Long regarded as a bit player in the local market, the resourceful Volkswagen Passat has traditionally been out-blinged and out-glammed by compact executive saloons, not least its cousin, the A4. To make things harder, keenly-specced crossovers have overrun the compact SUV market, effectively killing off everything but the pluckiest station wagons and zeroing in on D segment buyers, a tiny but diverse group who’d usually consider the Passat, Mazda6, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy and Hyundai Sonata… or a second-hand product from one of the marquee brands.
Following the local introduction of the latest generation Passat in KwaZulu Natal this week, I am willing to state that the new model, although it’s not controversial or revolutionary in any way, represents a strong value proposition for today’s market and, its on-board technologies should actually help VW appeal to a younger clientele. The market was almost in full swing in 2005 when the previous Passat was launched; back then we heard: “hey pops, why buy a Jetta when you can afford a Passat?”. In 2011, the message is markedly different: “If you want a large family car, the new Passat just makes more sense than a pricier, smaller, marquee saloon”.
What counts in the new Passat’s favour, and quite unexpectedly so, is the fact that it looks more expensive than many of its predecessors, including the still-fresh Sonata. Although the large hexagonal headlamps initially look a trifle clumsy next to the narrow grille with four crossmembers (a cue from the Phaeton flagship), the tasteful application of chrome-look accents front and rear, the prominent shoulder line and optional 17-inch alloys make the Passat look smart. The design of the rear, with wraparound tail light clusters that bisect the wide boot aperture, is simple but elegant.
Meanwhile, the interior feels airy and the facia looks mercifully uncluttered, there’s even a classy-looking analogue clock in the middle of the faux-metal trim. The overall impression is quite favourable… there are soft-touch materials on dashboard and the door panels, but hard (not garish) plastic panels for the rest of the black surfaces. Decades of German engineering have clearly paid off for the Passat, because whereas its Japanese and Korean competitors also look smartly-finished, they don’t have that unquantifiable tactile quality that the Volkswagen’s interior does.
Standard interior features include dual-zone air-conditioning, a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel that is both rake- and reach adjustable, a stop/start button, automatically activated and self-dipping headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control and heated and ventilated seats. But on the point of those fancy seats… One would think that with all those features, leather upholstery would be standard, but that will cost you more than R10k extra on the Passat and even more if you want to specify the front seats with 12-way electrical adjustment and three memory functions.
Still, there are a number of nifty standard features that add to the Passat’s user-friendliness… There’s a driver fatigue system that actively monitors and interprets a driver’s steering wheel inputs and sounds a warning when it deems that he/she needs to stop for a breather. The electronic parking brake with auto-hold function frees up a lot space for the centre console and works very well, and there are two levers in the (huge!) boot that allows a driver to release the rear seats remotely.
Indeed, one can spec up the Passat with all kinds of goodies, including keyless entry, a CD-changer audio system with a touch screen and Park Assist, which includes a reverse camera and will self-park the car (alley and parallel maneauvres).
As for the powerplants and transmissions, the new range carries over the 1,8-litre turbocharged petrol and 2,0-litre turbodiesel motors from the previous range, with a choice of six-speed manual or seven (1,8 TSI) and six-speed dual clutch transmissions (the latter option includes steering-wheel mounted shift paddles). Although the 1,8 TSI Comfortline Manual, which I drove during the launch, was hardly quick it impressed me with unflustered road manners and a surprisingly weighty and direct feel to the steering. The transmission also had a positive action and the brakes were fine, but the biggest highlight was the quiet cabin, which suppressed NVH and road noise admirably.
In terms of safety, the Passat comes equipped with dual front airbags, front sidebags and full-length curtain airbags. ABS with EBD, as well as traction and stability control systems are also standard, as are a 3 years/100 000 km warranty and 5 years/100 000 maintenance plan.
Will the new Passat succeed where its predecessor stumbled? That will ultimately depend on how close the enlarged and upcoming Jetta 6 will be positioned to its brother when it arrives, to be frank. Also, the Passat is a car that needs to be driven to be appreciated; if VW can get buyers to take a closer look at the newcomer and think beyond the large saloon’s historically stodgy nameplate, there is hope indeed!
Prices (as of April 12 2011)
1,8 TSI Comfortline R294 000
1,8 TSI Comfortline DSG R309 000
2,0 TDI Comfortline R309 500
2,0 TDI Comfortline DSG R324 500
