To some observers the Volkswagen Passat may have been getting a little long in the tooth. In a crowded car marketplace the humble family saloon car was in danger of getting left behind in a wake of “crossover” vehicles and lifestyle MPVs. Yet despite its conservative image, this reliable people mover has thrived for over four decades thanks to an impressive reputation. And so to counter any claims of staidness, the VW Passat receives a facelift across Europe – while an entirely new model is introduced in North America.
All of the lights
With fifteen million Passats sold to date, the model is the third best-selling Volkswagen ever (after the mighty Beetle and Golf models). So, VW have pulled out the stops to make the Passat seem even more classy and refined both on the exterior and interior of the car.
The most noticeable update to the 2011 European model is the front section. Here Volkswagen has taken inspiration from its most luxury model, the Phaeton, creating a mini-me version on the Passat with angular block headlights and a wide grill.
Although nearly identical in size to its predecessor, Volkswagen boasts it has created an all-new exterior for this model generation. The roof panel is the only part carried over from the old model, and there are smart chrome accents which accentuate the overall look.
Gadgets galore
One of the key aims of the new Passat is to create a more “upmarket” feel for the family saloon – and as such is laden with plenty of gizmos to cosset and protect the driver. A new safety feature detects driver drowsiness and adjusts the car’s position to compensate, while any unusual lane departures or sudden approaches from other vehicles are met with a similar automated response.
Similarly, the adaptive cruise control system has been taken to new heights in this edition, which works well with the snarled-up motorways and inner city traffic jams of the UK. And if you’ve ever had trouble with parallel or right-angle parking then the new Passat has an aid for that too.
Wallet-friendly engines
The real news for caravanners will be the changes to the engine line-up. The new range now stretches down to include the 1.4 TSI engine (120bhp) which proved a bestseller in the Golf lineup. Petrol models also include a new 1.8 TSI version offering a powerful 158bhp, while those with performance in mind will enjoy the 2.0 TSI engine from the Golf GTI.
However for our purposes it’s the diesel models which will be of most interest. The 1.6 TDI in the Passat BlueMotion returns a staggering claim of 69mpg by using Stop-Start technology to conserve fuel. And if you want more towing power and grunt from your diesels, then the 2.0 TDI diesels (138bhp or 168bhp respectively) give you all the power you could need from a Volkswagen towcar.
