First Drives: 2015 Volkswagen Passat Sedan and Variant (EURO)

By Henny Hemmes
Senior Global Editor
November 3, 2014

Sardinia, Italy; The brand new 2015 Volkswagen Passat is ready to hit the European market later this month. With more luxury, better materials and a slew of driver assist technologies, the 8th generation of Europe’s best selling sedan, has to maintain its lead over the competition. We made our first test drives with the 1.4 TSI bi-turbo petrol engine with cylinder deactivation and the top of the line 240 hp strong diesel motor.

Since its arrival in 1973, more than 22 million units of the Volkswagen Passat have been built, making it one of the most popular models in the world and the best sold one in its segment in Europe. Since the majority of the customers shopping for a ‘business-class’ saloon are increasingly interested in premium models, it will not be a surprise that Volkswagen developed the all new Passat with ‘premium’ in mind. Like the Golf 7, the Audi A3, Seat Leona nd Skoda Octavia, the new Passat is built on the MQB platform. It is a modular architecture for vehicles with the engine placed in east-west direction, like in models with front wheel and all-wheel drive. Volkswagen said that it plans to use it for 5 million cars on an annual basis by 2018.

The 2015 Volkswagen Passat will arrive on the European market in the third week of November, but the UK, Japan and Australia will have to wait another two months.

While customers in North America will not see this version anytime soon. That is because in the US, Volkswagen offers the freshened up version of the Passat that is especially designed for the American market and built in the VW Chattanooga Assembly Plant since 2011.

The 2015 US-model is available with a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI Clean Diesel engine that produces 150 hp and is more fuel-efficient than its predecessor. The 2015 Passat also comes with electronic stability control, ABS and hydraulic brake assist, tire pressure monitoring and Volkswagen’s intelligent Crash Response system, that in case of a collision turns on the hazard warning lights, automatically unlocks the doors and shuts off the fuel pump.

Volkswagen does not want to confirm an arrival date of the MQB-based version in the US, but I think this will definitely not be before the second half of 2016.

Back to the B8, the model name of this new MQB-based version Passat, that was available for my test drives in the mountains of Sardinia, Italy. This 8th generation still looks very much like the Passat that has been seen for quite some time, but a closer look shows that the new styling gives this Passat a more dynamic stance thanks to the horizontal design of the chrome bars in the car's nose which run smoothly into the headlights. Other styling details such as the sharp creases in the hood and along the sides which run from the front straight all the way into the rear lights, plus an upward ‘swing’ towards the middle of the car give this new Passat a more modern contemporary look

I started my test drives with the 2015 Volkswagen Passat equipped with the 150 hp strong 1.4-liter TSI ACT (Active Cylinder Technology) engine, which deactivates two cylinders during cruising. I really did my best to figure out when that happens, but honestly it is really hard to tell.

Power is adequate: with 184 pound-feet of torque it is easy to overtake slower traffic. The engine runs quiet and performs well, is willing and able, but somehow misses the dynamic character that it demonstrates in the Golf. But then, the new Passat may have lost some weight (up to 176 pounds, depending on the model) compared to the predecessor but it still puts 3,057 pounds in the balance. Notwithstanding this fact, the fuel consumption according to the EU cycle is 5.0 l/100 km (47 mpg). This will be unrealistic during daily driving, but it should be possible to match 40 mpg.

Weight is no concern in the top Passat model which is equipped with the 2.0 TDI 4Motion DSG engine. Our loyal audience may remember that I am very much in favor of estate models and a fan of powerful engines, be it a V8 or a diesel engine.
In the 2015 Volkswagen Passat's case, it is an estate model, the Variant, with its 4-cylinder bi-turbo diesel motor, that produces 240 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. The engine is combined with the double clutch transmission and performs effortlessly. Also, you do not notice any turbo lag at all. With the high torque it is a piece of cake to quickly pass other vehicles and to actively conquer the winding roads of the beautiful island.

And there is a bonus: you do not really have to care about fuel efficiency. Of course, you will never get to 5.4 l/100 km 43 mpg) but some 34 mpg will be realistic. Also thanks to the – optional - adjustable DCC suspension (Dynamic Chassis Control). Compared to the normal chassis the car sits 10 mm lower and the system offers a broad range from Comfort, via Normal to Sport. While Comfort may be a bit too soft for dynamic drivers, Sport offers a true firm setting and also when pushed the character remains neutral all the way. And then: who would have guessed that a Passat would offer driving fun? Well, it certainly does!

The cockpit of the new Passat breaths comfort. From its roominess to the excellent seats. The materials look good and the brushed aluminum details in the dashboard add a touch of class. There is a slew of equipment, standard or optional, that make life in the fast or the slow lane pleasant and safe.
I just mention park assist, trailer assist – that I tested indeed. And I should not forget the active info display and the IP that we know from the Audi TT.

It all adds up. Not only to the price of the new Passat, but also to the overall feel of comfort, safety and quality, and not in the last place, the driving experience. Even though the Passat may not really match its premium competitors of Mercedes and BMW, it is moving upwards and away from its competitors in the middle class.

The new model is one of the nominated models for the 2015 World Car of the Year Awards and no doubt will get top marks, but Volkswagen has to wait until the New York Auto Show in April to see if its Passat will be awarded top honors.