2018 Volkswagen Passat Test Drive Review

2018 Volkswagen Passat Review

Car Tested: 2018 Volkswagen Passat; Road Test No. 877; Test Location: Udaipur

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 35.42 – 39.07 Lakhs

The Volkswagen Passat is definitely a capable and practical German premium sedan but a tad too overpriced

Volkswagen currently sells mostly mass-market cars in India like the Polo, Ameo and Vento, but we all know that the German automaker entered the Indian market more than a decade back with offerings like the Passat that were slotted in the premium segment. While the company replaced the older Passat with the new generation after some years, the premium sedan was then discontinued from the market owing to lack of sales, largely due to a lot of competition in the same price range. Now, VW is back in the premium segment with the 8th generation Passat which has just been launched in India. But, is it as exciting as the older one? Does it even stand a chance in the market now? Time to find out.

Motor Quest: The Volkswagen Passat is now in its eighth generation and has come to India a couple of years after the older generation was discontinued. Volkswagen had showcased the sedan at the 2016 Auto Expo but it somehow took them 1.5 years to launch it here and the Indian market gets only the diesel variant, at least for now.

Exteriors – The exteriors of the eighth generation Volkswagen Passat exude a sense of simplicity and no-frills styling. The face of the sedan combines sharp looking LED headlamps and fog lamps with the bold, familiar VW grille. The bumper gets chrome inserts which lend a premium feel, and the lower part of the bumper gets a slight tinge of sportiness. The side profile is rather plain, with a thick crease running across the waistline, while the C-pillar looks noticeably large.

The alloy wheels don’t look as boring as some of the newer offerings from the VAG group, thankfully. The rear is typical VW fare, with a bulky bumper and boot-lid showcasing the car’s rather generous dimensions. The design of the Passat isn’t something that’ll get your heart racing. It is the most suitable for those who like a minimalistic approach, while people who want to make a bold and youthful statement might not fancy it.

Interiors – The same sense of premiumness and simplicity is carried forward to the cabin. The dashboard again has a functional design but what catches the eye is the styling of the upper part of the dash which looks strikingly similar to some newer Audis. The steering wheel is similar to the one found on the Polo, Ameo, Vento and Tiguan, and I feel Volkswagen could’ve at least provided a differently styled wheel. However, I’m not complaining, because this wheel itself feels good to hold and is pretty intuitive to use. All the controls are within easy reach of the hand and the quality of most interior components is classy and feels rich.

The infotainment system on the Passat is high-tech and gets some cool tricks

The front seats offer extremely good levels of comfort and support, with lower back and under thigh support being very nice. The driver’s seat gets a memory function along with a massage function while both the front seats get a heated function, which I doubt anyone will use in India. The rear seat has more than enough knee room for two passengers, while the middle passenger will obviously face discomfort due to the large transmission hump. Shoulder space is decent enough, but if you’re really going to stuff 3 adults at the rear, they might not be very pleased, because the bolstering at the edges of the rear seats seems to be designed in a way that would suit 2 people sitting comfortably at the rear. I even found the under thigh support at the rear to be just about average. While the AC chills the front in no time, I found the rear AC vents taking their sweet own time to chill the cabin.

On the equipment front, the Volkswagen Passat gets a touchscreen infotainment system which churns out good quality audio and the display itself is very fluid. You also get a Park Assist feature which is useful because this sedan is pretty long. Other features include a sunroof, start-stop button, keyless entry, LED headlamps which have a very good throw, LED tail lights, gesture-operated trunk lid, multiple safety features which we’ll discuss in the latter part of the review and of course the 60:40 split rear seats which allow you to store a lot of cargo in the cabin, in addition to the already large boot.

