Volkswagen Passat Reviews

Being a prestige model the Passat was generously equipped with standard gear.

LARGE family sedans are on the slippery downhill slope - at least sales wise. But not everyone wants to move from big sedans to SUVs with their perceived aura of "killing the planet".There are now quite a few sleek station wagons available that have as much carrying capacity as an SUV without the high clearance, road-dominating stature and politically incorrect label. One of the best is the Volkswagen Passat.The cargo area is so cavernous it could almost be used as a hearse. And without the all-wheel-drive transmission bulk of an SUV, it's quite frugal, especially the entry level 118 TSI version. Could this be the best Australian family car available?VALUEIt's right on the money. The 118 TSI starts at $38,990 and our review car was $40,990, but with luxury options (metallic paint, Media Device Interface, electric glass sunroof and leather upholstery) that bolstered the cost to $46,990. Considering trim levels, that makes it around the same price as a typical large family sedan.STYLESleek is not a word often associated with station wagons, but this model certainly deserves the description. Some of the new breed of "sports wagons" try a little too hard to disguise their big rear end and simply fail. The cars either look silly or are impractical with small cargo areas and low roof lines that cramp the rear passengers.The Passat has the perfect balance between style and practicality.Outside there are trendy LED taillights and a tasteful amount of chrome including practical and handsome roof rails, while inside is sedate and comfortable with a fine balance between bling and austerity. The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of foot, leg, head and elbow room front and back.Anyone coming from a large car will be more than happy with the space. However, the fifth passenger may find the seat a little hard and space a bit cramped for long trips.SAFETYThere is a high level of safety gear on board including a suite of seven airbags, a rigid safety cell, ABS, electronic brake-pressure distribution, brake assist, and traction and stability control.TECHNOLOGYVW keeps raking in the engine awards and this 118kW turbo petrol unit is one of the gems in its range. It's powerful, quiet, refined and frugal.With four adults and a heap of luggage on board, driving through cities, highways and up and down mountains, it returned 8.2L/100km, which is not much above the claimed figure of 7.7. That provides potential range from the 70-litre tank of 850km, which is more than adequate for Australian long-distance driving conditions.The Passat also comes with a fair bit of standard technology such as handy rain sensor wipers that actually worked, an optical parking system and parking sensors that make the carpark a breeze and an SD card slot and six-disc CD changer for entertainment.However, Bluetooth with streaming is the best way to go for convenience and safety. Instead, the Passat has an aux in socket in the centre console for your MP3 player and 12V sockets at the bottom of the centre stack and behind the centre console. It's good but not good enough.For those with sensitive noses there is an air quality sensor with automatic air recirculation when you're following a smoky truck and dust and pollen filters.The optional Multi-Function Display features driving time, trip length, average speed, average and current fuel consumption, distance till empty, speed warning function, audio and convenience display. On a long trip these on-board computer functions are not only handy, but also keep the mind alert.Another couple of handy bits of low-technology are the chillable glovebox and umbrella holder in the driver's door. One bit of technology I'm not a fan of is the electro-mechanical parking brake but it worked well enough.DRIVINGMost people who move from a large sedan miss its high-speed stability, quiet cabin and no-fuss road holding. They won't be disappointed with the Passat.The 2709mm wheelbase keeps it stable under speed and the sophisticated independent front end and four-link rear suspension tackles the lumps and bumps with aplomb. The electro-mechanical power-assisted steering gives plenty of feel and feedback.It simply doesn't drive or steer like a station wagon.The key to this car is the enormous cargo area with its flat floor, automatic tailgate release, adjustable net partition and luggage cover, and storage box. You can also lay the rear seats down flat and turn it into a hearse. And under that flat floor there's also a full-sized alloy spare.VERDICTAn ideal family car for Australian conditions.VW Passat 118TSI wagonPrice: $40,990 ($46,990 as tested)Engine: 4-cylinder 1798cc TSIPower: 118kW @ 4500rpmTorque: 250Nm @ 1500-4500Transmission: 7 Speed DSG, front-wheel driveEconomy (L/100km): 7.8 (claimed), 8.2 (tested with 4 adults and luggage)CO2: 182g/kmWheels: 17 x 71.2h alloysTyres: 235/45 R17Fuel: 70-litre tankWeight: 1529kgTowing: 1500kg (braked), 740kg (unbraked), 85kg (towbar load limit)Dimensions (mm): 4774 (l), 1820 (w), 1517 (h), 2709 (wheelbase)

