Luxury at Half the Price

The interiors are even better built and more upmarket. VW has included plenty of chrome rings around the elbow rests,vents,instruments and almost every button. The steering gets flashes of chrome and this gives the cabin a nice lift. True to its promise of bumping up the luxury quotient,there are new gizmos like Park Assist that steers the car into a parking space while the driver only brakes. There’s a radar-based cruise control,which can bring the car to a full stop,and Lane Assist,which gently puts you back into a lane if you drift out. However,which of these features will be included in Indian cars is anyone’s guess. And don’t try the radar-based cruise control in Mumbai’s Kalbadevi or in old Delhi,you will overload the system.

The large ribbed seats feel more comfortable as they have been improved,and you even get the option of massaging seats. Space at the rear is sufficient,especially the shoulder and headroom. Of course,this car can’t compare with the Skoda Superb or the Accord for rear legroom.

While the Passat initially feels familiar from behind the wheel,the differences in the new car manifest themselves soon enough. Even after a brief drive,it’s pretty clear that this car is more refined. VW has made an effort to improve acoustic sealing and the damping of the suspension has been improved. So there’s less road noise from the floor and the wheel arches,even over coarse tarmac,and the suspension is impressively silent when it goes over potholes. This is a change from the earlier car in India that had a constant drumming sound emanating from the boot.

VW has included adjustable dampers on this car and they make a huge difference too. In comfort,it is pliant and swallows all rough patches. This model is ideal for city streets and low speed running. However,out on the highway,where speeds and loads are much higher,the new Passat feels too soft. The electric steering is accurate but does not provide enough feel,and the car isn’t as nice to drive. However,all you have to do is hit the button that stiffens up the dampers. Now body control improves,the car rolls less and it feels much nicer to drive. This is no driver’s car for sure,but the light controls and vice-free handling allow you to exploit a winding road without too much effort.

The German carmaker will get the 2.0 TDI and 1.8 TSI to the Indian market when it launches this car early next year,so it was these motors that we chose to sample. While both are familiar engines,the 2.0 TDI that was earlier on sale in India put out 138bhp. This one,however,puts out a considerably healthier 170bhp,that translates into a much stronger surge of power from the motor. Using the torque in the middle of the powerband is pleasing and the motor syncs nicely with the six-speed DSG gearbox. VW’s common-rail engine is smooth and responsive,and performance is satisfying. The new Passat is powered by the 1.8 TSI,a motor we are familiar with; it already powers the Passat,Skoda Laura and Superb here. It gels well with the new Passat and feels smoother than on the current car. Both versions will be sold with Bluemotion technology,making these cars more efficient.

How do you improve something that’s already fine-tuned? Ask VW,which has taken its already near-pitch-perfect car and improved it further. Now in its seventh generation,with 15 million cars sold to date,the Passat is such a big success because it manages to do 90 per cent of what full-fat luxury cars accomplish,but at approximately half the price. The expected price is around Rs 23 lakh. As it says on the tin,this new Passat is more luxurious,better equipped and slightly more capable. Now all we need in India is a longer wheelbase version that has the legroom of the Superb or the Accord.