Performance – In India, the new Volkswagen Passat gets only 1 engine option which is the very familiar 2.0-litre TDI, 4-cylinder oil-burner, which is thankfully offered in the higher 177 HP and 350 Nm tune, unlike the Tiguan. Mated to this engine is the 6-speed DSG gearbox. The Passat doesn’t really disappoint on the mechanical front. The diesel engine offers good driveability and power is also adequate for the sedan. The engine does sound noisy and the noise is heard inside the cabin too. The Passat is quick to respond to throttle inputs and turbo lag is managed well by the DSG gearbox.

The engine and gearbox work well for sedate as well as aggressive driving

As the revs increase, there is a good wave of torque and the Passat pulls effortlessly and power delivery goes all the way to 5400 RPM. The DSG responds quickly most of the times and downshifts a cog or two swiftly when you mash the throttle, however, I did notice in city driving that sometimes it hesitates before downshifting and that leads to a delay of a couple of seconds along with some jerks. That aside, the Passat feels genuinely good to drive and the diesel motor is pretty efficient too, delivering 10-13 kms to the litre.

For quicker shifts and an aggressive driving pattern, you get a Sport mode on the gearbox along with steering-mounted paddle shifters. Along with that, the sedan also gets driving modes like Comfort, Auto and Sport which alter the steering, engine and damper response. Also, the vehicle gets the Think Blue Trainer which is a cool piece of tech that advises you on better driving patterns to maximise the efficiency from the diesel engine.

Driving Dynamics – The ride on the Volkswagen Passat is a bit on the stiffer side. At low speeds if you encounter broken patches of roads, the suspension becomes noisy and isn’t particularly silent. At high speeds, passengers are comfortable enough even though the ride is stiff. The suspension does a fair job of keeping the ride suitable for most kinds of passengers. The steering is direct and the Passat has predictable handling. It remains composed on straights as well as twisties and the steering weighs up nicely at high speeds. Braking performance is also very good with the all-around discs doing a good job of shedding speeds. The Highline variant that we drove had 17-inch Hankook tyres while the Comfortline trim gets 16-inch wheels.

Safety and After Sales Service – On the safety front, the 2018 Volkswagen Passat is loaded with 9 airbags, ABS, ESC, ASR, EDL, Hill Start Assist and Auto Hold. Along with that, the sedan gets a 2 year/unlimited kms warranty and a 2 year Roadside Warranty package. Services have to be carried out every 1 year or 15,000 kms.

Verdict – The 8th generation Volkswagen Passat comes across as a very practical offering in a no-nonsense package. The sedan does most things well and that includes its driving dynamics, comfort, features and functionality. But what it lacks is the WOW! factor which is somehow missed on this car and neither does it feel exclusive or special. It is a car which does what it is meant to, it is bloody good at what it does and while it appeals a lot to the mind, those who love listening to their heart might have to look at better options because the Passat does’t really offer anything unique over its rivals.

What’s Cool

* The styling lends a proper executive look to the car
* The cabin is well-appointed and has rich materials
* The engine and gearbox combo is one of the best in class
* Safety features come in abundance on the new Passat

What’s Not So Cool

* Doesn’t feel innovative or exciting enough
* Pricing doesn’t feel very attractive

Alternatives: Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord

2018 Volkswagen Passat Specifications

* Engine: 1968cc, DOHC, 4-cylinders
* Power: 177 HP @ 3600-4000 RPM
* Torque: 350 Nm @ 1500-3000 RPM
* Transmission: 6-Speed DSG AT
* Fuel Consumption: 10-12 km/l
* Fuel Type: Diesel
* Suspension: McPherson Strut (Front), Multi-Link (Rear)
* Tyres: 215/60/16 (Comfortline), 215/55/17 (Highline)
* Brakes: Discs (Front), Discs (Rear), ABS
* Safety: 9 Airbags, ABS, ESP, TCS, HHC, ASR, EDL

2018 Volkswagen Passat Dimensions

* Overall length x width x height: 4767 mm X 1832 mm X 1456 mm
* Boot Space: 586-1152-litres
* Wheelbase: 2786 mm
* Turning Radius: 5.85-metres
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 66-litres

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