The line-up of diesel engines from Volkswagen is already gathering a big fan base in Australia.  The turbodiesel side of the Passat range is the more popular part of the range and Volkswagen has a BlueMotion model within the revamped range.ValueThe local arm of the German car maker will be expanding its diesel model line-up with the inclusion of the Golf BlueMotion next year, but the company also has the option of further eco-centric turbodiesel models here with the new Passat. As yet there's no firm price-tag on the BlueMotion, but VW is keen to hold pricing to current levels where possible.DesignThe BlueMotion is not to be confused with the BlueTec or other models running compression ignition, which get some BlueMotion technology as standard - low rolling resistance tyres, a Stop/Start system and a battery regeneration mode.The Passat BlueMotion gets little aerodynamic aids as well as the other gear, using the most fuel-efficient engine of the range - the same 1.6-litre turbodiesel that will appear in the Golf BlueMotion when it arrives in 2011 - to maximum effect.TechnologyWhile the outputs aren't quite up to the two-litre turbodiesel we already get in Australia, 77kW and 250Nm from 1500rpm is enough to get things rolling in the new BlueMotion.The VW claim is 12.2 seconds to reach 100km/h and a top speed of 195km/h, with frugal figures improved over the outgoing car by 0.2 of a litre per 100km to 4.2 and 109g/km.Extracting diesel from a 70 litre tank, that equates to a range of at least 1600km, although a UK journalist managed to get a record of just over 2400km from one tank of fuel.Volkswagen says the record-breaking Passat used 77.25 litres to cover the record distance - so the tank was full to the brim - which equates to 3.14 litres per 100km or 90 miles per gallon.DrivingCarsguide got behind the wheel of the new-look Passat in its BlueMotion guise during the model launch, firing it up and punting through the traffic before heading for the hills outside of Barcelona.The six-speed manual gearbox is perhaps not as convenient through the traffic as a DSG, but the cog-swap is easy enough, with a decent shift action and useable clutch.The BlueMotion's little turbodiesel was a little chuggy when cold but once warmed settled down to a quiet demeanour - the more effective insulation introduced as part of the model upgrade keeps the cabin quiet enough.The torque on offer from 1500rpm was enough to allow fifth and sixth gears to be used easily on the motorway above 80 or 90km/h, provided there's no incline - 110-120km/h is an easier task for top gear as the turbo is getting into the meat of its operation.Peak power of 77kW is nothing to write home about - and the engine is not fond of heading into the upper reaches of the rev range to reach its peak.Better progress - and probably more frugal - is made keeping the engine gently humming with the gearbox, making the most of the torque.The test car had the variable damping that offered a comfortable ride in normal mode, which didn't degrade noticeably when sport mode was selected to tighten up the suspension and increase the weighting on the steering.VerdictOnly the absence of a DSG model takes the shine off its appeal for auto-addicted Australia, which is a shame, as the greenest of the new Passat models would make a worthy addition to the local line-up.Volkswagen Passat BlueMotionEngine: 1.6-litre 16-valve BlueMotion particle-filtered turbodiesel four-cylinder.Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive.Power: 77kW @ 4400rpm.Torque: 250Nm between 1500 & 2500rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 12.2 seconds. Top speed 195km/h (governed).Fuel consumption: 4.2 litres/100km, tank 70 litres.Emissions: 114g/km.Suspension: MacPherson strut (front); multi-link (rear).Brakes: four-wheel discs, front ventilated.Dimensions: length 4769mm (wagon 4771mm), width 1820mm, height 1472mm (wagon 1481mm), wheelbase 2712mm, track fr/rr 1552/1551mm, cargo volume 565 (wagon 603/1731) litres, weight  1499kg.Wheels: 16in alloys.

