My test drive and write-up of the new Passat.
My wife's employed by Media24 printed and online media. One of her colleagues involved with consulting the local VW Dealer on their advertising ask me to test drive and write a quarter page column for the Qwa Qwa Express, one of four weekly newspapers of Media24 in my province.
Unedited by Media24, here it is:
Business Class Designer Suit – VW’s New Passat.
It’s Saturday morning and it is warm, dry and windy as I arrive at VW’s showroom in Bethlehem. On arrival I quickly get out of my personal transport and head for the cool ambiance of the huge VW showroom and offices. On entrance I was greeted by the friendly staff of the local dealership and introduced myself to Ameen.
Waiting outside for a short while removed from the elements-protecting comfort of the VW showroom, suddenly around the corner arrives VW’s new flagship sedan series. Yes, some say it is the all new VW Passat. At first sight all I see is a little bit of Audi, a little bit of Porsche and quarter front a little bit of BMW even. As the new sedan passes to park in front of me, from the back I see VW Phaeton from behind. The latter is VW’s real S-class size flagship of which cars like the Bentley’s Continental are based on. The South-African public unfortunately does not have the privilege of purchasing the Phaeton locally. Now apart for some BMW reference in maybe just the headlights the rest of the VW Passat endows the VW Groups entire Premium Empire that consist of the world’s most famous brands which include Lamborghini, Bugatti, Audi, Porsche and Bentley all under the one VW Conglomerate. And yet it stays immediately recognizable as a VW Passat.
From the outside.
With the scorching sun now beating down on me I simply cannot wait to get into, what looks like a heaven of luxury this new Passat. And yet I still want to take it all in from the outside. The new Passat delivers on VW’s vision of placing the VW brand firm into the Premium segment of the family sedan market. Tight and sporty yet elegant lines, a purposeful face with character and a strong shoulder line that ends in a coupe-like rear. The low roofline and tight shut lines makes the car look Premium. And in fact beauty is more than skin deep. The Passat is based on the VW Groups MQB platform of which other Premium cars in the group, more specifically the Audi A4 is also based upon.
Practicality.
Before getting behind the wheel I hop into and onto the backseat. Rear leg space is fit for a king! Well bolstered and supportive leather seats and enough headroom makes for a space that can be utilized for chauffeuring a Head of State, it simply feels Audi A6 big. Popping the boot lid revealed a humongous space the size of a Venter trailer which includes a full spare wheel, with the same style aluminium rim as used on the other four outside wheels. Something other Premium German manufacturers can find useful incorporating into their own cars.
Behind the wheel.
Out of the hot sun and into what can only be described as Premium Luxury! I set the Automatic Climate Control to LO. With the luxuriously appointed cabin getting cooler, settle in. Now doing my feel, touch, knock and taste test. Every surface you will touch using your Passat every day feel and is Premium. Soft touch plastics, leather steering wheel and seats and also door trim and armrest. Clear instrumentation in front of the driver as well as a huge touch screen with all the connectivity and infotainment needed for the new age driver. Everything that is not standard can, as with any other luxury brand out there be specified from the options list. That said the new Passat comes with a very long and comprehensive list of standard features. This includes a list longer than the President’s State of the Nation address of safety features such as Acoustic Park Distance Control and the normal active safety features which include ESP, ABS and Airbags. The test car was fitted with an Automated Self-Parking feature. Yes, this Passat will park itself also! The list is long so I suggest you get down to VW in Bethlehem and experience all these technology gizmos for yourself.
Drive.
The car is operated keyless. That means a Stop-Start button which includes a Stop-Start function to save fuel when stationary. The ‘baby’ powertrain was fitted to the test car, this means the smallest engine derivative the 1.4 TSI mated to VW’s DSG Automatic gearbox with shift pedals behind the steering wheel for those times you feel like driving in manual mode. Plant your foot into the carpet and the 1.4 TSI engine feels and pulls all but ‘baby’ engine, more like giant steam train if you ask me. The turbocharged engine delivers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.4 seconds smoothly and quietly. The new Passat is much lighter than its predecessor making it much lighter on fuel consumption also. Build quality is evident in the absence of rattles over broken road surfaces all whilst the suspension soaks up all the road surface irregularities. Push the new Passat into a corner and the absence of body roll and also over or under steer makes it a dynamic drive also.
Verdict.
Well it’s easy actually. If you are in need of a luxury sedan that can match any of its VW family siblings like the Audi A4 or a Mercedes C-class or a BMW 3-Series but with more practicality if you need space for four with their luggage. And if you need real German Premium Luxury and style and do not have brand-image disease, this new VW Passat is simply a no-brainer in your quest to become the owner of all that.
Naas Human