A new Volkswagen Passat - or its derivative - is sold every 29 seconds. On average, somewhere in the world two Passats are sold every minute, 126 an hour or more than 3,000 every day.
Forget about Golf, this is the car that makes Volkswagen one of the biggest brands in the world.
It’s also the model that is at the vanguard of VW’s efforts to prove itself a cut above the rest.
This is the long-awaited new Passat, VW’s eighth generation of its best selling model and the car that should - if it gets things right - push the brand further towards a quasi-premium position in the car market. VW has long regarded itself as a cut above the rest and this car is supposed to show us why.
So what’s the new Passat like? Well let’s start inside where the interior brings the already smart Passat fit and finish up a further grade, to a level that pushes against the premium set. For example the new Passat features MirrorLink, which integrates various Android smartphone apps with the car. The car will also come with options such as the city emergency braking function with pedestrian monitoring.
Admittedly our test car was a heavily equipped test car but it shows off what is on offer at the upper end of the Passat range. Volkswagen Ireland estimates that sales of its top of the range Highline variants should rise significantly next year when the new Passat arrives in showrooms. Another sign of the economic recovery perhaps.
Entry-level models still get a decent specification, but Comfortline for an additonal €2,000 or so is worth the extra spend. This adds features like 16-inch alloys, cruise control, automatic air-con, a multifunction steering wheel and parking sensors. The Highline adds 17-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control and LED rear lights but I’m less convinced it is worth the extra outlay.
Despite being the same length the interior is noticeably more spacious, and impressive when compared with direct rivals. We tested the car with a colleague who measures in at just under 2 metres and he still had enough headroom to sit comfortably in the back.
The overall impression is of a place where you would feel comfortable on your daily commute or on a long trek across country. It’s a nice place to be, somewhere even a frazzled manager or sales executive could take a little comfort, and that’s not something you can say about every car in this class.
It's also practical as well: the five seat saloon now has a boot that's a whopping 586 litres, while the estate - which is expected to make up 20 per cent of sales in Ireland - hits 650 litres giving most people carriers a serious run for their money.
The new Passat is built on VW’s award-winning MQB platform, which has proved a star underpinning the latest Golf and which also features on the latest Octavia. It will also form the basis of several exciting new crossovers such as the Tiguan replacement.
On this car it means the ride and cornering ability matches that sense of decorum and refinement you get in the cabin. We took the test car over some of the worst surfaced roads we have come across in some time and it remained remarkably poised. The steering feel could be better, although it seemed to improve when we moved from the 2-litre 150bhp into an estate test car with the new 240bhp diesel engine. Unfortunately this larger output engine is not coming to our shores. The new Passat comes with either a six-speed manual or VW’s dual-clutch DSG transmission, the latter adding about €2,200 to the price tag.
Engines for Ireland will start with the 1.4-litre petrol at just under €30,000 and the 1.6-litre 120bhp diesel starting at €31,200, which will be the biggest seller but this is a big car - even though VW are eager to underline its 85kgs lighter than the previous version.
Our test car was the 2-litre 150bhp diesel, which arrives in Ireland with a starting price of €32,990 in comfortline trim. It seemed a decent cruiser if a little underpowered, which doesn’t exactly bode well for the lower-powered 1.6-litre diesel engine. This is a big car, even with the weight savings, and it seems to need at least the 2-litre 150bhp diesel engine to perform to standard.
VW says all the Passat engines have been improved in terms of efficiency but the big news on the powertrain front is a plug-in hybrid version, arriving in Ireland early next year.
Overall this is an evolution on the Passat theme, nothing revolutionary, but then you’d have to be mad to change the recipe for a model of which you sell two every minute. It could do with a more potent engine range for its Irish entry level models, but regardless this eighth generation should further establish that impressive sales record.
And remember, Volkswagen already sells two Passats every minute. It starts to put in perspective the few thousand that may be registered in Ireland over a year.
But success can no longer be taken for granted. The Passat faces new rivals in the form of the flood of crossovers arriving on the market these days and tempting traditional family car buyers to raise their seating position. Across Europe the family saloon market is taking a hit from the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and its ilk.
Meanwhile Passat's arrival coincides with the introduction of the latest Ford Mondeo, setting up a heavyweight battle for sales in an already cut-throat market with impressive rivals like the Mazda6 and Opel Insignia already vying for attention as well.
With global sales of 3,000 a day it’s hard to see the Passat as anything other than a success, but even with this remarkable sales record, nothing can be taken for granted.
Lowdown: Volkswagen Passat
Engines: Starting with 1.4-litre petrol (125g/km) and 1.6-litre 120bhp diesel (106g/km). Also offering 150bhp 2-litre diesel (108g/km) and at the top of the range a 2-litre 190bhp (106g/km). Cars available with both six-speed manual or VW's impressive dual-clutch DSG automatic.
Prices:
1.4 TSI 125bhp petrol 6-speed manual Trendline - €27,295
1.6 TDI 120bhp diesel 6-speed manual Trendline - €28,940
2.0 TDI 150bhp diesel 6-speed manual Comfortline - €32,990
1.4 TSI 150bhp petrol 6-speed manual Highline - €35,145
2.0 TDI 190bhp diesel 6-speed manual Highline - €38,085
(all prices before a €750 delivery charge)
Arriving in Ireland: Orders start now - arriving in January
Our initial rating: 3/5
Summary: Impressive fit and finish and a premium feel but buyers need to look at the more powerful engines to fully deliver its potential
