Volkswagen Passat Bluemotion 2
Does addition of stop-start make German better than ever?
As green brands go, Volkswagen’s BlueMotion label is one of the most established around. After debuting on the stripped-out Polo supermini, the eco-friendly range has expanded, and even encompasses the firm’s giant Touareg off-roader.
Until now, VW has achieved gains in fuel economy simply by introducing weight-saving measures, longer gearing and aerodynamic fine-tuning. But the second generation of the eco Passat gets stop-start technology. Does this push it
to the front of the green car field?
From the outside, there’s little to set the BlueMotion 2 apart from its predecessor. Although it rides lower to the ground than regular models to reduce drag, it looks just like a regular Passat Estate. That means a handsome design, complete with useful roof bars and stylish alloy wheels.
It’s bigger than its Volvo rival and provides more spacious accommodation for five people, but the major difference comes in the back. With the seats in place, its 513-litre boot has a 96-litre advantage. Fold the seats, and capacity increases to 1,641 litres, which is a significant 334 litres more than the Volvo.
The sense of space continues up front, although the Passat feels a little sparsely equipped in comparison. It misses out on the leather steering wheel and gearlever that come as standard on the Volvo.
The BlueMotion 2 does get many of the additions that help to make the Volvo such an eco hit, however. Aerodynamic tweaks to the bodywork, low rolling resistance tyres and stop-start all combine to help slash fuel bills. Although we were unable to match the claimed figures on test, our 42.1mpg return is respectable given that it was achieved while conducting performance assessments.
The figure narrowly trailed the 42.8mpg the smaller-engined Volvo managed during its time with us, but the VW’s much larger fuel tank provides a theoretical range of nearly 900 miles – considerably greater than its rival and
more attractive to high-mileage drivers.
Against the stopwatch, our two green kings were evenly matched – no big surprise as the Passat’s 2.0-litre TDI produces 1bhp more power than the V50’s 108bhp 1.6.
The VW also serves up greater torque, delivering its 250Nm – a 10Nm increase over the Volvo – at only 1,500rpm.
At the test track, the VW accelerated from 0-60mph in 11.5 seconds – only six-tenths behind the DRIVe model – while our in-gear figures were even closer. The Passat is younger than the V50, but it drives with more maturity, dealing with small bumps with much greater effectiveness.
Its smooth ride comfort and quieter diesel engine make for more refined high-speed cruising, although you notice those low resistance tyres in the wet. As with the rubber fitted to the Volvo, they surrender their grip with relatively little provocation.
The Passat is no performance car, then, and its 129g/km CO2 emissions are high in this company. Will this cost it dear in the final analysis?
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WHY: The second generation of the Passat BlueMotion delivers even lower emissions and better economy than ever.
