Understated class from this VW diesel
Unobtrusively and quietly, Passat TDI has all the right stuff for a great family car
GENERALLY you’re confronted by a large yawn when discussing a Volkswagen Passat. Over the decades it’s become the automotive equivalent of white goods. Sensible, staid, well priced, roomy, but ultimately about as exciting as a washing machine. So goes the cliché, anyway. In reality VW’s midsized sedan has always quietly got on with the job without trying to be exciting or glamorous, and this approach has served it well with over 22 million sales racked up worldwide since its launch in 1973.
It hardly nudges the excite-o-meter, but it’s won customers over by being spacious and comfortable, all at a lower price than ‘status’ cars of similar size and power.
The new 8th-generation Passat doesn’t exactly come wheel-skidding into town with a new lease of excitement, but VW has made a noticeable effort to spice it up a little.
The interior is decked out with VW’s typically high quality finishes, but now it gets a dash of charm with a sexy digital instrument panel much like the Virtual Cockpit introduced by cousin Audi.
This optional VW feature, called the Active Info Display, costs R9000 extra (and R22 000 if bundled with navigation) but really glams up the instrument panel and it is like having a slice of Star Trek inside your car. It replaces traditional analogue instruments with a configurable TFT display that places the speedo and rev counter, navigation, onboard computer, phone and audio system directly into the driver’s field of view.
It’s all controlled by buttons on the steering wheel and takes minimal concentration off driving. I found it easy to operate, and the Active Info Display is an elegant solution that succeeds both in functionality and looking good.
There’s an additional large display in the centre console which allows both the driver and front passenger to use the navigation and infotainment functions.
This new high-tech is installed in a cabin that’s even roomier than its impressively spacious predecessor despite the Passat getting a marginal trim in exterior dimensions. There are improvements to leg- and head-room as well as increased luggage space. The boot gulps 519 litres of cargo despite carrying a full spare wheel (unlike the biscuit-sized ones used by many cars), and the rear seats conveniently flip down at the touch of a button.
The range is offered in two new equipment lines - Luxury and Executive - and both come standard with a decent spec level including LED headlights, three-zone climate control, park distance control, infotainment system, and heated leather seats. Also safety features like a Multi-Collision Braking System, Fatigue Detection, a full suite of airbags, stability control and ABS brakes. The Passat scored the maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test.
The range-topping Executive specification, as tested here, has fancier Nappa leather seats (also heated), as well as dynamic cornering lights, additional interior decoration, and a fancier-looking infotainment display among others.
The Executive version also gets an R-Line Styling package with a sporty front grille, side skirts and 18-inch ‘Marseille’ alloy wheels. The latest Passat’s exterior styling doesn’t exactly cross the excitement Rubicon but the R-Line package does lift it from total anonymity.
All Passats come standard with cruise control but you’ll have to pay extra for optional Active Cruise Control which keeps a safe following distance in traffic.
It’s part of an optional R20 150 Safety Package that also includes City Emergency Braking and a head-up display.
Extra money also buys you the latest generation of Park Assist which allows the car to drive itself forwards into perpendicular bays, and comes with a parking camera.
Our test car came with a R24 050 Luxury Package that throws electrically adjustable front seats and a high-end 700W audio system into the mix.
There are no shortage of gizmos if you’re willing to spend the money.
In November last year the formerly petrol-only Passat range was extended with the introduction of the 2.0 TDI engine. The 130kW four-cylinder engine feels satisfyingly eager, and with a strong 350Nm of torque delivered from just 1500rpm it gets into its happy zone quickly, without any annoying wait for the turbo to wake up. Paired with its 6-speed DSG auto transmission the car’s rated for a top speed of 228km/h and a respectable 8.2 second 0-100km/h sprint.
The petrol-engined Passat 2.0 TSI, with its 162kW Golf GTI engine, will tittilate the performance-seekers more with its 6.7 second sprint and 246km/h top speed, but this diesel-engined version is the pick of the range for its thrust-to-thirst ratio. It’s claimed to sip just 5 litres per 100km and our diesel test car returned a still-impressive 6.4 litres in real-world driving.
It’s a soft-spoken diesel engine, in a manner befitting an executive sedan, and the overall experience is hushed. It’s a solid-feeling car with good sophistication.
VW’s engineers have also nailed a good balance between a plush ride and neat handling. The Passat wafts along on comfy springs without feeling wallowy in the bends, and the car can be pushed into enthusiastic cornering without getting unsettled.
The R522 400 price of the Passat 2.0TDI Executive R-Line includes a 3 year/120 000 km warranty and 5 year/100 000 km Automotion Maintenance Plan. VERDICT The Passat is all about understated class, as before, but now brought bang up to date with new technology and sophistication. For people not too hung up on badge snobbery it makes a great (and better priced) alternative to rivals like the Audi A4, Mercedes C Class and BMW 3 Series. Passat vs rivals:
VW Passat 2.0 TDI Executive R-Line DSG (130kW/350Nm) - R522 400
Audi A4 2.0TDI (140kW/400Nm) - R580 000
BMW 320d auto (140kW/400Nm) - R572 100
Ford Fusion 2.0TDCi Titanium (132kW/400Nm) - R553 900
Mercedes C220d (125kW/400Nm) - R571 100 sport auto