A Passat of competence
FRIGHTENINGLY EFFICIENT: THE 2.0 TDI IS POSSIBLY THE JEWEL IN THIS MODEL’S LINE-UP
Despite the first appearance, it has been a while since a car has impressed this much.
Education, they say, is everything – and they are right. Even at this writer’s advanced age, I can remember things taught to me in some of the country’s best reformatories.
Collective nouns, for instance – a swarm of bees, a pride of lions, a herd of elephant. Of course, under our great current government, South Africans have found new collective nouns.
A parliament of parasites, a municipality of mismanagement, an ANC of corruption, an EFF of bluster, a NPA of utter uselessness and a police commissioner of bribery.
We can add another – A Passat of competence.
That is what the new Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI embodies – frighteningly efficient competence. The car – recently added to the range – is the only local turbodiesel Passat.
After driving it for a week, I reckon it could soon be the best seller in the range. It has been a while since any test vehicle has impressed me this much – and that did not start with the car’s appearance.
The Passat is not a great looker – if anything, it is bland and understated, even in R-Line body spec. But, so is Gerrie Nel, and he is not to be underestimated. Ask Oscar.
The Passat’s orderly lines hide stuff like 18-inch alloy wheels on 235/45 R18 rubber, LED daytime running lights, keyless access, independent suspension with MacPherson struts front, multi-link suspension rear, a full-size spare wheel and an underbody stone guard.
More importantly, under the bonnet lies a compact, lightweight, four-cylinder, 1968cc, turbodiesel engine that develops 130kW of power between 3 600 and 4 000rpm plus 350Nm of torque between 1 500 and 3 500 rpm. The grunt and twist goes to the front wheels via a six-speed DSG automatic transmission. As a drivetrain package, the combination is superb. The Passat is a large vehicle, but it does not feel like it on the move. It boasts sprightly acceleration as can be seen from our road test figures achieved at the Gerotek Testing Facility, with the gearbox operating smoother than we could ever achieve manually.
It feels sure-footed, stays flat and understeer-free under brisk cornering, while the all-wheel disc brakes are sharp and confidence-inspiring. Those attributes will probably not impress potential Passat buyers. They will typically be family folk, demanding space, efficiencly and comfort. The Passat has all three, in abundance. It will seat five adults in comfort, with the luggage space of 519 litres being nothing short of huge.
The test vehicle boasted the range-topping Executive package, which includes stuff like Nappa leather seats, auto-dimming interior mirror, automatic headlights activation, park distance control front and rear, ISOFIX child seat preparation in the rear, a rearview camera, a multi-function leather steering wheel with aluminium inserts and gearshift paddles, a three-zone Climatronic air conditioner, an electronic media control centre that can do everything except call Donald Trump personally, and seats that can heat your bum.
Furthermore, the car will burble along through Johannesburg traffic in serene comfort, while happily sitting at 120km/h on the highway, with less than 2 000rpm on the clock.
According to the onboard computer, the Passat’s average fuel consumption is 6.3 litres/100km – remarkable, since we did not try to drive it frugally.
In all, a roomy, comfortable, spacious, all-round competent car at R522 400 that offers a decent investment in terms of reliable, safe, family transportation.
The Passat 2,0 TDI comes with a three-year/120 000km warranty, a five-year/100 000km Volkswagen Automotion Plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.
It has 15 000 km service intervals.