Volkswagen Passat 2.0 FSI Review: So you want to impress your father in law...
Far from being a bad thing, the Passat, that literaly means to "Trade Winds" has lots in mind for the ardent trader, or should I say, businessman. The facelift model has more things in it than you might bargain for, and it's entry level performance isn't lacking behind either.
The engine was a pleasant surprise. For a 2 litre unit, it is surprisingly perky, free revving and definitely torquey through busy city traffic. I didn’t think twice about planting my right foot down to slice through the rush hour, oblivious to nary a horn from the shocked Taxi driver behind me.
The fact that this engine makes 200nm at 3500rpm is rather shocking, considering its sweet, signing nature that lasts all the way to its (approximately) 6500rpm redline.
We bested a respectable 11 seconds flat in real world 0-100km/h acceleration tests, and then chickened out at 210km/h, when the car was starting to get floaty over moderate road bumps.
For a non-dsg equipped automatic, the transmission complies well and smooth with driver inputs. I found the manual override to be absolutely unnecessary. If you need the Passat to upshift at higher revs, simply punt the lever into “S” and there you have it.
The car comes with an electro-mechanical power steering system that has the ability to change the feel of the steering in accordance to speed and driving situations. I was particularly surprised that this system worked so well on a big car like the Passat.
Considering it was really well weighted when driven hard for 4 continuous days, it was very easy to, literally spin, when parking.
Steering feedback was excellent. In fact, out of all the people who sampled this car, even round the parking lot, every single person loved the feel and tactility of the steering wheel when maneuvering the car.
There has to be a lot to be said about its mild, self-centering action. Cut short, its ability to compensate for different, potentially dangerous situations like crosswinds and steep road cambers is simply astounding for a luxury car.
I also liked the brakes. They were adjusted to react to the driver’s foot in a very sensitive fashion, which might be a little too twitchy for the beginner driver. However, they were progressive and reassuring. In a car which is very unlike say, a Z4 or a Porsche, tapping the brakes fairly hard produces some serious stopping action.
The fronts get ventilated discs with solid discs at the back. Volkswagen says that they feature an integrated ‘brake disc wipe system’ as standard - the linings are applied at every five minutes. Any thin film of water that might have built up on wet roads quickly evaporates, and therefore shortens the braking distance. I was certainly oblivious to this procedure, or its existence prior to talking to the representatives.
ESP is a standard affair, and for the uninclined, they simply work by controlling each wheel independently, applying the brakes to counter any skidding force, be it oversteer or understeer.
We reckon then, for just under $109,000 you are going to get a car that goes head on with the Mercedes C class and BMW 3 series. In fact, I dare say that this car has more room than your average 318i or C180. Its also $30,000-$50,000 cheaper than these front engine, rear driven counterparts.
It might not be on par in terms of handling performance, but you know what? It doesn't need to be. In fact, I swear by the fact that the Passat had more midrange pulling power than say, any other normally aspirated, 4 cylinder German. This Passat is going to pull the crowd in with its barrage of niceties and humongous passenger/booth space anyway.
At the end of the day, you get a whole lot more in terms of an extremely well planned and engineered German than you've bargained for. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Credits: Amery Reuben
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