Passat’s R-Line brings sport to Volkswagen midsize sedan lineup
Volkswagen’s Tennessee-built midsize Passat sedan received a complete makeover just last year, and it returns for 2017 with a lineup of models ranging from the base S at $22,440 (plus $820) freight to the top-end SEL V-6 Premium at $36,835.
But for those who want a Passat with turbo power along with sporty good looks without having to pay anything near a premium price, the R-Line edition ($23,975) could be a great choice.
While the 2017 R-Line model we tested recently was second to the bottom in price among the full Passat line, it didn’t look or drive like a bargain-priced car. Its exterior actually makes it look like a European luxury sedan.
Under the hood is Volkswagen’s turbocharged 1.8-liter directinjection four-cylinder gasoline engine, rated at 170 horsepower and 184 foot-pounds of torque. It’s connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.
This car is not only wellequipped for the price, it’s also fun to drive.
The Passat we tested was the embodiment of the sport sedan. With its turbocharged engine, precise electro-mechanical power steering and road-hugging suspension, our Passat was miles ahead of the ordinary passenger car.
For 2017, the R-Line model comes with such standard features as a Composition Media six-speaker touch-screen audio system with USB connectivity, voice control, satellite radio, and Volkswagen’s Car-Net App-Connect technology; Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (front assist); Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Traffic Alert; a power driver’s seat; V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces; and heated front seats.
Unique exterior cues include R-Line bumpers, grille, air intakes and trim, along with special interior touches such as R-Line trim and doorsill plates.
An optional R-Line Lighting Package brings LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights, but was not included on our test vehicle.
Other standard exterior features included sporty 19-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, heated/ folding/power-adjustable outside mirrors, automatic headlights, variable intermittent wipers with heated washer nozzles, and a chrome-trimmed exhaust outlet.
Our car had the Urano Gray exterior color, a medium gray that gave the car an elegant look. The interior was Moonrock Gray with quartz piping.
Cabin amenities included dual-zone automatic climate control, multifunction leather steering wheel with shift paddles for the transmission, and power driver’s seat/ manual front passenger seat (both heated). Cruise control and a rearview camera are also standard.
The front bucket seats were quite comfortable, and there was a center console with a small cubby under the padded armrest and two cupholders. In front of the consolemounted shifter was an open cubby big enough for a couple of smartphones, with a 12-volt outlet. Door pockets front and rear had single bottle holders in each one.
The rear seat was roomy enough for three adults, and there was ample knee and legroom even with the front seats adjusted rearward for long-legged people up front. There was a pull-down center console/armrest in the rear with two cupholders that could be used when the middle position wasn’t needed for a passenger.
Rear passengers had their own heat/air-conditioning vent, at the rear of the front center console.
Surprisingly, the SE model, which starts at $26,280, even comes with Adaptive Cruise Control, a feature normally seen only on high-end models. The SE is in the middle of the Passat lineup. Other models include the 1.8T SE with Technology Package ($28,410); and two top-end SEL versions – the 1.8T ($30,495), and the SEL V-6 Premium ($36,835), which includes a 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 280 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque, mated to a sixspeed automatic directshift gearbox (DSG).
For 2017, the 1.8-liter turbo gasoline engine is the base powerplant in the Passat. It was introduced three years ago to replace the 2.5-liter five-cylinder. In the R-Line, this engine has EPA ratings of 23 mpg city/34 highway/27 combined with the automatic transmission. We got decent mileage, averaging just under 30 mpg in a mix of highway/rural road driving.
This version of the Passat, the main product of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, VW plant, is sold only in North America. Europeans and others around the world have a different version that costs more.
Entry and exit are aided by the Passat’s large, wide-opening doors. The split-folding rear seat space when needed, but the trunk already has 15.9 cubic feet of space. The trunk lid popped all the way open — standing straight up and out of the way — whenever I pushed the button on the driver’s door or on the remote.
With last year’s redesign, the Passat got a new dashboard, along with integrated two-tone decor panels. The instrument panel is similar to that of the VW Golf, with two large dials and a display screen between them.
The new steering wheel has a flat bottom, which helps boost the car’s sporty image. Volkswagen said the new frameless rearview mirror is “an understated touch of elegance.”
Despite the 170-horsepower rating, the 1.8-liter turbo was more than adequate even on the mountain grades, and the cruise control had no problem holding the precise highway speed I set it to.
I also encountered some rain, and the car handled well on the slick pavement, even though some (very shallow) standing water.
Passat also comes with Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, and a tilttelescopic steering column. Other standard features include power windows, insulated glass, and outside temperature display with frost warning. The RLine model does not have pushbutton start, however. That takes an upgrade to the SE model.