The long-running VW nameplate adds a new chapter to its 15-million sales story with the B7, and Australian buyers (and dealers) will rejoice at the long-awaited addition of the Bluetooth phone link as standard.Also on the standard features list is the fatigue detection system when it hits showrooms in the second quarter of 2011.VALUEThe Passat line-up will be unchanged for now, with the 118 TSI 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol, the 125 TDI two-litre turbodiesel and the outgoing R36's 3.6-litre petrol V6 topping the pricelist, which should have largely untouched price-tags."The pricing will be competitive, our intention will be to hold pricing at near current RRP, not run-out pricing," VW Australia's Karl Gehling says.TECHNOLOGYThe Passat in its home market will feature 19 new safety and assistance systems, some of which we are likely to get in Australia - fatigue detection - but Volkswagen Australia says it is looking at the other features for the options list, like front assist with city emergency braking function, the Easy Open bootlid, Park Assist mark two, lane change and lighting assistance systems, although the traffic sign detection system doesn't appear to be headed for Australia.The fatigue detection system, standard on Australia-bound Passats, monitors steering wheel angle, pedal use and transverse acceleration and decides if the driver needs a prod by comparing them to the data from early in the trip.There's no electric shock, joked one of the VW execs -  it puts out visual and audible warnings and repeats them 15 minutes later of the vehicle hasn't stopped.The Passat is also the first Volkswagen ever to have a City Emergency braking function, active below 30 km/h and able to automatically brake the car to avoid or reduce the damage of a front-end impact. The active cruise control's upgrade now gives Passat buyers a collision warning system that uses the radar to monitor conditions over 100m ahead and warns the driver and assists in stopping as soon as possible.One of the clever convenience systems on offer is the Easy Open boot, part of the keyless entry and go system - a driver with arms full of gear but key in pocket can "kick" their foot beneath the rear bumper to automatically pop the bootlid - expect it on the options list for both sedan and eventually the wagon. The new model will also feature the upgraded Park Assist system that “sees” parallel and now perpendicular parking spaces and can automatically steer the car into them.DESIGNThe nose has taken the incoming Jetta's snout and the rear has more than a little inspiration (for the sedan at least) from the Phaeton flagship, meaning it is a conservative but sharp-looking vehicle, with LEDs within the new lighting design front and rear.Interior design is familiar to those who have spent any time in the other new models from Volkswagen, with only minor changes to the fascia and buttons around the gearshifter and some minor aesthetic tweaks to the dashboard.The wagon is also equipped with a clever loading system and a rear lever system to drop the second row of seats for larger loads. The refinement and lower noise levels within the cabin are attributed to extra sound insulation throughout the passenger cell and particularly between the dashboard and the firewall.The Passat's windscreen is made from a composite safety glass, with an integrated acoustic film, something that - in Europe at least - can be optioned up for the front side windows.SAFETYBeyond the active systems, Passat has two-stage dual front and side airbags for the front row, full-length side curtain airbags and the availability of rear side airbags and a rear seatbelt indicator.Volkswagen says the body structure is 74 per cent high-strength steel and built using laser and spot welding in key areas for extra strength.DRIVEThe updated Passat has many similarities to the outgoing B6 vehicle - in fact the facelifted and upgraded B7 is perhaps more a B6.5, but that's not a bad thing. The refinement and revamping of a proven and trusted package is what's gone on, albeit with a new-look exterior to keep it looking like part of the family.The company's emphasis on smooth, quiet and refined is backed up by the first few minutes, with extra soundproofing resulting in a cabin devoid of road, engine and wind noise.On Spanish roads the adjustable suspension - which has undergone minor tuning changes only - delivers a well-controlled and comfortable ride, with minimal loss in ride quality when switched to sport mode - the Passat turbodiesel wagon impressed in the corners, rarely pushing the nose wide.The engineering spin that boasted a strong, more rigid bodyshell is backed by the drive, with the impression of a taut and strong body; there's also no "booming" noise from the open rear cargo area that sometimes sullies a wagon.The turbodiesel (teamed with the six-speed DSG) is an excellent powerplant - as seen in the new Golf GTD and current Passat - and the 59 per cent share currently held by this powerplant will - if anything - increase.The 118 TSI also driven during the short launch drive outside of Barcelona also proved to be a quiet drive, with the petrol turbo four also a flexible and useful powerplant, teamed with the newer seven-speed DSG (the torque of the turbodiesel is beyond the seven speed's tolerances).Both cars impressed with more intuitive DSG programming that reduces hesitation and the insulation from noise and unwanted road intrusions. The sedan has a good-sized boot it’s easy to see why the wagon is getting more than half of the Passat's sales and rising.VERDICTA well-sorted and equipped package that feels capable of carrying the family and eating up the miles with ease, the new Passat carries the company look a little easier than the incoming Jetta and should - if appropriately equipped and priced - contribute well to Volkswagen's increased volume aspirations.

