloon models will go on sale in the middle of October with the first models being delivered in January 2011. R-Line models, featuring sporty styling upgrades, will be unveiled later in the year.
For an alternative review of the latest Volkswagen Passat visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk
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25 Comments
Nice (in the true sense of the word)
But I am finding the new VW corporate look very bland / American - or maybe thats the idea - those Marketing types can be very clever...
With the exception of the Scirocco, I am tired of boxes-on-wheels un-design from VW.
WOW its dull
It looks worse than it did in Paris ,all the chrome bits in the world won't save this from snoozeville.I'm sure they will sell millions.
Yawn!
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......
Yawn!
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......
Please put brain in to gear before hitting keyboard....
Business and private buyers alike will love the variety of kit available, and the technology on offer wouldn’t look out of place on a car costing twice as much.
And that's because the car will cost twice as much with all that kit added on!!!
DUH!!
Please put brain in to gear before hitting keyboard....
Business and private buyers alike will love the variety of kit available, and the technology on offer wouldn’t look out of place on a car costing twice as much.
And that's because the car will cost twice as much with all that kit added on!!!
DUH!!
It's a Passat!
What do people expect? Of course it's bland, but some people like that. I don't know about over there in the U.K but here in Ireland they are everywhere!
I just hope it's mechanical components are much better quality because V.W from 02 onwards suffered a lot of problems. However from 08 onwards they are supposed to be much improved, lets hope so.
It's a shame V.A.G have no decent electric cars on the horizon, because when the Leaf and the Ampera are released people will realise how good electric cars will be to drive and most important, how cheap they will be to run. Around £20.000 for the Ampera, It will be a no brainier to me.
Seats
the seats do not fold flat , and then when they have put them in the original position look at picture 8 , the seat squab is misshapen , major gaffe by the photographer, take picture of the seat first ,as you only have to put seats down once before they are ruined!
It's a Passat!
What do people expect? Of course it's bland, but some people like that. I don't know about over there in the U.K but here in Ireland they are everywhere!
I just hope it's mechanical components are much better quality because V.W from 02 onwards suffered a lot of problems. However from 08 onwards they are supposed to be much improved, lets hope so.
It's a shame V.A.G have no decent electric cars on the horizon, because when the Leaf and the Ampera are released people will realise how good electric cars will be to drive and most important, how cheap they will be to run. Around £20.000 for the Ampera, It will be a no brainier to me.
Please put brain in to gear before hitting keyboard....
Business and private buyers alike will love the variety of kit available, and the technology on offer wouldn’t look out of place on a car costing twice as much.
And that's because the car will cost twice as much with all that kit added on!!!
DUH!!
I know..........
I know, I know! I did not put brain in to gear before hitting the reload button.
DUH!!
are they losing touch with design?
Looks like a design of the 90's. Last generation Passat was evolving and stylish.What prompted them to go ahead with this design? Dull, dull and more dull.
Its a pity, right alongside with the new Phaethon.
I wouldn't even consider buing it. Its so idifferent!
Then again the same stands for all the new VW lineup, Golf 6,Eos 2, Polo etc. They just don't turn heads anymore.
They better wake up or they will soon be left behind.
On the other hand maybe its the Chinese and Asian Markets they are targeting mostly where design is not a must.
In my view the problem for VW was that the look of the current Passat and the last Golf for that matter was just right and any changes would spoil that look. This has been born out by the revamped Golf and now the new Passat, I don't like either of them. Problem is that they have fitted new lights into body styles that matched the old lights better. The bodies and lights were an integrated look - they aren't now.
Good news is that I don't feel any need to replace my current Passat Estate!
Coming soon to the outside lane of a motorway near you.
Anonymous, beige, repmobile driven by those go-getters who're not quite go-getting enough to rate a Merc/Beemer/Audi. As such, its drivers will act like tw@ts, tailgating to prove their macho credentials.
Regardless, this is still automotive mogadon.
Leather steering wheel as standard
I wish that car manufacturers would understand that not all of us want to drive around gripping a piece of dead cow in our hands!
:( as a VW owner I am sad :(
I have to agree with the majority of the posters, and with the common sense. VW has turned into the worst German brand. they fall back the line with every new model (sciroco is an exception - maybe because its not built in Germany... I have one, maybe I'm suspicious...).
Even skoda has evolved more... :(
Fatigue Protection Could Come in Handy!
Given the yawn-inducing design. If this is what the 'top-of-the-range" models look like I CAN wait to see the entry models.
That said, there are plenty of people, unlikely to post here, who only care about getting from A-B reliably and in reasonable comfort and the new Passat will no doubt appeal to many of them, provided the looks are vaguely acceptable.
Good point by kirra1 re China/Asian market
I went into my local Audi dealer a couple of weeks ago and asked about an A4 quattro estate. I was told it would take 6 months+ as Audi has reduced the UK allocation as they make a lot more money selling cars in China/Asia. I'll buy something else - just not a Passat!
TOYS FOR THE BOYS
I don't much care what a car looks like (Except in the case of the Nissan Joke.. oh, sorry! I meant Juke), as I would be inside behind the wheel. As a total package, the new Passat is hitting on the door of the most highly specified luxury cars, available today, and I would rather have the New Passat with the 20 TDi 170 with all the toys, rather than the lux-barges offered on the market, including the bigger cousin, Audi A6. Make mine a sickly green, that will scare the thieves away!!!!
Not a great success
I am usually a defender of VW design policy, because designs that others seem to see as 'eyecatching' , I see as gimmicky and crass.
However it seems as if VW have not changed enough of the old panels, whatever they claim. It really does look like the old model with an ill fitting nose grafted on. Not a success this time VW.
Samson
Absolute WOOOOOOOW!
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz
yes they may produce reliable cars (but not as good as Jap cars) but their designs are unique for the boring driver who doesn't know style if it slapped him in the face with a wet fish!
Volkswagen have done it too.....
Made a car that is more ugly than it's predecessor..... are you owned by BMW????
VW PASSAT CAR OF THE YEAR 2011
SORRY FOLKS BUT IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT VW HAVE PUT TOGETHER THE MOST INNOVATIVE "REGULAR" PEOPLES CAR IN THE MARKET TO DATE WITH A SET OF OPTIONS AND FEATURES THAT ARE ON AVAILABLE ON MODELS FAR ABOVE ITS PRICE BRACKET.
YES THE STYLING MAYBE BE DULL AS YOU DESCRIBE BUT IT IS A PREMIUM PRODUCT WITH ALL THE FRILLS THAT BMW/AUDI/MERCEDES WILL CHARGE AN ARM AN A LEG FOR ON THIER EQUAL RIVALS 3 SERIES/A4/C CLASS.
IT WILL BE THE ONE TO WATCH FOR IN 2011 MAYBE VW WILL MAKE IT THREE IN ROW FOR WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR
P.S JUST ORDERED MY NEW PASSAT TODAY WITH ALL THE TOYS FOR 2011. MY 3RD VW IN AS MANY YEARS.
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