Volkswagen India has officially revealed the launch date of the new-gen Passat in India. The D-segment sedan will mark its return to the country on 10 October. Once launched, the new Passat will enter into direct competition against the likes of Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and its sibling, the Skoda Superb.
The Volkswagen Passat returns to the Indian market after a gap of three years. The German carmaker has commenced the production of the sedan at their Aurangabad manufacturing facility in Maharashtra. Introduced in 2015 internationally, the Passat is in its eighth generation now. However, this will be the third generation of the saloon in India. The Passat becomes the second Volkswagen to be based on the MQB platform in India after the Tiguan. It shares the underpinning with the Superb and the upcoming Kodiaq apart from few other Audis.
The all-new Passat carries Volkswagen’s new family design. It continues with its sleek and simple yet graceful sedan lines. Being a flagship offering, the Passat will come laden with all the bells and whistles that Volkswagen has on offer. Under the hood will be a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine producing 177bhp and 350Nm. Transmission is a six-speed DSG powering the front wheels. There might be a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine in the pipeline, but that will come later.
When launched in India, the Passat is expected to be available in two trims – Comfortline and Highline. Prices are expected to be around Rs 28 – 31 lakhs (ex-showroom).