There was a time when a coupe was a two-door, two-plus-two seater with a close-cut body shape.But now there are many four-door models labelled coupes, such as Volkswagen's new Passat CC (Comfort Coupe).It arrives in two models: the two-litre diesel front-wheel drive costs $54,990 and the 3.6-litre V6 FSI petrol with 4Motion all-wheel drive is $65,990. Both come with the deliciously fast and smooth six-speed DSG transmission.The easiest way to distinguish them is by the wheels. The diesel has five-spoke alloys, while the V6 has 10-spoke wheels that look like turbo fans.Its body shape is similar to the beautiful Mercedes-Benz four-door CLS "coupe" with a similar `untrendy’ amount of front and rear overhang that works.It features frameless windows, a subtle rear spoiler and a larger-than-normal VW emblem on the grille.They come with a host of standard equipment that goes to justifying the $8000-$9000 premium over the sedan.Standard equipment includes automatic three-stage dampers (Adaptive Chassis Control), Bi-Xenon headlights with dynamic and static cornering, dual-zone airconditioning, electronic adjustable front seats, four heated leather seats, three-spoke leather steering wheel with paddle shifters, automatic hill hold, parking distance sensors front and rear, rain-sensing wipers, automatic boot lid opening and an acoustic windscreen which reduces noise by 2-4dB.Standard safety equipment involves eight airbags, ABS, brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, anti-slip regulation and electronic stability control.Options include adaptive cruise control with front assist, the self-parking system available in the Tiguan, satellite navigation, rear-view camera, media interface for iPod and other MP3 and DVD players, adaptive cruise control with front assist, and an electrically powered Panoramic glass roof that can be pivoted 30mm.There are eight different exterior colours available and three leather trims.There is also active climate control on the front vented seats which is only available in the black leather trim.Volkswagen Group Australia managing director Jutta Dierks says the car will provide VW with "a chance for existing customers to upgrade and also to talk to new customers who have never talked to us"."The car is packed with new technology which is easy to use."DrivingThe was certainly no challenge for the proven driving dynamics of the Passat on a bunch of straight B-grade country roads and freeways.However, it was enough to determine that the adaptive chassis control worked quite well, distributing variable damping characteristics to each wheel independently.The comfort setting was ideal for the lumpy country roads. The sport setting didn't get a look in with an absence of twisty tar on the program.The electro-mechanical steering felt a little numb, but still a precise tiller.Freeway stints helped demonstrate that while the acoustic film in the windscreen reduces high-speed buffeting, there is still a fair amount of wind noise from the frameless windows.The big 310mm discs on the TDI and 345mm discs on the V6 proved to be strong stoppers with a little too much initial bite, requiring deft application.The rear carpeted cargo area is flat, even though there is a full-sized spare under the floor.Despite the swooping roofline, rear adult passengers have ample head and leg room, although the centre console is too wide and prevents a passenger from `lounging’ or sleeping across the seats.And access is much easier in a four-door coupe than a traditional two-door model.Price: 125kW TDI $54,990, V6 FSI $65,990Engines: 4-cylinder 1968cc inline turbo diesel; V6 3597cc petrolPower: 125kW @ 4200rpm (TDI); 220kW @ 6600rpmTorque: 350Nm from 1750-2500rpm; 350Nm from 2400-5300rpmTransmission: 6-speed DSG, front-wheel drive (TDI), 4MOTION all wheel drive (V6)Performance: 0-100km/h 8.6 seconds (TDI), 5.6s (V6)Economy (combined): 6.3L/100km (TDI), 10.5 (V6)CO2: 166g/km (TDI), 254 (V6) 

When you’re known for building cars that everyone can afford and little else it can be hard to shed that working class image when it inevitably fades and needs renewing. So entrenched was the Beetle in folklore that it was very difficult for Volkswagen to replace it when it clearly needed to do so in the 1970s. It has taken a long time, but the company has emerged from the shadow of the Beetle and now has a range of well-built cars that appeal to a broad range of buyers.The Passat was a key model in the range as the company morphed into a modern carmaker with models to suit all needs and desires. It was the model that promoted it into the same league as the grand German makes like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The Passat was