German car manufacturer Volkswagen has launched the new Passat in India in two trims – Comfortline and Highline priced at Rs 29.99 lakhs and Rs 32.99 lakhs (all-India, ex-showroom) respectively. The Passat is the company’s second major premium product launch after the recently launched Tiguan SUV. The newly launched model gets a longer wheelbase and a lower body in comparison to its predecessor.
Under the hood, the new Volkswagen Passat is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI engine that comes mated to six-speed automatic transmission to generate 174bhp of power at 3,600-4,000rpm and 350Nm of torque at 1,500-3,500rpm. The company claims that the new D-segment sedan returns a fuel efficiency figure of 17.42kmpl. In terms of dimensions, the new Passat measures 4,767mm in length, 1,832mm width and has a height of 1,456mm. The sedan’s wheelbase measures 2,786mm.
The standard equipment list in the Comfortline and the Highline variants of the Passat include - LED headlamps for low and high beam with Daytime Running Lights (DRL), cornering lights, front fog lamps with chrome surround, chrome moulding on side windows, dark red tail lamps with LED technology, rear fog lamp and rear defogger. As for the interior, the standard equipment list includes chrome detailing on front AC vents with rotary light switch, analog clock in dashboard, piano black centre console, decorative inserts in ornamental wood ‘Brillant Pine’ and ‘Olive Ash Silk-Matte’ for dashboard and doors trim, auto-dimming interior mirror, front footwell LED lamps, ambient light package, LED reading lamps in front and rear and front centre armrest with height and longitudinal adjustment and storage box. Additionally, the list also includes rear centre armrest with load-through provision and 2 beverage holders and 60:40 split folding rear seat backrest.
In terms of key differences, the top-spec Highline variant gets body coloured bumpers with chrome mouldings, a set of five ‘London’ R17 alloy wheels, electric slide/tilt sunroof, ‘Nappa’ leather upholstery, chrome detailing on mirror adjustment knob and power window switches, stainless steel scuff plates on front and rear door steps and ´Premium` colour multifunction display. The Comfortline variant gets a few unique features such as body coloured bumpers with decorative trims, a set of four ‘Aragon’ R16 alloy wheels and ‘Plus’ multi-function display.
The new Passat gets standard safety equipments like driver and front passenger airbag with front passenger airbag deactivation, knee airbag on driver side, curtain airbag system for front and rear passengers, side airbags for front passengers and side airbags for rear outer passengers. The new Passat also gets Electronic Stability Control (ESC), ABS, ASR and EDL, hill start assist, auto hold function, lockable wheel bolts with extended anti-theft protection, front underbody guard and electronic vehicle immobilisation device.
Competition Check
The new Volkswagen Passat competes against the likes of Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and the Skoda Superb in India. Priced at Rs 43.21 lakhs the Honda Accord is the most expensive sedan in the lot and it is powered by a 2.0-litre i-MMD four-cylinder petrol engine works in consonance with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack to deliver over 190bhp power and 306Nm of torque. The hybrid powertrain is mated to a CVT to transmit power to the front wheels. The Toyota Camry is limited to a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an optional hybrid variant. The regular Camry is priced at Rs 29.75 lakhs while the hybrid variant is priced at Rs 37.22 lakhs. The regular Camry generates 178bhp at 6000rpm and 233Nm of torque at 4100rpm, while the hybrid version generates 202bhp at 5700rpm and 213Nm at 4500rpm. The Skoda Superb is available in petrol and diesel engine options. The Superb is available in five variants and is priced from Rs 24.24 lakhs to Rs 31.99 lakhs for the top-spec L&K TDI AT diesel variant. On the petrol front, it gets a 1.8-TSI which produces 180bhp while the diesel on the other hand is the 2.0-litre TDI which produces 177bhp and 350Nm of torque. The 1.8-TSI tuned for 320Nm of torque output is mated to a six speed manual while 250Nm setup gets the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The diesel gets the six-speed automatic option only.
