The Volkswagen Passat offers understated elegance and premium driving dynamics

THE 2016 Passat has a handsome, understated premium look with squared-off, chiseled edges and a hood with sculpted lines. Photo by Aida Sevilla-Mendoza

Although sport utility vehicles (full-size, midsize, compact and subcompact) are the hottest selling wheels these days, many consumers still prefer the comfort, style and refinement of the passenger sedan—especially the midsize sedan, also known as the executive car, which is the next step up from the compact car segment.

In this country, the most popular executive cars are the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mazda6.

Now here to challenge them is the Volkswagen Passat, more than 22 million units of which have been sold worldwide since the model was introduced in 1973. Last year, the Passat was named the 2015 European Car of the Year.

The 8th generation Passat that Volkswagen Philippines is marketing is the gasoline TSI version, not the diesel TDi version that Volkswagen AG stopped selling last November after it admitted that 11 million of its diesel cars sold worldwide, including nearly 500,000 in the United States, have software that detects when the cars are being tested and changes their performance to meet emissions standards.

When news of the Dieselgate scandal broke locally, Volkswagen Philippines issued a statement declaring that none of the diesel vehicles it sells has the deceptive software, and that all of its vehicles comply with the Euro 4 air quality standard which became law on Jan. 1, 2016.

Laser seam welding

Having said that, the company went on with its marketing strategy for its diesel vehicles and the gasoline-powered Passat. Apparently, the Passat remains the 2015 European Car of the Year.

Driving the Passat, one can easily understand why it won that award. You are immediately impressed by its solid build, a Teutonic quality you can feel and hear whenever you close any of its doors and hear a solid “thunk.”

Volkswagen AG attributes this premium build quality to laser seam welding. The body and underside have been made more aerodynamically fit, with underbody panels contributing to smooth aerodynamics.

Variants

Volkswagen PH offers two Passat variants: the P2.759 million Business Edition and the P2.253 million Highline.

The 2016 Passat has a handsome, understated premium look with squared-off, chiseled edges and a hood with sculpted lines.

The top-end TSI DSG Business Edition has projector-type LED headlights with distinctive U-shaped LED daytime running lights underneath, 18-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, chrome trim around the windows, a chrome bar above the rocker panels, and LED taillights.

The VW badge on the trunk lid pops open for the rear parking camera when you shift into reverse.

The crimson red Business Edition I test-drove has a roomy, elegant white interior with supportive, comfy leather seats (14-way power adjustable in front with massage and memory function for the driver’s seat), an 8-inch touchscreen radio with navigation system, Active Info Display, and three-zone automatic air-conditioning.

The audio system has eight speakers and iPod, USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

The cabin looks luxurious, Euro style, with premium materials, metallic inserts on the dash and along the doors, and a thin chrome lining around the center stack.

Sight lines are unobstructed, rear legroom is class-leading, and the cavernous trunk measures 15.9 cubic feet.

From cockpit to backseat to trunk, the Passat offers more generous room than its rivals.

Turbocharged

The 2.0-liter TSI Blue Motion turbocharged, direct injection four-cylinder engine is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox with tiptronic function that lets you change to manual mode.

Producing 217 horsepower and 350 Newton meters max torque between 1,500 to 2,400 revolutions per minute, the Passat’s petrol power train reportedly hits 100 kilometers per hour from standstill within a respectable 6.2 seconds, and has a maximum speed of 246 kph.

The Active Info Display, controlled with the multifunctional steering wheel, allows you to switch between different driving information profiles.

The Adaptive Chassis Control with Drive Profile Selection adjusts the running gear to whichever driving mode you choose by pressing the selection switch: Sport, Normal or Comfort. It’s likely that many drivers (like me) would prefer the Sport mode, which quickly drops a gear and delays upshifts.

The engine pours on the torque at a low 1,500 rpm, promising high torque over a wide engine speed range.

Incredibly comfy

The suspension, consisting of MacPherson struts with stabilizer bar up front and a four-link independent arrangement at the rear, delivers an incredibly comfortable ride and handling at par with other midsize sedans.

All this is backed up by a suite of innovations and safety features such as front, side and curtain airbags, a 180-degree rear view camera with graphic guidelines and Park Distance Control, XDS Differential Lock, and keyless entry.

In addition, the LED headlights of the Passat are equipped with Dynamic Range Adjustment and Dynamic Cornering Lights.

On long and tiring journeys, the Drive Alert System gives an early warning when it detects you need to take a break.

Bottom line, the eighth generation Volkswagen Passat 2.0-L TSI offers business executives who enjoy taking the wheel every now and then a refined, comfortable ride with responsive turbocharged engine power, state-of-the-art infotainment and connectivity, and impressive driving dynamics in a solidly built and roomy premium package.