Given that the Volkswagen Passat has sold about 13-million units worldwide since its entry into the market 32 years ago, it’s safe to say it’s a popular car.
The most striking aspect about the sixth generation Passat (B6) is the design. The outgoing model was rather staid and one wouldn’t have spoken much about the exterior. The B6, however, is very easy on the eye and fits into the classic bracket it’s aiming to compete in with a sense of confidence.
From the new chrome grille to the tail, I have to say that I like the new design and couldn’t find much fault with it. But, I have an inkling that some might take a little longer to get used to the somewhat funky, larger rear end of the car. The interior is not as dynamic as the exterior, but nonetheless features a high build quality.
The brakes on the new Passat (which feature a two-stage brake booster) are embarrassingly powerful. On our test drive during the launch in Cape Town, I started off in a rather jerky fashion as the slightest pressure on the brake pedal shows off the Passat’s impressive stopping power. I pretended I was having a sneezing fit so that the other motoring journalists wouldn’t take notice of my lack of driving finesse.
I drove the 2,0TDi, which has 103kW of power at 4 000rpm and 320Nm of torque, which is available from 1 750rpm. The VW representative with whom I was driving asked me at some point during our journey about the model we were driving. I told him it was the 2,0TDi.
He didn’t believe me and I also doubted whether I had taken a proper look at the rear of the car as the engine certainly didn’t sound like a diesel. He refused to believe we were driving a diesel car and it was only when we stopped and he walked around to the back of the car, that I had to smile benignly while stifling an “I told you so”. The engine only really gives away its diesel nature when starting up. While driving and idling, the 2,0TDi is deceptively quiet.
It was also when we stopped that I experienced the new electro-mechanical handbrake. All I had to do was push a button to engage the handbrake. Call me old-fashioned, but I was sceptical about pushing a button and expecting it to hold the car in place. Of course, the Passat didn’t move and even if I forgot to do something as simple as pushing a button, the auto-hold function would have kicked in to keep the car stationary.
The new Passat is 4,77m long, 1,82m wide and 1,47m high and, at 575 litres, has a boot big enough for most families.
Despite the growth in size, the body weight hasn’t increased and this is evident when overtaking. The car is agile and accelerates easily.
The range has been expanded from five to eight models, starting with the 110kW 2,0 FSi, at a very competitive R226 500, through to the flagship 184kW 3,2l V6 FSi (R339 000), which will be available from March.
The trim levels currently available are the Comfortline and Highline trims, while the Sportline trim will be available next year on the 2,0T FSi as well as the 3,2l V6 FSi.
Torsional stiffness has been greatly improved as the new Passat features four-link independent suspensions with MacPherson struts up front.
Standard safety features across the range include six airbags, anti-lock brakes, anti-spin regulation, an electronic stability programme with brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, cruise control and automatically adjusting active crash headrests.
Other features include electric windows, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climatronic airconditioning (for all models except the Comfortline) and coming-home lights.
A new feature on all new Passats is the press-and-drive key, which slots into the dashboard, so the car starts up when you push the key.
Optional extras include Bi-Xenon headlights with active cornering system, DVD satellite navigation and park-distance control.
Considering the bracket this car is competing in, I was disappointed to find that multi-function steering is available only as an optional extra. In my opinion, this should be a standard feature across the range.
That said, the new Passat is a more than significant improvement on its predecessor and features the sort of space, safety and comfort that makes it a definite upmarket option.