Volkswagen Passat 2015 News

Sharper looking Passat promises improved tech, efficiency and family-friendliness.

New Volkswagen Passat heads upmarket with sharp styling and new technology.Volkswagen has released the first images of the new eighth-generation Passat, ahead of the mid-sized model’s public debut at the Paris motor show in September. With styling that adheres to Volkswagen’s recent preference for evolution rather than revolution, the new B8 model features a lower and wider stance,  with a  bold character line that runs the length of the car. Reduced overhangs and a shorter bootlid contribute to a more coupe-like profile, helping to distance the new model from its more restrained predecessor. This classy design continues inside, with attention paid to material quality and a new dashboard with hidden ventilation ducts. A 12.3-inch LCD display will also be available in place of traditional analogue dials for the instrument cluster.The new Passat will launch in both sedan and wagon bodystyles, with both offering larger interior dimensions despite the sedan being 2mm shorter, 12mm wider and 14mm lower than before.The wheelbase has also gained 79mm and the front and rear tracks have been widened. The sedan’s boot has grown by 21-litres to an enormous 586-litres, while the wagon’s cargo area has swollen by 47-litres to 650-litres – or a whopping 1780-litres with the rear seats folded.As with the current Golf, the new Passat employs the VW Group’s flexible and lightweight MQB architecture. The resultant use of high strength steel, hot-formed steel and aluminium in the body structure has helped to save up to 85kg over the current B7 model.In overseas markets the new Passat will be offered with up to ten different diesel or petrol four-cylinder engines, all featuring direct injection and turbocharging. Power varies from 89 to 209kW, and some models also feature Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system over the standard front-drive setup. The new model is available with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with stop/start and brake energy recuperation technologies. A hybrid model that can run in full electric mode for up to 50 kilometres is also available, but is unlikely to reach our shores.  Among the long list of options are LED headlights, heads-up display, 360-degree multi-camera system, automated parking functions and adaptive cruise control with slow-speed capability. Also available will be a world-first Trailer Assist program, intended to help with the age-old trailer reversing dilemma by enabling the driver to control the approach angle of a trailer via the wing-mirror adjustment joystick. Australian specifications and pricing are yet to be confirmed, but the new B8 Passat is expected to arrive in local showrooms in 2015.

Photos of the next VW Passat have leaked, giving us clear angles on the changes to expect for styling and trim when the car is officially revealed later this year at October's Paris motor show.The images come via a Chinese internet site, and while poorly etched and somewhat fuzzy still offer a good look at what's been under the camouflage of the vehicles snapped by spy photographers during testing.The car shown is the Magotan version of the Passat for the Chinese market, a model that gets an extra 10cm stretch for the wheelbase but otherwise pretty much reflects what we'll see here.The Passat's styling remains restrained and conservative, with an unfussy front fascia but in this iteration quite a bit of chrome around the grille area. LED daytime running lights and a strong character line for the shoulder should give it some road presence.There are some strong hints of VW Group styling with Audi influence for the taillights, while the boot lip spoiler sculpting and the dual exhausts integrated neatly into the bumper give the rear some visual interest.No indications yet of the engine line-up, but with the Passat to be based on VW's flexible -- and almost ubiquitous -- MQB platform (which can take virtually any likely engine in the Group stable) the possibilities are myriad.However the local line-up is unlikely to stray far from the current mix, which kicks off with a 118kW/250NM four-cylinder 1.8-litre turbo petrol, followed by a 130kW/380Nm four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbodiesel and topped by a 220kW/350Nm 3.6-litre petrol V6.The big changes you can look for are probably going to be in the safety and features areas, where VW continues to roll up improving technology.

Four models in the Volkswagen range have recently received an engine upgrade with a power and torque increase. The Passat Sedan, Passat Wagon, Passat Alltrack and the CC with 2.0-litre common rail turbo diesel engine now come with 130kW (+5kW) of power and 380Nm (+30Nm) of torque, and now carry 130TDI badging. This change also results in a fuel consumption change on some of the models. The Passat Wagon and CC see reduced fuel consumption figures of 5.4 litres/100km (-0.3l) while the Passat Sedan now consumes 5.6 llitres/100km (-0.1l). Pricing has increased by $500 for most of these diesel variants, with the Passat Highline sedan now $44,990, Highline wagon at $46,490, and CC at $55,490. The Passat Alltrack remains at $47,790.  

