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Weekend roadtest : Volkswagen Passat Estate BlueMotion 2.0 TDI
publication date: Mar 5, 2011
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author/source: David Miles
Now
on sale the seventh generation Volkswagen Passat Saloon and Estate are more
polished than their predecessors and firmly aimed at the fleet and business
market sector.
The D-segment Passat in its four door Saloon or
five door Estate body styles takes on not only a fresh appearance both inside
and out with every panel and glass surface apart from the roof being new, but
also adopts the latest technologies and efficiency measures to make it among
the most economical cars in its class. Prices start at £18,875 on-the-road for the Saloon
and £20,175 for the Estate. |  |
The new Passats will sell against the BMW 3 Series,
Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 as well as the sub-premium brands such as the
Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Honda Accord, Toyota Avensis, Volvo S60/V60 and
Skoda Superb.
For the first time, as buying patterns change, Volkswagen
UK expect to sell just under 10,000 Passat Saloons and just over 11,000 Estates
and around 80% of Passats will be for fleet and company car users.
The petrol line-up comprises of smaller but more
powerful TSI direct injection units; 1.4-litre 122PS, 1.8-litre 160PS and
2.0-litre 210PS. Every second generation diesel engine is now badged as a
BlueMotion Technology product and is equipped with battery regeneration and
Stop/Start systems as standard. The TDI
line-up is 1.6-litre 105PS, 2.0-litre 140PS and 2.0-litre 170PS.
Most engines in the line-up are available with the
choice of 6-speed manual of six/seven speed DSG twin clutch automatic
transmissions.
The best selling 2.0-litre 140PS unit in the Estate,
my road test model with SE specification and costing £23,375, has 320Nm (236lb
ft) of torque from 1,750rpm, CO2 emissions of just 120g/km and returns an
official 61.4mpg with the six speed manual gearbox, ( 48.4mpg on test).
Road tax is £0 in the First Year rate and
then only £30 per annum after that.
Company car drivers will enjoy the relatively low 13% Benefit-in-Kind
tax cost and all drivers will not feel the ‘financial pinch' with the 21E
insurance group rating.
Three trim levels are available: S, SE and
Sport.
|  | Additional equipment added to the
new Passat over the outgoing model includes an iPod interface and leather
multifunction steering wheel for the S model.
The SE trim level gains an eight-speaker digital
radio, Bluetooth connectivity and the new driver fatigue detection system;
while at the top of the range the new Sport model gains touchscreen satellite
navigation. All Passats are fitted with six
airbags, ABS braking system,
Electronic Stabilisation Programme and WOKS whiplash-optimised head restraints
as standard. | In addition, the new Passat is the
quietest and most refined iteration yet.
The refreshed exterior design makes it
look a classier vehicle - an important feature in this very competitive
sector. The overall length has grown by 4mm
to 4,771mm, the width and height are the same at 1,820mm and height 1,516mm so
it looks sleek but substantial.
Being
an estate the load capacity will be a main consideration. With all five seats
in use the boot space is 523-litres and with the split rear seats folded this
goes up to 1,731-litres. The load area
is well shaped so it is easy to use and a tall tailgate opening is easy on the
head.
There
is a revised dashboard with new dials, soft feel trim finishes in places, an
analogue clock, subtle metalwork highlights and new comfortable seats. The instrument layout looks simple and
uncluttered and there is a comprehensive list of standard fixtures and
fittings. The overall experience is one of comfort and refinement if a little
on the dour side.
Being
more of a refreshed model the new Passat Estate does not outshine the
competition. Certainly it is more polished than before but it has reached the
same level of others in its class, it doesn't exceed them.
Likewise
the fuel economy, it is good but not class leading. The 48.4mpg test drive fuel
economy I achieved for a combination of driving during my week long test could
have been better I think.
Driven
at around 60mph on motorways the fuel consumption was 52.7mpg but driven at
70mph this dropped to 46.1mpg with the overall figure of 48.4mpg being
registered with A and B class roads and some in-town driving included. | | | The
engine with its high torque output from low rpm made the car responsive to
drive despite its high gearing. The unit
is very quiet in the new model, indeed most noise aspects of the new Passat
Estate are hushed except for tyre noise intrusion on some road surfaces.
The
suspension set-up is on the ‘comfort' side which is no bad thing for high
mileage company car drivers. All other
driving aspects and flexibility of use, plus the updated design, are welcome
improvements. |  | MILESTONES.
| © David Miles | Volkswagen
Passat Estate BlueMotion Technology 2.0 TDI 140PS 6-speed manual (best selling
model).
Price: £23,375. Engine/transmission: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder,
common-rail turbodiesel, 138bhp, 236lb ft of torque from 1,750rpm, 6-speed
manual. Performance: 132mph, 0-62mph 10.0 seconds, 61.4mpg (48.4mpg on test),
CO2 120g/km, VED £0 First Year then £30 per annum, BILK company car tax 13%.
Insurance Group: 21E. Dimensions/capacities: L 4,771mm, W 1,820mm, H 1,516mm,
boot space: 523 - 1,731-litres, braked towing weight 1,800kg.
For:
Polished exterior
styling, well equipped, low for taxation, comfortable ride, roomy, responsive
engine.
Against:
Conservative
interior styling, tyre noise intrusion, real-life fuel economy didn't come
close to the official figure. |
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