VW Passat review: Find your inner showpiece

The price is right to own Europe’s car of the year.

VW Passat.

VOLKSWAGEN’S updated Passat looks a million bucks. The longer and lower stance is more aggressive, the styling wider and more angular.

It comes as a sedan, a regular wagon or offroad-styled Alltrack. Its super-competitive pricing, starting from $34,990, puts it within reach of Falcon and Commodore buyers — many of whom will be looking soon for alternatives.

2016 Volkswagen Passat.

DESIGN

The base 132TSI and upspec Comfortline version share a 1.8-litre petrol engine and seven speed auto, and the 140TDI Highline is a 2.0-litre diesel with six-speeder.

The 132TSI Comfortline is $39,990 and the 140TDI Highline is $45,990 before option packs.

Standard equipment includes nine airbags, satnav, three-zone climate control aircon and 6.5-inch touchscreen.

VW Passat.

The Comfortline adds leather upholstery, bolstered sport seats, fog lights with fixed cornering lights, keyless entry and push-button start. Safety gear includes front assist with city emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, side assist, lane assist and rear traffic alert.

Its eight-inch touchscreen is easier and gets the Discover Pro infotainment upgrade.

Petrol versions get 17-inch alloys as standard and the diesel has 18s. There are self-healing tyres and a full-size alloy spare.

Occupying the sweet spot, the Comfortline is well worth the extra $5000 in terms of resale alone. The diesel’s premium is pretty steep.

It is worth noting the smaller stablemate Jetta sedan, also $39,990 for the top-of-the-line variant, enjoys similar styling and could well be a rival.

ABOUT TOWN

The Volkswagen badge has plenty of cachet and the latest Passat lives up to the promise. Its longer wheelbase delivers better dynamics and interior space, while the styling draws plenty of admiring glances.

VW Passat.

Badge tragics may be unable to resist the related Audi A4 — their loss.

Slide behind the wheel for the first time and the sporty seats feel big and cushy. The meaty bolsters can catch the hip on entry — we’ve encountered worse but it could be problematic for those who aren’t as lithe as they once were.

Large blind spot warning lights take much of the guesswork out of the cut and thrust of city driving. Measuring about 5cm long, they are on the inside edge of the exterior mirrors, delivering a bright warning when there’s a hazard.

In contrast, the engine auto shutdown is still a right royal pain. It lags, right when you need it most, pulling into the stream of traffic where every second counts. You can turn it off, but you have to do that each time you start the car.

Front and rear parking sensors plus a large rear-view camera image ease the squeeze into parking spaces.

ON THE ROAD

VW Passat.

The 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo is one of our favourites and it doesn’t use much juice. VW has contrived to narrow the fuel consumption gap between its petrol and diesel engines, to the point where you could realistically consider either.

2015 VW Passat.

Smooth and quiet, the 1.8 delivers plenty of punch, particularly in sport mode, which keeps the gearbox in a lower gear.

Eco mode on the other hand trims about 500rpm from the gear shift points, gets into higher ratios more quickly and is less responsive to the throttle.

A software update has helped smooth out some of the awkwardness that the dual-clutch transmission formerly showed on takeoff and when confronted with the rapid speed changes required in city traffic.

There’s plenty of urge for overtaking, the steering is accurate and the car sits securely on the road, rounding up nicely when pushed enthusiastically.

Out on the open road, however, drivers will begin to lament the absence of paddle-shifters.

On reflection, the base Passat with cloth upholstery that we drove a few months back felt utilitarian. The Comfortline in contrast feels aspirational, something you wouldn’t mind owning.

VERDICT ★★★★

Last year’s Euro car of the year and a Carsguide COTY contender (a creditable fourth).

Some call it the German Camry, no bad thing. Comfy, spacious, thrifty and doesn’t cost a bomb.

VITALS

VW PASSAT

PRICE From $34,990

WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km

CAPPED SERVICING $1527 over 3 years

SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/15,000km

SAFETY â˜…★★★★

ENGINE 1.8-litre 4-cyl turbo, 132kW/250Nm

TRANSMISSION 7-speed DSG; FWD

THIRST 6.0L/100km

DIMENSIONS 4767mm (L), 1832mm (W), 1456mm (H), 2791mm (WB)

WEIGHT 1450kg

SPARE Full-size alloy

0-100KM/H 7.9 secs

AT A GLANCE

WHAT IT’S GOT

Plenty of wow factor and all-round desirability. VW has taken an average-looking car and made it into something special.

WHAT IT HASN’T

Not much missing. The extra $5K for the Comfortline model pretty much covers everything but be careful ticking the options box.

OWNERSHIP

VW sells a lot more Golfs than Passats in Australia but this model could change the equation, especially at the price, and capped servicing provides some surety.

WHAT WE LIKED

The way it looks, the way it rides and the way it handles, not to mention the price and excellent fuel economy.

WHAT WE DIDN’T

The auto stop-start is a pain. You can switch it off but you have to do so every time you drive the car.

ALSO CONSIDER.

Ford Mondeo From $33,190

Mid-spec Trend from $40,490. Largest and most powerful of the group, uses 8.2L/100km.

Mazda6 From $32,490

Value Touring model from $37,290. Feels as if it could have been made in Europe and goes lightly at 6.6L/100km.

Subaru Liberty From $29,990

Premium from $35,990. Classier than before, with AWD of course. Thirst is 7.3L/100km and it’s the only one with 18-inch wheels.