Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off facelifted versions of the Volkswagen Passat saloon and estate, which both made their public debut at the 2019 Geneva motor show.
VW has sold close to 30 million Passats across six generations since 1973, so the changes to the tried and tested formula are modest.
The bumpers and lights have been tweaked, with LED lights now standard across the range, and there are new wheel designs and colour options. But the more significant changes concern technology, with a raft of assistance and connectivity upgrades.
The headline new arrival is a semi-autonomous autopilot system capable of operating at higher speeds – a Volkswagen first. Dubbed Travel Assist, this can actively steer the Passat at speeds of up to 130mph – a big advance on the 25mph limit of the Traffic Jam Assist system on the current car. Travel Assist works in conjunction with smart adaptive cruise control that can respond to speed limits, junctions and corners.
The new MIB3 infotainment system has a permanent data connection and brings the option of a digital instrument display. Users of iPhones will be able to access Apple CarPlay without a connection cable. Volkswagen is also planning to allow smartphone key access to the car, although only with Samsung devices for now.
Mechanical changes are limited. The 148bhp 1.5 TSI Evo petrol engine from the current car will continue to be the base petrol powerplant, with 187bhp and 268bhp versions of the 2.0 TSI turbocharged petrol unit above it. All are now fitted with particulate filters.
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Pity the Journalists
I feel quite sorry for motoring journalists who have to write articles like this, describing a range of inconsequential changes to an ordinary car, in case someone cares. It seems unlikely to me that a warm crankcase is going to be high up a buyer's wishlist.
Finally a diesel gets
Finally a diesel gets cylinder shutdown, pity all the diesels dont get it.
hypocrites
We all know how VW cheated the emission tests and all that . But UK's 2nd best selling car is Golf. Which goes to show people do not care about emissions, cheating or anything for that matter . Just the price at the dealers. We always see alot of folks complaining about JLR /Lotus products as way too expensive here.
bring the diesels!
What do you suggest then? Move into Nissan X-Trails, Honda Civics and Toyota Corollas... oh please!
Great that we will be offered four (4) diesels to choose from and just three (3) petrols, albeit that GTE includes a petrol engine and almost defeat the purpose of the petrol versions. Ample choice then.
wheels wrote:
VW cheated, got caught and was punished heavily with heads rolling and the company being fined billions and billions. What more do you want? For the company to go out of business and tens of thousands losing their livelihoods?
wheels wrote:
Just because many people don't care does not make them hypocrites. It is only people who make a song and dance about it and then go on to buy a VW that are hypocrites. Most people realise that most manufacturers have massaged their figures in various ways, have not made a fuss and by the car that best suits them. Obviusly VW did it in the most serious way, but to a lesser degree they have all been at it by testing cars with a mirror missing, doors taped up, seeats removed, you name it.