by Cheryl Eldridge and Wire Reports
If you like to drive a roomy automobile with great gas mileage and attracts passersby, then this week’s tester might be your cup of tea. It sure did surprise me!
Fall in love with the 2015 Volkswage Passat TSI. This sedan not only swept me off my feet, while driving this roomy European breeding and styled for the price of a mainstream midsize, it also gives you options. One option: the 2015 Volkswagen Passat. Fortunately, this lack of choice doesn’t equate to a lack of desirability. With its neatly tailored styling, accommodating cabin, composed handling and refined ride, the Passat will very likely impress you on a test-drive. It’s rated at an impressive 34 mpg combined,.The Passat’s spacious interior caters to American tastes by allowing stretch-out room for adults both front and rear, as well as generous cargo capacity within its voluminous trunk. Given that Volkswagen builds the Passat in Tennessee expressly for the American market, this made-for-the-U.S. theme should come as no surprise. Furthermore, shoppers have a variety of engines from which to choose. In addition to the thrifty diesel, the Passat can be had with a peppy yet fuel-efficient turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder or, if maximum thrust is what you seek, a potent 3.6-liter V6.
The 2015 Volkswagen Passat sedan is offered in five main trim levels: S, Wolfsburg, SE, Sport and SEL Premium. The diesel-powered TDI variant is essentially available in SE and SEL Premium trims.
The base S comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat (with two-way manual lumbar adjustment), a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control, a trip computer, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and an auxiliary audio jack.
The Wolfsburg edition adds 16-inch alloy wheels, leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, a six-way power driver seat (with two-way power lumbar), heated front seats, satellite radio, an iPod interface and VW’s Car-Net telematics system.
Move up to the SE trim level and you get 17-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, a rearview camera, rear seat air vents, a sliding front armrest, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, upgraded gauges and displays and an eight-speaker sound system with a touchscreen interface.
The Passat Sport is similar to the SE, but has 19-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles (with the automatic transmission), front sport seats and faux carbon-fiber interior accents.
My tester, the top-of-the-line SEL Premium includes all of the SE features as well as 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, keyless ignition and entry, remote ignition, a six-way power passenger seat (with two-way power lumbar), driver memory functions, leather upholstery (with simulated suede seat inserts), wood grain interior trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, a navigation system, upgraded audio (with music storage and HD radio) and a separate ski pass-through for the 60/40 rear seat.
Many of the upper trims’ features can be had on lower trims as options, either individually or via packages.
The 2015 VW Passat is front-wheel drive and comes with a choice of three distinctly different engines.
All trim levels except the TDI have a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The Sport and S trims can be had with either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, while the Wolfsburg, SE and SEL Premium come only with the automatic. In Edmunds performance testing, the Passat 1.8T SEL went from zero to 60 mph in a quick 7.7 seconds. Fuel economy estimates are 28 mpg combined (24 city/36 highway) with the automatic and 28 combined (24/35) with the manual. These are respectable numbers for a four-cylinder midsize sedan, though other top rivals are typically 2-3 mpg better.
The TDI, available in SE and SEL Premium versions, comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine with 150 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. The SE version comes with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automated manual transmission (known as DSG) while the SEL Premium is DSG only. The EPA-estimated fuel economy is an excellent 34 mpg combined (30 city/42 highway) for the automatic and 35 mpg combined (30/44) with the manual. In extensive Edmunds fuel economy testing of the previous Passat TDI, we saw that the car easily met or exceeded its EPA estimates. That’s not typically the case with hybrid sedans.
The strongest engine available on the Passat is a 3.6-liter V6, which churns out 280 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It’s optional on the SEL Premium and comes with the DSG automated manual transmission. In Edmunds testing, a Passat 3.6 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is quick for this class. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 23 mpg combined (20 city/28 highway).
Standard safety features for the 2015 Volkswagen Passat include antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is standard on SE, Sport and SEL trims. VW’s Car-Net telematics system, standard from the Wolfsburg model on up, includes automatic crash notification, roadside assistance, remote vehicle access, stolen vehicle location and geo-fencing (which allows parents to set boundaries for teenage drivers). A Car-Net smartphone app lets owners control many of these functions on the go. However, features increasingly available on family sedans, such as blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and frontal collision warning aren’t available.
In government crash testing, the Passat scored a perfect five stars overall, with five for frontal impact protection and five for side crash protection. Similarly, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Passat its top score of “Good” for frontal moderate-overlap, side-impact and roof-strength tests. It received the institute’s second-highest rating of “Acceptable” in the small-overlap frontal-offset crash test. The Passat’s seat and head restraint design was rated “Good” for whiplash protection in rear impacts.
In Edmunds brake testing, a Passat 3.6 SEL came to a stop from 60 mph in about 130 feet, which is longer than average. However, a 1.8 SEL stopped in a class-average 123 feet, while a TDI SEL took 124 feet.
By the way, my tester was in the low $30Ks.
Until next week, drive safe and buckle up, it’s the law.
