VW Passat: real estate
The new Passat plays continuity without succumbing to the fashion station wagons “lifestyle”. Instead, it offers a larger trunk than the last. His essay has highlighted further progress: better damping and engines offered more convincing. Benefits that are at the pinnacle among family station wagons?
In ten years, times have changed. Upon its release, the previous Passat shook much of a pattern of European or Japanese car in the aisles of the Salon de Paris 1996.Great, intelligently designed and livable, very carefully finished and well equipped for the advertised rates, provided sober TDi engine with direct injection, it actually makes a splash. Qualities that enabled him to take almost ten years before renewal, punctuated by a slight restyling in 2000. A great career. A look at the average lifespan of a model that generally does not exceed seven years.
Since then, productivity has faltered VW, other manufacturers also have come in direct injection diesel, coupled with the more famous common-rail operation more discreet than the injectors, and perceived quality of their output rose …
In short, the sixth generation Passat fits-almost-in range, like a sedan with its new bodywork. If she lost her beautiful supremacy (the previous break was the best selling in its class in Europe during the first six years of marketing), this does not mean that the 6th Passat name is left without an argument. For the break, it starts with a flattering boot space (especially in 5 places), yet without showing a silhouette of mover.
With a length and a width identical to the sedan (4.77 m and 1.82 m, 1 cm more than the 407 SW on both sides), the break is longer than 9 cm and larger 7 cm as the old. Contrary to the latter and the Audi A4 and A6, the return to an implementation of transverse mechanical principle allows more livable.
As noted in only 2 centimeters better – nothing serious, since the model remains one of the references of the class, we say that the trunk should enjoy the change of quarter-turn motors and upper body template. Won, it offers 108 l over the previous 5 seats. A 603-liter under the tonneau cover (485 liters for the sedan, or even 565 liters if one gives up the spare wheel), the largest behind that of the estate Mercedes E-Class , ahead of Skoda Octavia Combi , Audi A6 Avant (longer than 16 cm) Citroen C5 estate. Width available at the entrance hatch, or between the wheel wells is limited to 1 meter (1, 30 m max between the two), but the depth reaches more than 1.10 m. 2 seater configuration, the cargo volume reached 1 641 1 731 l and the same with space of the trough normally vested in the spare wheel.Irrespective of this well, the Passat wagon is largely overtaken by the Mercedes and the Opel Vectra, but does not concede much to the Mazda6, Ford Mondeo, Nissan Primera, Citroen C5, Honda Accord or A6 Avant and did better than the other breaks in the market. Of course, seats and backrests fold asymmetrically, fairly easily if the front seats are not too remote, even if the kinematics is less ingenious than Honda and Mazda. The bench retracted leaving a completely flat loading area.the A6 Avant , it can also be powered with a hatch (using three switches or remote control, optional on …), with the possibility to choose the opening height, the 2.06 m max can avoid some bruises to major (a little head in the air of course), but not really compatible in some low-ceilinged box.
Supervision performance
When empty, the dynamic qualities similar to those of the sedan, with no noticeable difference. The progress of depreciation (even with sports suspension with firmer springs calibrated) relative to the previous generation avoid pumping on the undulations and filter out the small irregularities at low speed. They participate in the Passat now place among the family about the good balance between comfort and performance.
The handling is proving very healthy and if-slightly-over-optimism, stability control before. The only major criticism goes hand dynamic braking TDi 140 hp lack of endurance, especially on mountain road. The brake discs erase programmed fine, but the correct size of the discs, calipers and pads, not bad either.
Since the payload can reach 638 kg, Volkswagen offers a self-leveling hydropneumatic developed for this model operates without pump or electric auxiliary engine, always optional, not compatible with the sport suspension. We have not tried the fully loaded Passat equipped with this device, but from experience, we can advise those who drive frequently “full”. For those towing a trailer or caravan, like Opel and other brands, the Electronic Stability ESP has a stabilizing function, Sway if you prefer. To further enhance active safety, we find the remote control radar ADR associated with that speed, yet rarely available at that level range.
The mass is reasonable to tow (55 kg more than the sedan and an additional thirty compared to the previous generation of break), demonstrating that the engines of the sedan and boxes are left without change under the hood of the wagon.
Engines and equipment identical to the sedan
The engines come from the sedan . We are three atmospheric gas, a 1.6 102 hp to forget and two direct-injection FSI of 115 hp and 150 much more sober and compelling because of their direct injection. The 150 indicates a significantly higher approval (more powerful and much quieter) than the proposed TDI 105 for the same price point between the two, we’re hotter for FSi if annual mileage of less than 20 000 km . The range is headed by the excellent 2-liter turbo direct injection 200 hp from the Golf GTi, pending still a 3.2 liter VR6 with 250 hp transmission 4 semi-full motion and DSG promised for the end of 2005. This transmission will also always coupled with the FSi 150 and cons BVM6 TDi 140 € 1 600 extra. 6-speed Tiptronic available only with 4 engines FSi (€ 1670, not tested).Audi A4 and A6 , but this translation deprives currently 6 cylinder diesel.
Diesel In fact, we hoped to finally try the evolution of the 170 hp 2 liter TDI with particulate filter that can compensate for the lack of V6, but caramba, is still missing, it was not until the late fall. For this test done in Germany, Alsace and the fen in the Vosges mountains, we discovered a variant of the 2.0 TDI tax deflated 140 hp to 122 hp, which is of real interest only to companies (7 HP instead of 8) . We have above all led the 2 l TDI 140 in BVM6, powerful, effective (0 to 100 km / h in 10 seconds and 206 km / h max) and sober (7.7 litres/100km average actual and the maximum at 11 cols to climb the Vosges). His sound is always present in the cold, but among all models of the VW group that team is in the interior of the Passat when it means the least. Discretion here close to the 2.0 HDi 407. Bravo soundproofing.
This engine meets the other standards as Euro IV, even without a particulate filter. The 140 hp engine is the only power available, optional natürlich, at a price of 650 €. It is also the only one who can enjoy the superb DSG dual clutch (extra € 1 670) that combines the best of conventional automatic gearbox and mechanics.
Of trim levels modeled on the sedanThe equipment levels are four in number (Trend in base, Sport and Comfort at the median and Carat Top Quality), identical to the sedan. There’s something for every taste and every budget, especially considering the very long list of options.
Prices increase by € 1 300 compared to the sedan. The equivalent to the supplement to pass the A4 sedan at the front, a gift in specialized or break the entry ticket is usually around € 2,500. It is a bit high from a carmaker in the category, even if the Peugeot 407 SW has set an example. Most of the other breaks are paid € 800 or 1 000 compared with sedans from which they derive.