the prestige car created to compete with the likes of the BMW 3-Series and ’Benz C-Class.MODEL WATCHSolid and sound are words that spring to mind when Volkswagen is mentioned in conversation. Rarely do words like exciting, thrilling and sexy crop up. The company has been building soundly engineered, solidly built and reliable cars since its very beginning in the ashes of World War 2. The Beetle was all of that, and while it had a quirky sort of charm, it could never be described as exciting.To some extent those same fundamentals are still there in today’s VWs, they are the pillars on which VWs are still built today. They apply to the Polo as much as they do to the Golf, and the Passat, Toureg of other models further up the food chain.While they are admirable qualities in any car they can be somewhat constricting if they are first and foremost in the minds of buyers. If VW suffers anything it’s perhaps it’s a lack of pizzazz. The Passat is a very competent car. It’s beautifully engineered, impeccably built, drives wonderfully well, but it doesn’t turn heads.Drive a BMW 3-Series and people notice, same with a ’Benz C-Class, but no one notices you when you drive a Passat. Perhaps passé might have been a better choice of name. The Passat wasn’t the fastest car in the class, it wasn’t the fleetest of foot getting from point to point, but it was competent. A well-rounded car that did everything well without excelling in anything in particular.Weighing in at over 1500 kg the Passat was no lightweight, a fact that came through loud and clear when you depressed the right pedal. It was best described as enthusiastic and willing, never thrilling. The front-wheel drive Passat steered well, gripped reassuringly and faithfully responded to requests to change direction. Its attitude was generally one of calm understeer.The Passat’s looks were reserved; there was none of the BMW bravado from the Wolfsburg company. Still, it looked pleasantly attractive, even if no one took much notice of it when you pulled into your driveway.There were three double overhead camshaft engines offered to begin with: a 92 kW/173 Nm 1.8-litre, a 110 kW/210 Nm turbocharged 1.8-litre and a 142 kW/280 Nm 2.8-litre V6. The gearbox choices were a five-speed manual or a four-speed auto. All Passats were well equipped, as you would expect a premier prestige model to be.The base 1.8-litre sedan came standard with power windows and mirrors, an immobiliser, central locking, auto air, cloth trim, eight-speaker sound with CD, and wood grain highlights. Move on up the line to the turbo and you got alloys, a trip computer, leather steering wheel and sports trim. Then there was the V6, a more luxury-focused model that had larger alloys, a six-stacker CD and more fake wood.IN THE SHOPGood build quality means little goes wrong on a regular basis; the problems that the Passat suffers are usually one-offs rather than persistent flaws that afflict a lot of cars. Check for a service record to make sure the engine oil has been changed regularly. The fours have a cam timing belt, which needs changing around 100,000 km, but the V6 has a chain that doesn’t require servicing.IN A CRASHWhile the Passat chassis wasn’t particularly sporting it was very competent and well capable to responding to an emergency situation. It had the added safety of ABS brakes standard across the range. The driver and front seat passenger had front airbags, and the V6 had side airbags as well. It was given five stars in the last used car safety survey.AT THE PUMPThe 1.8-litre will do 9-10.0 L/100 km around town, and 7-8 L/100 km on the open road. The V6 is thirstier and will get 9.5-11.5 L/100 km around town, and 8-8.5 L/100 km on the highway.LOOK FOR• Pleasant styling• Competent on road• Modest performance• Solid build quality• No badge snobberyTHE BOTTOM LINE• A solid and reliable car that does everything well, but don’t expect to impress the neighbors.RATING• 77/100

You take an unassuming passenger car, harden up its drivetrain and ramp up performance. You add visual appeal with go fast bits and badges. And you wind up with an embellished shopping trolley or worse, you get a crass dork in a bad suit; like the TRD Aurion.So why does the latest edition of Volkswagen's R series convince in a way that the models preceding it in the distinctively deep blue paint and chrome grille haven't? If the Passat R36 followed the form book, we'd be saying the currently top whack Passat sits too close for the R version to offer sufficient reason to spend the extra thousands.And for what, exactly? Both cars have part-time all-wheel-drive, twin clutch gearbox and a direct injection V6, it's just that the R engine has 400cc more.Somehow