Volkswagen has come close. It is now the eighth most popular brand in Australia - from a list of 48 players - with almost 5 per cent of the market. Though the figure seems small, consider that five years ago it had 2.6 per cent of the market and that today it more than doubles the sales of the next most popular European, Mercedes-Benz, which has a 2 per cent share of the market.  Now, Volkswagen spreads its product range wider, poised soon to launch its cute, highly efficient and sub-$15,000 city car, the Up. It is to present its Passat Alltrack - an all-wheel-drive Subaru chaser - and the new-generation Beetle, while trimming its Touareg SUV range back to a diesel-only selection and preparing a new Golf for the world market. The latest product niche is a wagon that takes on Australia’s crossover darling, Subaru. At the same time, the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack takes a swipe at a similar product from family owned Audi - the yet-to-be released $70,000 A4 Allroad. The Alltrack arrives 40 years after Subaru launched the all-wheel drive wagon and singularly changed the way we drive today. It is expected to cost around $49,000 - which is a one third discount on the Audi - and its turbo diesel and automatic transmission specifications take on the Subaru Outback (which is yet to launch an auto diesel) and the Volvo XC70 D5, which costs from $64,000. The Alltrack is a different kettle to the Passat V6 4Motion, a $56,000 road-going sports-oriented wagon.  In fact, it gets the same off-road package -  electronic drive traction and braking aids, a steel under body and extra 30mm ride height - as the sister Touareg and Tiguan SUVs. Except for the Passat’s extended front and rear overhang, it is as capable off the road as these two. But it is biased towards the street. Compared with the Touareg and Tiguan, it is more luxury-oriented, more comfortable and handles the bitumen with far more confidence. Driven in Austria and Switzerland at its international launch in March, the Alltrack cleverly melds off-road purpose with on-road convenience. Its external size offers excellent cabin room, a huge boot and the expected high level of versatility in an SUV. The dashboard escapes much of the all-black plastic of some VW models with contrasting colours and soft-feel plastics. Driven in mud and snow, I commented that though the all-wheel-drive system - Volkswagen calls it 4Motion - has been around for a few years, it remains simple and effective. It delivers about 10 per cent power to the rear wheels on bitumen but seeks out traction and is flexible enough to put up to 100 per cent to the rear wheels. The sole engine at its launch in Europe was the 125kW/350Nm 2-litre turbo-diesel that’s common to a string of VW, Skoda and Audi product. The box is a six-speed DSG with paddle shifts for manual operation. Tested in snow, the all-wheel drive system constantly sends power to the wheels with traction. It works very well, but enthusiastic off-road owners will find the car’s flaws are its 165mm ground clearance and its comparatively long 941mm/1120mm front/rear overhangs. The Alltrack will tow up to 2000kg and is appealing to people towing boats, horse floats and caravans.  

With its raised ride height, 4MOTION four-wheel drive and rugged body enhancements, it will take you places the standard Passat wouldn't dare.  Based on the versatile Passat Estate, the Passat Alltrack's 4MOTION four-wheel drive and raised ride height give it greater agility off-road, while body enhancements provide some protection from scrapes when covering rough terrain. These features endow Passat Alltrack with the practicality of an estate car and much of the versatility of a conventional SUV, while a high standard specification level adds more than a touch of luxury. Just one trim level is likely to be offered here - with all the bells and whistles.  There will be a choice of two drivetrains: a 2.0-litre TDI with six-speed manual gearbox and a 2.0-litre TDI  125kW with six-speed DSG transmission.  Standard equipment includes Alcantara upholstery, dual zone electronic climate control, RNS 315 touchscreen satellite navigation, DAB radio, MDI iPod connectivity, Bluetooth telephone preparation, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring system and 18-inch Canyon alloy wheels. A Driver Alert System that monitors the driver's responses to raise awareness of fatigue is also standard, as is ESP. Options include climate seats with massage function, high beam assist which automatically controls dipping of the headlights, side scan lane change assist, which monitors the vehicle's blind spot and adaptive chassis control.  City emergency braking function is also a likely option along with park assist, rear-view camera and an electrically deployed towbar. The Passat Alltrack has a generous towing capacity of 2,000 kg (braked).