Volkswagen Passat Variant: Room For Everything

The Passat has always been a reference for the rest of saloons, an example to follow, and the Volkswagen Passat Variant is the most familiar version of the successful German saloon, a type of vehicle seriously threatened by the last to arrive: SUVs.

Being a saloon in these times is not easy, and even less so when you also have your rivals at home. So far in 2018, for every sedan sold, four SUVs or SUVs do so, something unimaginable until a few years ago.

Exterior design of the Volkswagen Passat Variant

If the image of this model stands out for something, it is because it does not stand out at all. Its lines are sober and simple, with a powerful image but without extravagant or out of place details.

The cleanliness of its lines makes it seem longer than it really is, and that is that at 4.77 meters it is below the 4.83 meters of the Peugeot 508 SW or the 4.99 meters of the Opel Insignia Grand Sport.

The front is exactly the same as in the four-door Passat. It is from the B-pillar that it changes, with wider rear windows and a huge roof that extends to the rear of the car. The rear doors are also slightly larger than the four-door version, which makes access easier.

The rear area is the least worked on the car, with sober and not very ornate shapes, although the quality of the settings approve with flying colors. It is a more practical than colorful vehicle, although the set is pleasant and timeless.

Interior design and habitability

With the same philosophy used on the outside, the interior of the Volkswagen Passat Variant is as sober as it is practical. From the first moment you feel that everything is in its place, very well organized and with an outstanding quality of materials.

The front seats are very spacious and comfortable, suitable for all types of heights and without narrow width. The dashboard is dominated by a huge central touch screen and, optionally, the instrument panel can also be digital, which is highly recommended, both to improve the aesthetics of the interior and for its usefulness.

In the upper part of the dashboard we find an analog clock, something already common in the model and that breaks with that modernity and technology that surrounds the interior.

In the rear seats the space is insufficient to accommodate three passengers comfortably, unless one of them is a child. The knee gap is outstanding, only improved by the Skoda Superb Combi, at 80 and 83 centimeters respectively.

In addition, access to the interior in these seats is very comfortable, due to the large rear doors and their opening angle. This facilitates access when children have to be placed in seats, a maneuver that parents value highly.

The trunk has 650 liters of capacity, one of the best on the market both for capacity and for its usable shapes. With such space, the problem of suitcases becomes a thing of the past; a 10 for the German brand.

Dynamics and engines

The best data that can be given of a 4.77-meter-long family member is that its weight starts at only 1,334 kilograms, a data more typical of a compact. This, coupled with a stiff and balanced chassis, gives the Passat outstanding dynamic capabilities.

On highways everything is relaxation in this car, the silence in motion and the good absorption of potholes by the suspension make adding kilometers a pleasant experience.

In slow curves such as a mountain section is where it brings out that weight content and that general balance. There is hardly any understeer, and support changes are made quickly and accurately. The suspension supports the body just enough to avoid uncomfortable rocking but without making the occupants uncomfortable in bumpy areas.

In this sense, it  is quite similar to the Mazda 6 SW, and surpasses models such as the Peugeot 508 SW or the Toyota Avensis Touring Sports.

In the mechanical section we find a wide range of options, with diesel, gasoline and a plug-in hybrid.

In gasoline, the access block is a 1.4 TSI of 125 hp, with exceptional performance for its power, since it accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in just 9.7 seconds. Above, with that same block, we have the 150 hp option, the most recommended.

For the more performance options there is a 1.8 TSI of 180 CV and a 2.0 TSI of 220 or 280 CV. All of them are automatic, except those with the 1.4 TSI engine.

In diesel, it starts with a 1.6 TDI of 120 CV, although the most recommended for the good capabilities of the car is the 2.0 TDI of 150 or 190 CV. At the top of the range with this fuel we have the 2.0 Bi-TDI with 240 hp, a bullet that stops the stopwatch in 6.3 seconds in the 0 to 100 km / h test.

The plug-in hybrid option is limited to a single configuration of 218 hp, with which it achieves a consumption of 1.7 l / 100 km and similar performance to the 190 hp diesel.

Price and conclusion

Part of € 28,390 that is worth the Volkswagen Passat Variant with the 125 hp 1.4 TSI engine and the Edition finish, and can go up to 47,600 of the version with the 240 hp biturbo diesel engine, with the Sport finish and all-wheel drive. four wheels.

They are prices slightly higher than most of its generalist competitors and very similar to the Mazda 6 SW. A premium model  with similar features costs around 4,000 euros more, but none offers the interior space of this Volkswagen Passat Variant.