VW Passat: Make Room For The New Prince!

The new VW Passat fascinates as "junior Phaeton". He pushes into the market of midsize sedans with an air of fresh sportsmanship. And more room.

Picture by VW

If car passengers would gain in size the same way the megalomania of the car producers does, we would all be XXL by now. Consequently also the new larger Passat offers its customers more head, leg and shoulder room accompanied with a larger boot (565 litres!). Volkswagens technicians still managed to keep the weight of their newest – right behind the Golf most important – baby at the equal levels in its sixth generation.

From the design point of view the Passat not only received a stronger touch of sportsmanship on its outside (VW designers changed the front ends details right to the last minute). Also the interiors stress the sporty note with circular dashboard instruments and smart lineation from the doors to the front panels. It is obvious that the designers put more emphasis in being stylish in the new Passat than being functional, if you have a closer look at the door panels in the back row that follow the optical line but are hard to access. Also the two back door windows do not open completely.

Picture by VW

VWs Passat tries to beat competitors like Mazda 6 and BMWs 3-series with nice little ideas and a very rich standard trim: No more handbrake-turns in this car! Now there's an electronic push-button-brake with a hill holder instead that makes getting away on a steep gradient really easy. 6 airbags, ABS and TCS, air conditioning, radio/CD player and LED rear lights are standard in the petrol version at 21.800 Euros (price Germany); 16.020 pounds in UK.

Optional: a very practical 230-volts-power outlet in the back row for laptops and other electronic gear. And if you prefer to pimp your "mini Phaeton" with bluetooth technology you can leave your mobile phone in your suit pocket when dialling and talking hands free. That's what VWs company speaker (during the Passats presentation) referred to as "democratic luxury" (whatever that means).

Around 90 percent of the customers in Europe will go for one of the three diesel engine versions that are priced from 24.010 Euros (price in Germany) – 15.520 pounds in UK – upward. Diesel particulate filters coming up in summer 2005.

During first test opportunities only the 1.6 FSI petrol engine made a rather poor impression: too noisy and the six-speed manual gear box is too closely spaced. The basic diesel engine (that will be chosen by about 50 percent of the buyers) felt positively reasonable. The Passat estate will follow in autumn 2005 to give the limousine some time to unfold.

Picture by VW

Engines at Time of Presentation
PETROL
1.6: 4 cylinders, 1595 ccm, 75 kW/102 hp at 5600 rpm, 148 Nm at 3800 rpm, 0 – 100 km/h in 12,7 sec, top speed 192 km/h, consumption (mixed): 7,7 litres (95 octane).
1.6 FSI: 4 cylinders, 1598 ccm, 85 kW/115 hp at 6000 rpm, 155 Nm at 4000 rpm, 0 – 100 km/h in 11,4 sec, top speed 195 km/h, consumption (mixed): 7,5 l.
2.0 FSI: 4 cylinders, 1984 ccm, 110 kW/150 hp at 6000 rpm, 200 Nm at 3500 rpm, 0 – 100 km/h in 9,4 sec, top speed 213 km/h, consumption (mixed): 8,2 litres.
DIESEL
1.9 TDI: 4 cylinders, 1896 ccm, 77 kW/105 hp at 4000 rpm, 250 Nm at 1900 rpm, 0 – 100 km/h in 12,1 sec, top speed 188 km/h, consumption (mixed): 5,6 litres.
2.0 TDI 16 V: 4 cylinders, 1968 ccm, 103 kW/140 hp at 4000 rpm, 320 Nm at 1800 rpm, 0 – 100 km/h in 9,8 sec, top speed 209 km/h, consumption (mixed): 5,9 litres.