Volkswagen Passat caters to the high-eeled clientèle and has its asking price underlining its on-road attitude and premium character. The first things about the car that hooked me were its modish front lamps featuring bi-Xenon projectors and stunning array of LEDs. The mesmerizing front picture was further complemented by prominent chrome work on the grille, rectangular fog lamp cluster, air dam and the huge Volkswagen logo. I must say this, Passat has an imposing on-road presence that is enhanced by its impeccable luxury, and yet sporty design language, which is not something abundantly evident on the Indian roads.
The rear end is just as exciting as the front styling and I couldn’t help but notice Passat possessing the German DNA much like its smaller and elder siblings, such as Vento, Jetta and Phaeton. This entry-level luxury saloon could easily be the sportiest in its segment as well. Just like high end Porsche and Ferrari sports cars, VW Passat boasts of a sharp belt line that links front flank to the rear tail, and thereby conveniently traversing through the dapper wheel arches and door handles as if it was no big deal! This is the defining feature of this car and makes it easy identifiable among other models in the D and D+ segment. However, the tail lamp cluster feels a bit dated, besides looking and feeling a lot like Skoda Superb.
Volkswagen Passat is offered with a single motor option at the moment, a 2.0 liter diesel motor that possesses enough roar under its hood to take on the highways like a breeze. This baby grunts out a peak power output close to 170 bhp and highest torque in the order of 350 Nm, which reflects some of its on-road capability and tarmac scorching genes. This diesel would be one of the most refined engines available in the segment and has a spectacular yet enigmatic muteness around it. At lower and middle revs the engine hardly growls and only at higher revs it displays some contortionism. However, I’d still say that the refinement levels are absolutely world class and makes Passat an incredible piece of automobile engineering. This ride is extremely stable while negotiating overtakes and sharp 90 degree bends, besides recovering from taxing speed bumps is a delight.
Passat’s interior design speaks opulence of luxurious attributes, limousine-like volume of space and a healthy gadget set resplendent with futuristic appeal. The interior character is radiant with premium finishing, lovely lighting and plush upholstery. There is some nicely crafted headroom, legroom with under thigh support and shoulder room with intricately designed armrest. The seats and cushioning is top draw, and could deliver couch like comfort during long trips and tedious city traffic. Passat has all sorts of electricals and gadgets that could make an automobile admirer go weak in his knees including the very effective parking assist system, dual automatic climate control, Volkswagen’s BlueMotion technology, attention and dynamic light assist to name a few.
