VW’s Volkskombi in the first test: New Passat attacks the luxury class

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The Passat is VW’s long-term runner-up: in the 51 years since 1973, no other car series has stayed in that range this long. Even the Golf, introduced a year later, cannot compete with it. And the Passat doesn’t need to hide from its little brother when it comes to sales either; 34 million units sold worldwide; The Golf has rolled out of VW garages some 37 million times since its introduction 50 years ago (also interesting: the best-selling cars in history). Now the all-new ninth generation begins, and with it VW dares to attack the upper class. In our sights: business suits in the style of the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class.

Real space giant

However, the Passat, which comes only as a station wagon, is a step higher in length, now reaching 4.92 meters, or 15 centimeters longer than its predecessor. The rear overhang in particular seems a bit too large for our taste, as the wheelbase has been extended by only five centimeters. The space definitely created by the new size is 690 to 1920 liters for internal combustion engines (previous model: 650-1780 litres), and a slightly tighter 510 to 1770 liters for plug-in versions. Passat also turns into a real space giant in the back, where even tall passengers can cross their legs.

We continue towards the cockpit. The screen view already known from the new Tiguan (click here for the driving report) also finds its place in the Passat: There is a 12.9-inch touchscreen in the middle and can optionally expand up to an impressive 15 inches. The driver looks at digital instruments and finally a “real” head-up display with a projection onto the windshield; a small plastic disc that extends behind the steering wheel on the previous model. VW’s voice assistant IDA can now understand complex commands and will even have AI support from ChatGPT starting this summer. Ventilated and heated massage chairs provide a feeling of luxury.

car shaped sedan

The ultimate driving sensation is the new plug-in hybrid system, available in two performance levels (204/272 hp). We get the top model, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine (177 hp) with an electric motor (85 kW/115 hp) in the 6-speed DSG. The first impression? Upper class! The new Passat is a sedan in car shape, it moves smoothly and without delay, and the TSI maintains an extremely low noise level even when pushing the station wagon weighing around two tonnes. The only drawback of the PHEV: The generous power is sent to the front wheels only – there is no 4×4 in the part-time electric vehicle. Up to 100 kilometers of all-electric travel – almost double that of the previous model. If the 19.7 kWh battery is empty, it can be recharged to 80 percent in just over 20 minutes using a 50 kW DC fast charger. This makes e-vouchers valuable even on long journeys. You can charge up to 11 kW at home in less than three hours.

Back on the road: the new DCC Pro adaptive chassis, which we already praised in the Tiguan, also does an excellent job in the Passat. It perfectly compensates for even the potholed country roads around Nice (F) without causing any annoying shaking, and is supported by all of VW’s latest assistance systems on the motorway. In short, Passat deserves the title of “long distance glider”.

Prices are also increasing

Sales of the new Passat have already started. However, the touring station wagon is currently only available as the mild-hybrid petrol engine 1.5 eTSI and diesel 2.0 TDI, each with 150 hp (110 kW), 7-speed DSG and front-wheel drive. Both made a confident impression in the first test; The eTSI in particular had noticeable difficulty propelling the large station wagon forward at higher highway speeds. The mild hybrid drive also shined on the test tour, with fuel consumption just above the 5.8 l/100 km standard.

If you want more power and, above all, all-wheel drive, you will have to wait until April: In this case, the Passat will be available as a two-liter TSI and a two-liter TDI with 265 hp (195 kW). with 193 hp (142 kW). Both add-ons will arrive in the spring. Price tags are expected to increase significantly again, from the current starting prices of 48,700 (eTSI) and 52,300 francs (TDI) for the more powerful versions. Prices are likely to quickly rise to 70,000 francs, especially if customers also order top-end extras such as the aforementioned massage seats, giant panoramic roof or HD matrix LED headlights. But in this region, the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class are just getting started.

Source: Blick