1000km Road Test - Volkswagen Passat V6

Volkswagen's new Passat range continues this car´s exceptional value for money appeal. The new model is larger and more sophisticated than its predecessor. Here, we look at the top of the line 3.2 litre V6 all-wheel-drive variant.

Value for money

Pricing

Given its performance/size/equipment package, the new Passat represents excellent value.

The Passat range starts at $42,990 for the front-wheel drive, 103 kW 2.0 litre turbo diesel/six speed (DSG) sedan. The 147 kW 2.0 litre direct injection turbocharged petrol/six speed sequential automatic costs $44,990. The top of the line 184 kW 3.2 litre direct injection V6/DSG transmission/all-wheel-drive sedan (tested here) costs $54,990.

Wagon variants add $2000.

Options: Metallic paint $990; sunroof $1990; bi-xenon headlights $2290; 18 inch alloys/lowered suspension $2490; satellite navigation $2990.

Warranty

Three years/100,000 kilometres.

Standard equipment

Eight airbags, dual zone automatic air, stability control, 17 inch alloy wheels, parking sensors at both ends, rain sensing wipers, an in-dash six stack CD, tyre pressure sensors, electric parking brake, power adjustable driver's seat (backrest angle and lumbar; travel and height are manually adjusted) plus cruise control are included on all models.

The 3.2 V6 adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, an alarm, and foglights.

Retained value

The Passat retains about 47 per cent after three years, which is average.

Design and function

Ergonomics

The attractive, simple dash has legible instruments, lit in cool, easy-on-the-eyes blue at night, and a simple to navigate information display using buttons on the wheel.

The audio and airconditioning displays, however, are illegible in daylight if you are wearing polarised sunglasses.

The driving position is fine, but you sit with the wheel noticeably offset to the right, which feels strange. There's plenty of seat travel, plus height/reach adjustment for the wheel.

Innovation

The Passat's three engines all use direct injection, which has been fitted to turbo diesels for some time but has only recently started to appear in series production petrol engines.

Direct injection, as the name implies, delivers the fuel directly to the combustion chamber rather than an inlet port, so the amount, timing and sequencing of each shot of fuel can be made much more precise, using sophisticated engine management programming and superfine injectors.

This improves performance and economy by maximising fuel efficiency.

Downsides include slightly noisy idle, and the need to use 98 octane fuel, both partly due to the high compression ratios employed - 12.1 on the 3.2V6.

Safety

The Passat scores five stars out of five in Euro NCAP tests.

Security

The Passat 2.0 scores midfield in NRMA Insurance's Security Ratings: 79.5 out of a possible 120.

Comfort

The driver's seat is generously padded and comfortable, albeit with a Japanese style short, narrow cushion which some drivers may find unsupportive.

Space and practicality

The Passat's interior displays VW's typically formal, functional styling and layout. Generous sprinklings of chrome indicate upmarket aspirations.

Several covered storage bins, of various sizes, are within easy reach of the driver.

The back seat is properly shaped, firmly padded, spacious and comfortable for two adults. The wagon has three child restraint anchors on the back of the seat.

Build and finish quality

Quality and reliability remain issues with the Volkswagen brand.

VW performs poorly in independent quality, reliability and owner satisfaction surveys in the US. It has acknowledged its problems, and is currently working to fix them.

The new Passat is built in Germany. That in itself is no longer a guarantee of quality or reliability, as the fault-prone 2003-2004 Mercedes-Benz E Class has shown.

On the road

Fuel efficiency

The test car used only 7-8 litres/100km on the highway and 11-14 litres/100km in the city, which is excellent for a car of this size and power.

However, as we mentioned earlier, the Passat's direct injection engines require 98 octane unleaded, so the extra cost of this fuel does cancel out its economy benefits.

It can also be difficult, if not impossible, to get 98 octane in many country towns. You can put a tank or two of 95 through the car without drama (though performance and economy will be slightly affected), but according to VW this is "not recommended for a prolonged timeframe." As for 91 regular unleaded, you would only use it if there was no alternative.

Performance

The direct injection 3.2 V6 produces 184kW of power at 6250rpm and 330Nm of torque from 2750-3750 rpm.

So its delivery is linear and muscular. A long stroke configuration helps it easily pull the high gears at low revs; at the other end of proceedings, the 3.2 feels half a litre bigger in its top end punch and sporty six cylinder sound.

The DSG transmission is among the best we've tested in the speed, smoothness and timeliness of its shifts. Upshifts occur in an instant, with hardly a blip on the tacho. You can use it in manual mode - it's actually a manual with two automatic clutches - but we just flicked the lever across to Sports mode and let it make the decisions - which it did, correctly, nine times out of ten.

Ride

Our test car was fitted with optional lowered (by 15 mm) suspension and 18 inch wheels, running 235/40 Dunlop SP Sports tyres. The standard wheel/tyre combination is 235/45/17.

Lowered suspension does the ride no favours on local roads, where the standard setup is more compliant and comfortable. The "sports" option also amplifies sharp bumps, to the extent that they can occasionally give the body a shake and cause the doors to squeak in their housings.

Handling and steering

The lowered/big wheeled version is obviously the tauter of the two, but in standard trim the 3.2 V6 Passat is surprisingly athletic and tactile. It feels less leaden and inclined to understeer than its predominantly front end torque split - 90 per cent in normal conditions - suggests when its Haldex coupling sends a higher proportion (up to 100 per cent) to the rear wheels, in response to slippage, it does so quickly and seamlessly. The wagon handles as competently as the sedan.

The accurate, communicative steering is unaffected by torque steer.

Braking

The powerful brakes have ample pedal feel, though the pedal itself is a bit high.

Smoothness and quietness

Noise, vibration and harshness levels are low, although our test car had an annoying, inexplicable resonance, which seemed to emanate from the drivetrain, on a trailing accelerator at 80-100km/h, or when coasting to a stop.

Summary

The Passat range is worth a look if you're shopping for a family sedan or wagon at any pricepoint between $40,000 and $100,000. At base level, the 2.0 turbo diesel delivers unbeatable economy; as far as the 3.2V6 is concerned, it is as competent, enjoyable luxurious and well equipped as some $100,000-plus competitors.

VW needs to deliver consistently high quality, however, before we can unreservedly recommend the car.

Test by Bill McKinnon, September 2006.  

The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.

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