though, the R car, at least in the wagon form we sampled, does it in a way the other Rs don't. It helps not a little that the regular Passat is visually anonymous, so the blue paint and shiny bits at least make it less indistinct. As does the interior statement, with suede-like inners on the leather seats and a lovely, fist-filling steering wheel.While calling it the “sportiest Passat of all time” is a bit like claiming to be the fittest player at the local bowling club, the R36 has the output and performance figures to make it quite the Wolfsburger in chic clothing. On the whole this fitness is wasted in a country without autobahns. Still, the 220kW/350Nm on tap can shove this near 1.8-tonner from standing to 100km/h in less than six seconds.Unlike the 3.2 V6 in the regular Passat, that torque arrives later in the piece, making this an engine to rev and it goes appreciably harder to towards to the top of the rev range.DSG has never captivated us to the extent it has many of our fellow hacks, being as ever apt to over-ride your gear selections even in manual or sport mode. Best leave it in Drive, where it's an adroit conductor. You can always effect temporary manual over-ride, using the left paddle shifter to engine brake, shortly after which it resumes automatic mode.Essentially the R36 is a big, secure cruiser, entering a corner like the powerful front driver it essentially is, transferring torque to the back axle via the Haldex coupling. Feel through the wheel is adequate, if muted, the position from which you command it is excellent.The assertiveness and composure with which it shoots out of the bend is abetted by the sonorous note of an engine that's more usually found in VW Group SUVs and Porsche's Cayenne.That's just one reason why this cargo carrying R car kills off any logical reason to go down the Touareg route.The other is monumental cargo capacity (near enough 1800 litres with the back seats flat).The weekend excursion from the city really is the R36's milieu.Because, although the ride on anything but the smoothest blacktop is terse, even irritating, this is a car capable of dispatching family business in comfort while imbuing the ageing chap behind the wheel with at least the notional ability to step over obnoxious youths in their thrusty rice rockets.It's that breadth of ability which makes this R car that bit special. Bottom LineVolkswagen's only current R edition that justifies the spend. 

And it's not the swoopy new Scirocco coupe . . .The boxy Passat R36 takes lines honours with a combination of a 3.6-litre V6 engine that makes 220 kiloWatts and gives the family hauler - sedan or wagon - the potential for a 5.6-second sprint to 100km/h and a top end well beyond Australia's legal limits.The potent Passat proves the point on Volkswagen's R shop upgrading, which is done in-house at the Individual division and mirrors similar go-faster tweaking done by M for BMW, AMG for Benz, and TRD, HSV and FPV for the three homegrown Aussie brands.The R36 rolls in alongside the existing R32 Golf and R50 Touareg to complete the R-car lineup — for now, anyway — with prices from $64,990 for a manual sedan to $67,590 for a wagon with DSG manu-matic gearbox.Like all the other R cars it hits with sports suspension, a better brake/tyre/wheel package and a cabin upgrade. Oh, and all-wheel drive.The R36 also comes with the same bold Biscaya blue paintwork available on the R32 and R50 - and a like like Subaru's WRC battle colour - although there are other colours for people who are not so keen to make a statement.In any case, the car trumps anything seen before from Volkswagen and is a significant twist for a company which is making most of its advances in Australia with diesels. The Golf GTi is still its best seller but more than half of all sales are diesels as the German brand lifted its sales by 17.9 per cent by the end of July to take number seven in the passenger-car rankings.“Australian customers have been very kind to us this year,” says Jutta Dierks, head of Volkswagen Group Australia.She is hoping for more kindness on the R cars, and particularly the Passat R36, but admits total sales will probably still only amount to around 1000 across the three models through 2009.“For us, R line is special. And we have plans to expand it,” says Jutta Dierks, head of Volkswagen Group Australia.“Basically, we can do this with every single car. It fits every model in our range.“Personally, I would like to do this on the Jetta, but there are no plans. And it should be very special, that's the way it should be.