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When we drove the standard Passat, we were relatively impressed by the level of comfort offered. A refined cruiser, it didn't leave much to the imagination with its up front nature, but it did offer us something a little different from the lot.
In fact, the VW Passat has grown enough to compete with the likes of the more upmarket Germans, rather than just being a car that warrants consideration from those whose pockets aren't so deep.
In fact, the VW Passat has grown enough to compete with the likes of the more upmarket Germans, rather than just being a car that warrants consideration from those whose pockets aren't so deep.
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Body
The sheetmetal has been stretched by nearly 8cm in width and more than 5cm in length. The cabin, however, is nearly 13cm longer, thanks in part to a switch to transverse-mounted engines.
The very fact that the engine is now mounted sideways should tell you how different things have been with Volkswagen and Audi to late, I particular, the A4 and A6 platform.
The sheetmetal has been stretched by nearly 8cm in width and more than 5cm in length. The cabin, however, is nearly 13cm longer, thanks in part to a switch to transverse-mounted engines.
The very fact that the engine is now mounted sideways should tell you how different things have been with Volkswagen and Audi to late, I particular, the A4 and A6 platform.
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Inside
The cabin is extremely spacious, and the equipment list generous - the ignition and the parking brake are electrically operated, there are six air bags, active front head restraints, ABS, brake assist, stability control, cruise control and traction control.
A really cool feature worth mentiong is the swiveling bi-xenon headlamps that put on a little "opening ceremony" when you turn the lights on.
The less confident driver will greatly appreciate three assist features as well - a hill holder that prevents the car from rolling backwards on an incline, an auto-stop function that enables you to take your foot off the pedal at a junction, and an intermittent wipe function that swipes the brake discs dry in the rain.
The cabin is extremely spacious, and the equipment list generous - the ignition and the parking brake are electrically operated, there are six air bags, active front head restraints, ABS, brake assist, stability control, cruise control and traction control.
A really cool feature worth mentiong is the swiveling bi-xenon headlamps that put on a little "opening ceremony" when you turn the lights on.
The less confident driver will greatly appreciate three assist features as well - a hill holder that prevents the car from rolling backwards on an incline, an auto-stop function that enables you to take your foot off the pedal at a junction, and an intermittent wipe function that swipes the brake discs dry in the rain.
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Driving Impressions
Compared to the old one, it is well insulated, very smooth, and effortless. Don't mistake it for that of a Golf GTi though.
Think of it as more of a car that wafts you comfortably in silence to your destination. The good thing is, the ride is firm enough without having the passengers feel sick, but soft enough to be comfortable.
As a performance oriented driver, I feel that I could be fed with more firmness that wouldn't result in a harsh compromise in ride quality.
The lighter suspension setup, as compared to the older model, makes the car react faster as compared to it's predecessor. It works well on reasonably smooth surfaces, but throw a few potholes into the equation and the balance is upset.
While the big ones are sufficiently damped with no big problems, you can't mistake the underlying anger and aggressiveness of it all.
The ho-hum directional stability under breaking from high speeds might be another negative in the strong crosswinds we experienced on one of our trips with this car.
The electro-hydraulic, rack-and-pinion unit feels as stiff as it needs to be, while being nice and meaty to hold. Calibration is razor sharp, although it gets a little numb at low speeds and engine revs until you gas it a little.
Despite the watchful gaze of the ESP, there was lots of torque steer and wheel spin to be had as and when we felt like it, which is really good because I hate intrusive ESPs.
The brakes work really well, but they can be over zealous at times, requiring a gentle right foot to stop. Mash them hard and you will be dragged down from whatever illegal speed you are carrying in a jiffy, with minimal drama.
Acceleration wise, putting the pedal to the metal feels like a two movement symphony - a sedate march to 2500 rpm, then a turbocharged scherzo to 4000, after which everything feels like one of those fast, Russian dances to the redline.
If you're lucky, you'll hear the tyres screaming and clawing for grip. You see 100km/h in about 7.5 seconds. Perhaps what might be good for the economically minded, is that the turbo never shows its fangs when driven sedately around town.
Compared to the old one, it is well insulated, very smooth, and effortless. Don't mistake it for that of a Golf GTi though.
Think of it as more of a car that wafts you comfortably in silence to your destination. The good thing is, the ride is firm enough without having the passengers feel sick, but soft enough to be comfortable.
As a performance oriented driver, I feel that I could be fed with more firmness that wouldn't result in a harsh compromise in ride quality.
The lighter suspension setup, as compared to the older model, makes the car react faster as compared to it's predecessor. It works well on reasonably smooth surfaces, but throw a few potholes into the equation and the balance is upset.
While the big ones are sufficiently damped with no big problems, you can't mistake the underlying anger and aggressiveness of it all.
The ho-hum directional stability under breaking from high speeds might be another negative in the strong crosswinds we experienced on one of our trips with this car.
The electro-hydraulic, rack-and-pinion unit feels as stiff as it needs to be, while being nice and meaty to hold. Calibration is razor sharp, although it gets a little numb at low speeds and engine revs until you gas it a little.
Despite the watchful gaze of the ESP, there was lots of torque steer and wheel spin to be had as and when we felt like it, which is really good because I hate intrusive ESPs.
The brakes work really well, but they can be over zealous at times, requiring a gentle right foot to stop. Mash them hard and you will be dragged down from whatever illegal speed you are carrying in a jiffy, with minimal drama.
Acceleration wise, putting the pedal to the metal feels like a two movement symphony - a sedate march to 2500 rpm, then a turbocharged scherzo to 4000, after which everything feels like one of those fast, Russian dances to the redline.
If you're lucky, you'll hear the tyres screaming and clawing for grip. You see 100km/h in about 7.5 seconds. Perhaps what might be good for the economically minded, is that the turbo never shows its fangs when driven sedately around town.
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Any reason to go Passat?
To sum it up, we like this car for the same reasons that we like the other, naturally aspirated 2-litre Passat tested earlier this year. Like what the Cooper S was to the Cooper, the Passat Turbo manages to be the faster, more aggressive Passat.
While the fellow GTi enthusiast will frown upon the padded nature of the Passat, the high flying executive who knows his way around cars, will appreciate the power, and price that must be reckoned with one signs his life, er, checkbook away at the dealers, whilst in the market for a quick, efficient and very effective sports-comfort sedan.
To sum it up, we like this car for the same reasons that we like the other, naturally aspirated 2-litre Passat tested earlier this year. Like what the Cooper S was to the Cooper, the Passat Turbo manages to be the faster, more aggressive Passat.
While the fellow GTi enthusiast will frown upon the padded nature of the Passat, the high flying executive who knows his way around cars, will appreciate the power, and price that must be reckoned with one signs his life, er, checkbook away at the dealers, whilst in the market for a quick, efficient and very effective sports-comfort sedan.
Specifications -
Price: $140,000
Engine: Turbocharged Inline 4, 16-valves
Power: 200Bhp @ 5500rpm (100.8bhp/litre)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1800rpm
Transmission: 6 -speed Auto
Length/width/height: 4765 / 1820 / 1472 mm
Wheelbase: 2709 mm
Kerb weight: 1463 kg
0-100km/h: 7.8 sec
Price: $140,000
Engine: Turbocharged Inline 4, 16-valves
Power: 200Bhp @ 5500rpm (100.8bhp/litre)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1800rpm
Transmission: 6 -speed Auto
Length/width/height: 4765 / 1820 / 1472 mm
Wheelbase: 2709 mm
Kerb weight: 1463 kg
0-100km/h: 7.8 sec
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