Volkswagen Passat 2.0 FSI
Now into its 6th incarnation, the Volkswagen Passat is larger and more sophisticated than ever.

What's New?
Volkswagen has been enjoying something of a renaissance lately, and it appears that this is all due to one simple thing. Fun.

Take the new Golf GTI for example, you wouldn't have thought that VW had it in them to build a car that so ably integrates the properly sporty spirit of the original with modern safety requirements and cushy appointments but they've pulled it off with terrific aplomb.

The new Passat therefore, has great expectations to live up to, although it's helped to some degree by the GTI's rosy halo effect. The Passat sits on a stretched version of the current Golf platform, which bodes well dynamically, but the first things you notice are the long front and rear overhangs. These are more a concession to pedestrian safety than anything else as they do make the car look slightly awkward from certain angles.

Apart from this the car is undoubtedly attractively styled. You get VW's new corporate nose in the form of a smoked chrome 'shield' adorning the front air intakes, and much sleeker flanks with deeper and more dynamic creases.

How It Performs
The Passat gets a recalibrated version the Golf's excellent electric power steering setup, as well as a sophisticated rear-axle subframe and special engine mounts to further improve refinement levels. On the road, progress, even at three-figure speeds, is commendably smooth with only wind noise spoiling the overall refinement.

If the hooligan in you so desires, you'll find the Passat pretty game for a spirited drive. There isn't much feel from the steering but the car's damping and body control are more than up to the task. Dive into corners at fairly silly speeds and the brace of electronic stability control programmes help to keep things pretty tidy by curbing the worst of the understeer.

The Highway drove the 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI (Fuel Stratified Ignition, VW-speak for direct injection) model. The four-cylinder unit is smooth, very quiet even when stretched and more than sufficiently torquey for most overtaking manoeuvres. It's also mated to a similarly silky six-speed automatic gearbox.

How It Stacks Up
The interior is well screwed together and adopts many of the flagship Phaeton's styling cues so you get a nice upmarket look. The only downside is the absence of the old car's "soft-touch" coating so some surfaces feel less velvety than they look.

It's also very roomy, an area where the old car excelled, and the boot is vast at 565-litres - in dim light it actually seems like it goes on forever. On the lengthy options list are goodies like sophisticated draught-free climate control and a clever Bluetooth phone system that doesn't use your mobile as an antenna like most other Bluetooth setups.

Prices haven't been set yet as the car is only due here at the end of the year, but expect to pay roughly $130,000 including COE for the 2.0-litre. For the money you get a commendable drive, comfortable appointments and VW's unthreateningly trendy image, all wrapped up in an attractive body. The new Passat, like its predecessor, looks set to once again do considerable damage to the old benchmarks.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Volkswagen Passat 2.0 FSI ENGINE Engine: 1,984cc in-line four, 16v FSI Max Power: 150bhp @ 6,000rpm Max Torque: 200Nm @ 3,500rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic TOP SPEED 208 kmh 0-100km/h 10.2s