“It gives a kind of excitement that goes through the whole range.”The mechanical package for the R36 is built around its V6 engine and slick DSG six-speed gearbox, complete with paddle shifts. It is basically front-wheel drive until there is any slip, when the rear wheels - giant 18-inch alloys - are called into action.The engine is much the same as the 3.6-litre unit already fitted to the Touareg, but tweaking for the R36 drops the torque slightly but takes power up by close to 20 kiloWatts.The suspension is lowered by 25mm with tauter springs and dampers, there are vented disc brakes at each corner, and the body is tweaked with deeper side sills, a rear spoiler, chromed exhausts and the inevitable R badges.It also comes with bi-Xenon lamps, a combination of leather and microfibre on the sports bucket seats, and a thumping 250-watt sound system.Volkswagen is not talking about sales numbers but admits supply from Germany, which limited sales of the original R32 Golf to just 200 cars, will not be a problem.Following the R36, it is most likely the next R model will be based on the Passat CC which is set for Australia in the first half of 2009.And what about the Scirocco coupe, which has the potential to take king-of-the-hill rights from the R36 either as a regular model or with tweaking for an R badge?“We have not made the decision, but the door is not closed,” says Dierks. DRIVING:The go-faster Passat is like the rest of Volkswagen's R cars — quick and enjoyable, but not as sharp as you might expect.It gets along briskly enough, and gives plenty of feedback and enjoyment, but is missing the 'wow' factor we expect after years with HSV and FPV Holdens and Fords.The R36 is more like a TRD Aurion, although that is probably unkind to the Volkswagen because the driving position is a lot better and it has a much better transmission than the hotted Toyota.It has a classy look and feel, and the R upgrade is a well-balanced package, but it is not a cheap car and there are some shortcomings in the ride.Volkswagen used the arrival of the R36 to roll out the whole family for a drive day at Phillip Island, which did its best to make the MotoGP track a challenge with a combination of Antarctic temperatures, showery rain and very blustery winds. It was a good way to see what the cars could do.The R36 showed well on the track but, because it the circuit is so fast and open, it tid not feel all that fast. Punchy out of the pits, and with a nice cornering balance, but not what you would expect from a car trumpeted as the fastest Volkwagen in the business.The R32 Golf was sharper again, thanks to the smaller body and a responsive engine, and it also had a nicely rorty engine note.The surprise, though, was the Touareg. The family hauler looks much more aggressive as the R50 and it punches beyond its weight on the track.The big surprise is the incredible torque from its 5-litre V10 diesel, which gives it the sort of punch you expect from a Porsche Cayenne or AMG Benz ML. It really can get up and go.But weight works against the R50 in corners and it was blown around badly on the approach to turn one at more than 200km/h - not what you really want. And you have to remember to shift early and often, unlike the smaller V6 models, to keep it moving along.All three R cars were also available for a carpark motorkhana, which was fun but did not prove much beyond their off-the-line pace.It was a fun day despite the weather, and proved Volkswagen has the basic building blocks to build some quicker and more enjoyable R cars. But we still think the Golf GTi is the one to beat in the Volkswagen lineup. FAST FACTSVolkswagen Passat R36On sale: nowBody: four-door sedan, five-door wagonPrice: from $64,990 ($65,590 with increased luxury tax)Engine: 3.6-litre V6Power: 220 kW/6600 revsTorque: 350Nm/2400-3500 revsTransmission: six-speed DSG, all-wheel drivePerformance: 0-100km/h, 5.6s (5.8 wagon); top speed 250km/hEconomy: 10.7 litres/100km (ADR 81/01)Emissions: 254 grams/km of CO2 

That's a comparison to flatter the latter, that most anodyne of family cars, and one to richly annoy the Volkswagen customer who has, after all, spent as much as $14,000 more.Annoyed would be mildest I'd feel at having to pay a fat premium that's been blown out by the 10 per cent tariff for a car that's more economical, environmentally friendlier and, pedestrian though it is, about twice the drive.Barely conceivable in the days when the locals were smug and secure behind the tariff ramparts, we've bought diesels this year as never before. That makes the newest version of the Passat sedan and wagon to arrive here very much of the moment.Like the latest Golf variant tested here recently, the Passat comes with the newly tweaked 125kW/350Nm edition of the the VW groups's two-litre turbo diesel workhorse, although the standard 103kW/320Nm mill