 When launched in 2007 , VW Passat , true to the German marque’s traits , boasted of one of the best oil burners we had ever tested. Ditto for its six-speed direct shift gearbox that redefined the way we Indians looked at and thought about automatics. Two and a half years after its initial debut , VW decided to pit their premium saloon slightly differently in the market. Both its strong points have been given a miss and the Passat will now only be sold in one trim level with the 1.8-litre petrol engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. Hold on. The good thing is that this is the same engine that also powers Skoda’s Laura and Superb with 160 horses on tap. To say the least , we have been mighty impressed with the motor on both the previous occasions , thanks mainly to its blistering performance.
It is impossible to differentiate the petrol Passat as compared to its diesel sibling from the outside with only the rather small TSI logo at the rear as the discerning factor. However , step inside and the dual tone interior with an extra touch of cream greets you well. There are some minute alterations like the console which now houses the temperature and fuel gauges inside the bigger tachometer and speedometer pods. The display for the music system is of the touch screen variety and the steering wheel too is all-new , similar to its younger sibling , the Jetta.
 Under the hood however lies the main difference and once fired to life , the petrol motor makes it presence (or the lack of it) felt immediately. It is very refined and unless you are pedal to metal , its functioning remains properly muted. Turbo lag is negligible and the car pulls strongly once past the 2000rpm mark. That said , even slotted in sixth with the engine ticking at a 1000 revs , the Passat manages to build up speeds without a protest. Direct injection also means that there is ample low end torque on avail , with 250Nm being churned out at just 1500revs! Acceleration is impressive and the Passat manages the naught to hundred sprint in 9.4 seconds with just one up-shift.
While we do miss the brilliant DSG box , the six-speed manual tranny impressed us to no end. It
feels well spaced out and the shift action is precise. All the previous traits of the Passat including a comfortable ride remain. It is spacious as well and the lowered sticker price of Rs 19.2 lakh (ex-showroom , Delhi) means that the new Passat defines and holds its place in today’s competitive market easily.
More photos:
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It is impossible to differentiate the petrol Passat as compared to its diesel sibling from the outside with only the rather small TSI logo at the rear as the discerning factor. However , step inside and the dual tone interior with an extra touch of cream greets you well. There are some minute alterations like the console which now houses the temperature and fuel gauges inside the bigger tachometer and speedometer pods. The display for the music system is of the touch screen variety and the steering wheel too is all-new , similar to its younger sibling , the Jetta.
While we do miss the brilliant DSG box , the six-speed manual tranny impressed us to no end. It feels well spaced out and the shift action is precise. All the previous traits of the Passat including a comfortable ride remain. It is spacious as well and the lowered sticker price of Rs 19.2 lakh (ex-showroom , Delhi) means that the new Passat defines and holds its place in today’s competitive market easily.
More photos: