Starting in the first quarter of 2024, the ninth-generation Volkswagen Passat will be exclusively offered in a wagon body style, a body style referred to by VW as the Variant. This overhauled Passat is notable as the inaugural vehicle built on the MQB evo platform by the German automaker, incorporating a selection of advanced technology and powertrains.
The new model surpasses its predecessor in size and power, with dimensions approximately 193.6 inches in length, marking a 5.6-inch increase compared to the outgoing model. The wheelbase has been extended by around two inches, resulting in expanded passenger space. When the rear seats are folded, the storage capacity reaches nearly 1925.5 litres.
Volkswagen has just released the first sneak peek of the brand-new Passat, which will make its global debut at the end of August this year. However, the all-new Passat variant will only officially be launched in the first quarter of 2024.
This new variant will be 144 mm longer than its predecessor, measuring 4917 mm in length. It will also have an extra 50 mm of legroom due to its larger size. Cargo space has increased by 40 litres to 690 litres with the rear seats in place. When the seats are folded, the volume increases by 140 litres over the original Passat waggon to 1,920 litres.
Front seats with ergoActive technology will be available as an option. These have electrical adjustability (up to 14-way, depending on model and equipment) as well as massage and air conditioning capabilities that can be programmed variably.
Owning a Volkswagen Passat will undoubtedly give much driving pleasure and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is enhancing that ownership experience with a complimentary stay at the Pangkor Laut Resort in Perak. The offer is for customers who purchase a new Passat Elegance or Passat R-Line before April 30, 2021.
Additionally, during this promotion period, the Passat Elegance comes with insurance premium (worth RM5,500) covered by VPCM for the first year, while the Passat R-Line comes with a year’s free supply of petrol (worth RM2,500).
The Pangkor Laut Resort stay is for two nights for two persons in a Hill Villa up on the hillside of the island which offers a magnificent view of the sea and overlooks beautiful tropical gardens. Inclusive in the package are all three daily meals, and guests will also receive a 50-minute massage treatment. The package covers return scheduled speedboat transfers to and from Marina Island Pangkor on the mainland.
Pangkor Laut Resort in Perak
Valid until December 2022
Of course, for now, interstate travel is not permitted so new Passat owners from outside Perak would not be able to drive to Lumut, from which the speedboat starts. However, the stay is valid until December 20, 2022 which is over one year away so restrictions should end by then. You can help bring that end as soon as possible by doing your part to bring the COVID-19 case numbers down.
“The current travel implementations by the government meant that we have not been able to travel and get away from the hustle and bustle of our city lives. With this campaign, we are delighted to offer our customers the opportunity to experience two award winners – the Passat, the world’s best-selling mid-sized sedan – and Pangkor Laut Resort, previously voted ‘Number One in the World’ by Condé Nast Traveller,” said Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM.
The Passat Elegance and its sportier sibling, the Passat R-Line are the world’s best-selling mid-sized sedans. Both are powered by a 2.0TSI turbocharged petrol engine with 190 ps/320 Nm output, and paired with a 7-speed wet clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG). The top-of-the-range R-Line also comes with Dynamic Chassis Control and other technologically advanced features. With the current sales tax exemption (until June 30, 2021), the Elegance is priced at RM181,856 and the R-Line is at RM203,411 (excluding insurance).
The Passat Escape
On April 10/11, Volkswagen dealerships nationwide will be hosting ‘The Passat Escape’, an event to showcase the features of the two models and highlight attractive deals and promotions. Customers are invited to tune in to the respective dealers’ social media channels or visit any authorised showroom.
All Volkswagen models come with 3 years of free scheduled maintenance, 5 years warranty with unlimited mileage, and 5 years of complimentary roadside assistance. For more information on the Passat and other models available in Malaysia, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.
Do you live in an urban area with mad traffic? Somewhere like KL, Penang or even JB? Do you work long hours at the office and take pride in working overtime? Perhaps you have spent years and years of your life working up the corporate ladder and now you are almost at the top.
Your family life is near perfect. Kids are in school, your trophy wife is dedicated to ensuring the home always remains comfortable and the kids balance their time between work and play.
And now it has come time to reward yourself.
But you are a price conscious man. You do not want to spend too much money on a car that takes you to work and home and back to your parents home in a town three to four hours away every three to four months away. But we are talking about a Volkswagen here, so you can accept a little bit of depreciation.
Or maybe you are none of the above and just want a nice car to go about your daily business then. It does not matter what category you fall into, or if there is even a category to define you.
Lets then talk about the Volkswagen Passat R-Line – a car so fine that you won’t mind spending hours stuck in traffic in it. And yet it falls short of being perfect.
What we love about it:
Design
The design of the Passat has come a long way. Even without the R-line kit the Passat is already a handsome car, but the R-line kit simply accentuates its good looks and adds a dash of sportiness to it. The R-line gives you bigger, sportier wheels, sports bumpers, a sportier steering wheel, Nappa leather upholstery, and a lot more inside and outside the car, but it does not add more power and add any electronic gizmo. Everything else remains the same.
We particularly loved it in white and as the saying goes, if you don’t look back at your car after parking it, you bought the wrong car. The Passat R-line had us looking back at it a lot, and we think you will too.
Interior
The interior is spacious and comfortable. The drivers seat is adjustable in 14 different ways, so it is impossible to not get comfortable in it.
We particularly appreciate how well built everything feels, and though it does not exude luxury and opulence, it is a great place to be in. When compared to the competition in its segment especially the current throne-sitters like the Camry and Accord, the Passat and its European build and style makes it feel as if it were a bargain at a little under RM205,000.
And yes, it is more expensive than its segment competitors and price-wise at least, it deserves to be put up against the likes of the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and the Audi A4. And even then it would still seem like a bargain as you get so much more living space for a lot cheaper.
If you don’t mind the badge, then the Passat offers a lot more value for money than its Euro rivals. And if you don’t mind spending a little more than the Asians, you will love the interior ambiance and comforts.
Technology
During the entire review period, the Passat appealed to the techie in us. Whether it was the digital meter panel or the eight speaker sound system, or the armada of safety technologies, the Passat has plenty of tech to offer.
The Wireless App-Connect smartphone connectivity in particular was shockingly easy to use. The iPhone connected to the onboard Apple CarPlay quickly and drama free, and most importantly, wirelessly. It was perfect and for those of you who suffer from cable-anxiety where you have to carry cables everywhere, this tech is God sent. Sadly, this tech is only available for Apple iPhone users, Android users will still need to suffer the inelegance of carrying cables around.
The drive mode selector too is just two quick dabs of a button away – touch the Drive Mode button located by the gear shifter and then touch the 9.2-inch screen to select your preferred mode. The Passat R-line has five driving modes – Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport and Individual, which lets you adjust things like steering wheel heft, accelerator pedal sensitivity and gear shift speed. Because the Passat also comes with Dynamic Chassis Control, you can also adjust how comfortable the car feels, a plush for those highways cruises, and hard suspension for when you feel like attacking corners and for ultimate chassis and suspension response.
Power and Economy
We hear the groans, yes we know 190PS (187hp) and 320Nm of torque does not warrant us talking about power, but it honestly feels good enough in the Passat.
Keep in mind that this is a car that has been designed for comfort and safety for the family. Yes this is a family man’s car, and we beg of you not to kit it up with a spoiler and loud ‘wannabe’ akrapovic exhaust kit, because that will just make you look stupid and the car is not designed for this (yes, there actually are people that do such things to a Passat).
The Passat R-line is designed for the daily grind, and that’s what it does best – to keep you comfortable and to keep your money in your wallet and not poured into the fuel tank. Volkswagen Malaysia says the Passat R-line needs just 6.5 litres of fuel for every 100km, real world figures suggest something along those lines and up to 7.6 litres for every 100km when you’re not flooring the right pedal all the time. But we do believe their claim that the Passat is capable of 1,000km per tank. Of course this depends on your driving style, but if you keep your right foot on a leash, those figures are achievable.
All-round daily runner
This is what we love the Passat for, a no-nonsense, fuss-free, comfortable, loving car. It has everything you will want in a car and has it all packaged handsomely. It is a car that you can drive to the office and to impress your clients and to show that you are a person with taste yet don’t want to spend silly money on a car that ultimately does not give you back as much. It is also a car that your family will love and will also ultimately impress the cousins and kampung folks with its good looks.
But there are also things that we don’t quite like, such as ….
Road Noise
The 19-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato P7 (235/40 R19) rubbers are good in the wet and have decent dry weather handling, but are extremely noisy at highway speed. And this noise creeps back into the cabin to the point where you actually have to raise your voice significantly to have a conversation. This can get irritating and uncomfortable at highway speed. It is particularly annoying when you have to make and accept phone calls, hands free of course.
Confusing entertainment system and a screen that loves fingerprints
As great as the entertainment system is, we suspect that non-tech inclined drivers and passengers will find the onboard systems a little confusing to use. There is no doubt that the systems are especially friendly towards iPhone users (no complains there for this iPhone user), but the entire Discover Pro entertainment system requires a little getting used.
As for the screen that too easily smudges, this irritates the neat freak in us because the screen somehow does not cope very well with all that fingering around. After a day’s driving, the screen is full of smudges. Of course there is a way around it and that is to visit your favourite accessories story and to install a screen protector. It is not a deal breaker, but still very irritating.
Uninspiring dashboard
Yes yes we were raving about how well built the interior feels and all that jazz, but if you are artistically inclined the design of the dashboard may leave you longing for more. Of course less is always more, and the overall interior quality feels great, but as far as exciting interior designs go, the dash of the Passat will perhaps leave you longing for more after a while.
All in all …
There is little not to love about the Volkswagen Passat, especially in R-line trim. It may be pricey especially when compared to the Japanese rivals, but you get good value for money. There are plenty of complaints about Volkswagen and retaining its used car prices, but we are firm believers in living in the moment and worrying about the future when the time comes, so if you want a car that looks good and makes you feel great as well, then the Passat R-line checks all the boxes.
And for those concerned about owning a Volkswagen, the company has heard of such concerns and now offers a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty, 3 year free maintenance as well as 5 year free roadside assistance. Talk about drama free ownership.
The Volkswagen Passat has been in the market for quite some time now and there are quite a number of them on Malaysian roads today. Currently on offer as their top-of-the-line premium sedan by Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM), we decided to take it out for a spin again just to see whether if it’s still a relevant car to drive in 2019. (more…)
It’s quite a mouthful isn’t it? Volkswagen Passat Comfortline Plus 280 TSI 7-speed DSG. Okay, so that last bit with the mention of its gearbox isn’t really in the official name, I just added it in for effect and because I’m silly that way…
But while we’re at it, let’s dissect that “280” badge on the boot shall we? Well, apparently it denotes the torque figure, but this Comfortline Plus 1.8 variant only has 250Nm, so why “280” then? VW says that if the torque figure falls between a certain range, they’ll just take the higher numeric and stick it on the boot. Wait, what?
It’s all part of a new naming nomenclature that began last year, whereby the VW Group has chosen to use the torque figure to denote which variant of the car it is, simple as that.
If you’re still with me, let’s try to forget all that because it really isn’t relevant to the car at hand. Here’s my take on the car, summed up in a short video:
It really is nice actually, and as you can see from the video below, it looks strikingly good as well. Here’s a quick 360-degree external walk-around video, followed by the 5 main things I love about this car:
The Clock…
No joke, wanna know one of the coolest things about the Passat interior? It’s the clock. Seriously, situated smack-dab in the centre of the dashboard sits this wonderful analogue clock. Now I don’t know about you but to me, in this digital-age, digital clocks really cheapen the looks of a car. I don’t care if it cost millions or mere thousands, a digital clock cheapens any car that it’s used in. Period.