continues in the entry-level Passat.The new version is priced at $44,490 for the sedan, $46,990 for the wagon, a premium of $1500 and $2000 respectively over the milder versions.Although it's listed as the “2.0 TDI 125kW”, it's the “350” torque figure that counts. After minor but annoying hesitation off the mark, the maximum Newtown metres pile on from 1750-2500rpm. This gets the enhanced Passat oiler to 100km/h from standing in a claimed 8.6 seconds, more than a tick of the hand quicker than the standard car. More mumbo, though, means only the most marginal increase in consumption and emissions — 6.7 litres per 100km/h sipped in combined testing and 181g of C02 per klick emitted.Although the VW Groups' DSG tranny has been around for a good few years, sufficient punters have logged “please explains” for a brief digression.Basically it's an electronically controlled, twin-shaft dual-clutch manual gearbox, without a conventional clutch pedal, with full automatic, or semi-manual control and a sport mode.In any setting, it shifts faster and moves more economically than a conventional manual. For all that, it's probably left in Drive by most owners most of the time, so remember that, while at idle, it creeps forward like an auto, when facing up an incline it will roll back very like a manual.DSG is very clever no doubt, but I could live without the gaps between the lower of the six forward gears. These can become obvious at low speeds with a laggardly response to a throttle input.While functionally DSG isn't much different from any torque converter auto with a good tiptronic function, it does imbue even a basically specced Passat such as ours with a degree of sophistication otherwise lacking.The sports suspended V6 with all-wheel-drive is capable to the point where it not only justifies the extra over local and Japanese six potters, but seriously embarrasses supposedly more prestigious Euros. The diesel is the more utilitarian device, a large family car by German standards, quite big enough for the parents and 2.5 children, and a 565-litre black-hole of a boot for all their stuff and more.It looks globulous from front angles and, unoptioned, the accommodations remain some way from opulent, all cloth trim and grim grey plastics. The two-tiered dash remains a visual hit, the dials more legible than a Golf's with a neat push-start key fob that slots in near the push-button parking brake.If the cabin seems basic, at least the Passat is bolted together in Germany, rather than outsourced to the Americas or South Africa, something of which would-be critics of VeeWee make much.With all that oomph going through the front wheels and a suspension tuned toward absorbancy, this Passat's no dynamic dream. Nor can much enthusiasm be summoned for the steering which is better weighted than most in the cardigan class but still some way from providing intimate feel.As with most aspects of the Passat though, its performance is wholly adequate for the prescribed purpose. The mid-range punch that comes when wound up is impressive and you'll come to appreciate its planted, composed feel, an attitude it maintains under strong braking.While the rivals we list here all happen to be French, equally viable alternatives come from within the VW group. From the same marque actually. Be very sure that you need the space the Passat provides before you select one over the less expensive but still voluminous Jetta with its 525-litre boot.And for a few grand less than the $37,990 Jetta with 103kW TDI and DSG, consider the Skoda Octavia, which uses exactly the same drivetrain and comes in a wagon variant.Still, the newer Passat oiler makes a case as family hauler, well worth the extra spend over certain cars that we have to pay taxes to support but we may not want to buy. The bottom lineThanks to the tariffs you have to pay more than you should but you do get a premium product with plenty of European sophistication

Well, welcome to the 21st century.VW's Passat wagon is a stylish, refined and extremely enjoyable way to pack up a family of five with luggage.Powered by the velvet-smooth, four-cylinder 2.0-litre FSI turbo, the Passat has all the legs necessary for long-distance travel and enough off-the-line punch to compete well in the city rat-race.It also returns reasonable fuel economy.For $44,990 (plus on-road costs) the Passat comes stacked with safety and comfort inclusions -- you have to respect a car that has an umbrella holder (complete with umbrella) built into the driver's door.There is also the added prestige ofa European badge.* Full picture galleries of the first four contenders online at carsguide.com.auWhat's your pick for 2006 Car of the Year?##carsguide.com.au