Passat trans-Atlantic re-launch
Competition in the mid-class segment in the United States is tougher than ever. Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, Chevrolet and Ford are engaged in a fierce rivalry in this sector. The equipment packages are high level, the prices low. It reminds us a bit of the American ‘fast food’ philosophy. But now the mid-class sector has a new star. In September the Volkswagen Passat was re-launched. The Passat built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has little in common with the cars carrying this badge in Europe. That goes for the price, too, starting at a hardly credible 19,995 Dollars in the US... about 14,700 Euros. And that tag does not take into account the generous discounts offered by many dealers and the ‘special offer’ campaigns competing for attention in television and newspaper advertising campaigns. For American buyers there will be no sophisticated high-tech motorizations with turbo boosting or direct fuel injection... they will be obliged to settle for the venerable 2.5 litre engine which for years has powered several Volkswagen models sold in the United States.
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- The unambitious five-cylinder 170 horsepower (125 kW) power plant is fully adequate to be seen as quite agile for a vehicle in the mid-class segment. It can deliver a top speed of 190 kilometres an hour and for the sprint to a hundred in under nine seconds.
Keeping the price down
But the unassuming five-cylinder 170 horsepower (125 kW) power plant is fully adequate to be seen as quite agile for a vehicle in the mid-class segment. It can deliver a top speed of 190 kilometres an hour and makes the sprint to a hundred in under nine seconds. The fuel consumption lies between eight (highway) and eleven (city) litres per hundred kilometres driven. These are perhaps not optimal values but at least for the time being Volkswagen are offering no alternative engine. It is, however, entirely possible that the two-litre turbo boosted 200 horsepower direct injection motor of the Golf GTI will in the medium term be made available. Double-declutching transmission or all-wheel-drive? Not for the Yanks. With a fuel tank taking 68 litres the 2.5 litre mill is good for a range of up to 900 kilometres. The motor does tend to grumble a bit and it is far from elastic. Also missing in the version, start-stop automation and braking energy recovery. But in the land of unlimited opportunity it is the price that is the decisive factor.
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- The notion that this 1,450 kilos automobile in its trans-Atlantic iteration is a bare-bones bargain is false. The driving behaviour of the American Passat is beyond reproach. The suspension is, of course, set for comfort on the sheer endless interstate highways.
Not designed for agility
But the notion that this 1,450 kilos automobile in its trans-Atlantic iteration is a bare-bones bargain is false. The driving behaviour of the American Passat is beyond reproach. The suspension is, of course, set for comfort on the sheer endless interstate highways. The steering is on the light side and there is no electric Servo system… long taken for granted in Europe and essential when a parking assistant is part of the package... which in this case it is not. The overall ride is much softer than we are accustomed to in old Europe. But the light Servo steering and the slightly thin feeling of the brakes would probably not disturb even European drivers over much. After all, addicts of driving dynamics are not often to be found at the wheel of a Passat.
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- There is no cheap plastic in view… as is very often the case in the mid-class models proposed by other car makers in the United States. The surfaces not only have a high-value appearance they also have the feel of quality.
Quality initiatives
The well calibrated driving behaviour is matched by excellent finish and workmanship. There is no cheap plastic in view… as is very often the case in the mid-class models proposed by other car makers in the United States. The surfaces not only have a high-value appearance they also have the feel of quality. The seats… optionally electrically adjustable and with heating… are just right for those long tours from Los Angeles to Las Vegas or San Fransciso to San Diego. The US Passat has a good looking body and the interior also has appeal. It is Volkswagen’s strategy to score in this competitive market with superior value. In this 2.8 metres long auto the space inside the car is certainly a plus factor. Four adult occupants can travel in comfort and there is room for 453 litres of their possessions, quite sufficient even for longer tours. There is a ‘reach-though’ in the central arm-rest at the back and the rear seats can be folded down to increase the loading capacity even further.
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- Prices start at a hardly credible 19,995 Dollars which is about 14,700 Euros. And that tag does not take into account the generous discounts offered by many dealers and the ‘special offer’ campaigns competing for attention in television and newspaper advertising campaigns.
Incomparable siblings
While the entry level VW Passat 2.5 S handles the power output with the tried and tested manual five-speed transmission, the better equipped SE and SEL variants offer a six-stage automatic. The tip for buyers is to go for the 4.85 metres long VW Passat 2.5 SE with‘Appearance’ package for 22,690 Dollars (about16,700 Euros). This comes with six air-bags, 16 inch aluminium wheels, automatic transmission, air conditioning, cruise control, sound system and Bluetooth interface. The pricing difference is a wide as the Atlantic Ocean. In Europe the modestly equipped basic Passat 1.4 ‘Trendline’ with just 122 horsepower costs 24,775 Euros. Compared with the US model, the similarly outfitted VW ‘Comfortline’ with its 160 horsepower engine calls for an investment of 29,675 Euros. It can claim additional safety features, a manual six-speed gear box and consumption of just under seven litres per hundred kilometres driven. There is also a more complex ultra-modern suspension and all those assistant features. But even in Europe not all motorists place importance on these refinements.
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- Buyers of the US Passat will have to do without the various assistant systems which are available for this model elsewhere. But there is little doubt that an attractively priced Passat could be a successful car not just in the United States but also here in Europe.
Value proposition
Buyers of the US Passat will have to do without the various assistant systems which are available for this model elsewhere. But there is little doubt that an attractively priced Passat could be a successful car not just in America but also here in Europe. Where else is there a well equipped mid-class sedan with 170 horsepower and generous interior dimensions for well below 20 thousand Euros? It can be assumed than many buyers hardly miss the Xenon headlamps, the overtaking assist system and the parking aid. Heated leather seats, navi and an electrically operated sliding roof panel will also be available for American motorists. It can surely only be a matter of time before the model finds its way back across the ocean via specialist importers. After all, this is a car which appeals in more ways than just on account of its pricing.