Thankfully, the one in this Passat looks glorious. I absolutely love the simplicity of it, and the thought given to where it’s placed deserves mention too; anyone in the car can see it, regardless of where they’re sitting.
The Engine…
Like me, I’m sure anyone test-driving this car will not believe it’s a 1.8-litre 4-pot, especially when ‘Sport’ mode is selected, followed by vigourous fingering of the paddle shifts. I should have worded that better I think, but you get what I mean.
There’s a definite Dr.Jeckyll & Mr.Hyde thing going on under that bonnet because ‘Sport’ mode really does bring out the beast in this car, and while normal cruising rewards the occupants with a smooth and effortless ride, ‘Sport’ mode alters this cars’ personality to the ‘nth degree.
The Design…
It’s a subjective matter of course, but in terms of design and aesthetic appeal, despite being a ‘safe’ choice as I mentioned in the video, there’s still something about how this car looks from the outside that’s uncannily appealing.
It’s not in the least bit ostentatious, however, the Passat manages to pull-off looking sporty and aggressive, and yet stylish at the same time. There’s just something about that front-end that captures your attention and holds it. Double-takes were very prevalent during the time I had the car…
The Ride…
Here’s another trick akin to what the designers pulled-off insofar as looks are concerned, that the engineers accomplished as well. The car runs on 18-inch alloys, but you’d never know it because the suspension manages to soak-up even the worst undulations and asphalt irregularities, which abound in this country.
At the same time, the Passat feels stable and reassuring in twists and turns taken more ‘spiritedly’. It’s not a GTI and shouldn’t be thought of as one, but it will hold its own during the odd occasion you find yourself alone on a stretch of road that would be a sin to not take advantage of. Yes, I know you know what I mean…
The Ownership Experience…
I had a bet the other day with a friend that I could drive a car for 5km and know exactly everything I’d need to know about it for the purposes of a review. I was bullshitting of course, and while reliability and cost of ownership are things that I can’t comment about for this Passat, I can say that having had it for a longer period of time than usual, it’s a brilliant ownership proposition.
This is the kind of car that would be ideal as a company car, daily commuter and weekend family-time car as well. It’s big, spacious, comfortable and very well appointed (FULL specs, click here). That’s my driving position in the photo above and look at the space available at the back. Some carmakers shorten the length of the rear seat for added legroom, this is not the case with the Passat.
So as I said in the video, despite not seeing this car much on the road, it is a definite worthy consideration for anyone seeking a D-segment car in the RM180k range. By all means go test the other multitude of D-segmenters from Germany, Japan, S.Korea, and even the USA. But do yourself a favour… save the VW Passat for last. – Chris Wee.
VW Passat 1.8TSI Comfortline PLUS Specs That Matter…
Price: RM179,990 + RM4,990 for PLUS upgrades
6.5″ touchscreen display radio ‘Composition Media’ with USB, SD Card slot, Bluetooth and AUX-In
‘Climatronic’ air-conditioning system with 3-zone temperature control
Front leather seats with 12-way electric adjust with massage and memory for driver
‘Easy open’ rear boot and Keyless Entry and Push Start
Electronic parking brake, auto hold and hill hold control
Park Assist 3.0
Adaptive LED lighting system
Rear view camera with 4 views
6 airbags
Power & Torque…
The 1.8TSI which is powering this Comfortline PLUS has 180PS and 250Nm @ 1250rpm – 5000rpm with the combined fuel efficiency of 5.7l/100km.
For the record, the 2.0TSI which is powering the Highline has 220PS and 350Nm @ 1500rpm – 4400rpm with the combined fuel efficiency of 6.2l/100km.
PLUS upgrades worth RM12,000
‘Monterey’ alloy wheels 8J x 18″
Window tinting by VW Tint
For full details, warranties and official price, click here.