Volkswagen Launches New Passat

by Brad Leach under News on 05 Oct 2010 10:41:34 AM05 Oct 2010

Volkswagen Launches New Passat 3

Volkswagen says the new Passat lineup which goes on-sale in Europe next month features a front-end style borrowed from its premium Phaeton model (curiously not sold in Australia). That’s stretching things a bit, but there’s no doubt the latest Passat is very handsome.

But it’s not stretching things to say the Passat rivals the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia and Renault Laguna as being the benchmark European mid-sizers (the biggest selling market segment). Viewed in that context, the new Passat was probably the most significant new production model launched at the concept car-loaded Paris Motor Show.
Unusually for Volkswagen, the German brand lifted the curtain simultaneously on both the sedan and wagon models of the latest Passat (normally the wagon’s launch is delayed). And although the official press release is light on details, Volkswagen says fuel consumption for the new Passat’s turbo-diesel engine is down to 4.2l/100kms and emissions are just 109g/km.

We would also like to have told you some local details for the new Passat lineup, but again Volkswagen Group Australia has been silent.

What we can tell you is European versions of the all-new Passat deliver the usual top-shelf interior design/layout and a raft of new technology including automatic City emergency braking (whatever that is!), blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring and driver fatigue detection.

As well, there are two versions of Volkswagen’s Dynamic Light Assist – a camera-managed system which monitors on-coming traffic to automatically dip the headlights (this means they normally operate on high beam, providing better visibility for the Passat driver).

Park Assist has been improved and as well as providing automatic maneuvering for parallel parking, it can now do the same for perpendicular parking.

As we know, Ford Australia has just launched the upgraded Mondeo lineup so - in the absence of any details from Volkswagen regarding Australian plans for the Passat - let’s just say buyers considering a premium European mid-sizer might be best to delay things until a clearer picture emerges.