2019 Volkswagen Passat Wagon
Volkswagen Passat 2019 Review – International
German giant's flagship passenger car gets styling tweaks, more in-car tech and better driver-assist functions
More than meets the eye
As mid-model facelifts go, even dyed-in-the-wool VW fans might need to concentrate hard to spot the exterior changes for the MY20 Volkswagen Passat.
More vibrant additions to the colour palette, such as Bottlegreen, Sea Shell Gold and Lapiz Blue (of Golf R fame) give the latest Passat a lift from the usual safe company carpark greys and silvers, but most noticeable amongst the design changes are new bumpers, adding curves that contrast with the crisp German design throughout the rest of the car.
New LED fog lights are neatly integrated in the front bumper, too, and the Passat also keeps up with the growing trend to spell the name of the model out across the back in individual lettering, though the letters are so small you'll barely be able to read them at a distance.
Both the headlights and rear light clusters get a bump up to LED units as standard across the range. A version of the Matrix LED units (with 44 LEDs, as debuted on the Touareg, and appearing to shift light around other vehicles on the road) are optional and will come on range-topping versions.
Similarly, the rear LED units on higher-spec models gain Audi-style 'dynamic' indicators that visually flow outward in the direction of use, while a rejigging of the model range specifications also includes a couple of new wheel designs, measuring up to 19-inch in diameter.
The Volkswagen Passat Alltrack continues as a more rugged crossover wagon, featuring tough-wearing plastic shrouds around the sills and wheel-arches and aluminium-look bash plates on the bumpers. It still offers a little more for better ground clearance and gets Volkswagen's 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system as standard.
Inner sanctum
Where there seems to be a bigger bang for your buck is the interior. The overall design hasn't changed much here at all, though the amount of tech has increased.
There's no place for the old analogue clock in this high-tech new Volkswagen Passat, seemingly, as it's been replaced by a more prominent hazard warning light switch -- due to legislation changes, says Volkswagen. To fill in the rest of the space, the Passat name is spelt out above it, which looks cheap, but is backlit at night.
Although the Passat doesn't beat the Skoda Superb for rear legroom, it does feel comfortable and spacious in the rear. Supportive seats and sufficient headroom -- especially in the wagon – help, too.
As with more and more cars nowadays it's all about screen real estate in the Passat, and while it can't replicate the vast Innovision display of the Touareg, it does get the VW Group's latest MIB3 infotainment system that includes a 9.2-inch touch-screen display and better connectivity options thanks to a built-in sim.
Wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity and the choice of a wireless charging pad will all be good news to tech lovers. There will also be the option to use a digital key held on your smartphone (if it's a compatible device), enabling you to open and start the car without the physical key.
Ahead of the driver is a new 11.7-inch 'Digital Cockpit' display. Like the previous Active Info Display, it can change the information shown to your preference, from mapping to simple dials.
Coolant temps and fuel levels appear at either side of it and buyers can specify a head-up display, although it's the pop-up kind that projects onto a clear plastic screen rather than the fancier variety that is projected directly onto the windscreen glass.
More relevant to more drivers will be the 'Travel Assist', a broader suite of driver assistance tech that Volkswagen puts under its 'IQ.Drive' umbrella. This enables improved partially assisted driving at higher speeds, such as on the highway or in heavy traffic.
The car uses data from its sensors and camera as well as its mapping to maintain its position in the lane and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. It can crawl along in stop-start traffic with the driver needing only to touch the new capacitive steering wheel.
In previous iterations drivers had to input some steering movement every few seconds, whereas this new version can detect the driver once they're touching the steering wheel, making it a boon to those frequently travelling on heavily congested work commutes.
Volkswagen has given its adaptive cruise control tech a bump in brain power too, thanks to its mapping software. Now when you're driving on sufficiently mapped roads with the system active, it can detect what's coming up ahead and will automatically slow for bends and roundabouts.
If you have a route destination already punched it gets better again as it knows how to prepare for the next turn. The car can also detect changes in speed limit zones and reduce or increase speed accordingly. So the Passat could almost eliminate the risk of getting a speeding fine ever again.
On the road
That could be useful if you opt for the top 206kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. This will be the most powerful version of the Passat in both sedan and wagon form, the latter topping Volkswagen Australia's existing Passat model range in $62,290 206 TSI R-Line guise.
To maximise performance, it is mated exclusively to the slick-shifting seven-speed DSG gearbox and sends power to all four wheels. Given the size and weight of the Passat, it doesn't half move with this blown four-pot pushing it along.
The performance gets a useful spread too, with peak torque of 350Nm arriving from 2000rpm and staying put until up to 5400rpm. Add to that the reassuring traction that the 4MOTION transmission can provide and you have a year-round car that can add some thrill to the daily slog.
To help with on-road comfort Volkswagen offers electronically controlled dampers that can adjust according to the chosen drive mode, stiffening or softening to the driver's liking.
Toggling through the drive modes has the usual effects of tweaking the shift patterns on the DSG unit and adding some steering weight, though the latter doesn't create a sportier feeling or any more communication with the front wheels as such.
Keener drivers won't be particularly enamoured with this version, even with the tasty looking R-Line trim. For all its pace, it's still lacking in any real sense of driver involvement. Some will say "but it's just a Passat", and it is, but it still feels just a little too clinical and anodyne on the move for the enthusiast. Nevertheless, it is hugely competent and feels solidly put together.
Some will love the tougher image of the Alltrack version, and that added lift does help when you're off the black stuff. It's not going to do everything a VW Amarok can, but it does make for an alternative to the pricier Audi A6 allroad quattro.
When the MY20 Volkswagen Passat arrives in Australia in November, the safer bet for most will be the more sensible new entry-level 140 TSI version or the mid-range 162 TSI, then spending the extra money on loading it up with that driver assistance tech.
Although they will lack the 206 TSI R-Line's bling and ultimate pace, both models will offer almost as much real-world performance without skimping on refinement or quality.
How much does the 2019 Volkswagen Passat 206 TSI cost?
Price: TBC
Available: November
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/350Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.0L/100km (NEDC)
CO2: 160g/km (NEDC)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Source: https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/volkswagen-passat-2019-review-international-119215/
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