New VW Passat 2020 pricing and specs detailed: Fresh engine and improved spec for Germany's Mazda 6 rival

The VW Passat 2020 model range will include a new facelifted sedan and wagon pairing, dubbed the 140TSI Business.

This new variant arrives in January 2020 with a list price of $45,990 plus on-road costs for the sedan version and $47,990 plus on-roads for the wagon, and sees a number of cosmetic and equipment changes compared with the existing 1.8-litre petrol 132TSI model.

The most important of which is the uprated powertrain, with the new upsized 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine now producing 140kW of power (hence the 140TSI name) and the torque output has seen a big bump, too, up from 250Nm to 320Nm. It still runs a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and this version is front-wheel drive.

The standard gear for the 140TSI Business includes 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, Vienna leather interior trim, power adjustable front seats with memory settings, three-zone climate control air-conditioning (dual zone front, with a rear climate control system to keep back-seat occupants happy).

The Passat 140TSI will start of at ,990 in sedan form.

The multimedia system is improved for the facelifted Passat range too, with wireless Apple CarPlay to launch as standard equipment at no extra cost. This is in addition to cable-ready Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. The new Passat also moves from USB-A to USB-C, making for a faster charge rate, and this tech change will roll out over the next 12-18 months for other VW models.

The Passat facelift also introduces new safety equipment under the IQ.Drive branding. It consists of a new Travel Assist program, which combines adaptive cruise control, active lane keeping assistance and speed sign recognition that can adjust the speed of the car automatically. This is in addition to high-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, semi-autonomous parking and driver fatigue detection.

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Volkswagen Passat 2020 revealed: set for November Australian debut

VW Australia says this model has a “lot more to offer than just being a rep-mobile” in spite of its name, and the company is set to further expand the Passat line-up later in 2020.

The other models to be added to the range include a replacement for the flagship 206TSI wagon, and a new version of the VW Passat Alltrack with a petrol engine in favour of the outgoing diesel mill. This time around, there will be no diesel engine offered in the Passat.

Full pricing and specifications for the Passat range will be announced later in 2020.

VW Passat 2020 pricing before on-road costs: