Volkswagen Passat goes into its 7th Generation

Volkswagen rejuvenates one of its most successful and long-standing models: the VW Passat. It has been sold over 15 million times, since first launched in 1973 and is available in over 100 countries across the globe. At the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, Volkswagen is presenting an entirely new Passat – as a saloon and an estate car simultaneously.

New Styling for the Upper Middle Class
A new styling configuration was created for the seventh generation of the Passat. It features upgraded comfort, convenience, quality and safety properties as well as in its assistance systems. Available in Trendline, Comfortline and Highline equipment levels - it now offers a standard equipment on all turbodiesel models of the base Trendline version, which includes the energy-saving Stop/Start system and battery regeneration. All other petrol and natural gas engines have a battery regeneration system as well. For the smallest petrol engine, battery regeneration and the Stop/Start system are available as options.

Increased Sustainability
All ten engines (77 kW / 105 PS through 220 kW / 300 PS) are more fuel efficient – up to 18 percent more. The "smallest" turbodiesel (1.6 TDI with 105 PS and 250 Nm) now consumes just 4.2* l/100 km; that is equivalent to 109* g/km CO2. Meanwhile, downsizing and technologies contribute to fuel efficiency in the petrol-powered versions. The 1.4 TSI (90 kW / 122 PS); in the BlueMotion Technology version, only consumes 5.8 l/100 km. The equivalent CO2 value is 138 g/km.

More Safety
The new model comes with an automatic City emergency braking function and, on Comfortline models and above, a standard fatigue detection function. The fatigue detection system, which Volkswagen is introducing for the first time in this class, is continually active; it detects reduced driver concentration and warns the driver with an acoustic signal. Further, the Dynamic Light Assist enables continual use of the main beam headlights while driving. The results: improved illumination of the carriageway in nearly all situations.

New Assistance Systems
The XDS electronic transverse differential lock improves traction in bends. There will now also be a Side Assist function, which uses flashing LEDs in the door mirrors to call the driver’s attention to vehicles located laterally to the rear or next to the Passat or a vehicle approaching quickly from the rear. A measuring tyre pressure monitoring system also signals potential loss of tyre pressure - individually for each wheel. Other assistance innovations are the Easy Open, which allows to open the boot lid with a specific foot motion.

Other new features encompass the rear seat system that can be unlatched from the bootspace, a towbar that can be made to swivel out at the press of a button and side windows in noise-dampening compound safety glass. Park Assist II will now also be offered on the Passat and the RNS 510 navigation system detects speed limit signs by camera and sends them to the touchscreen in the centre console.

The seventh generation of Volkswagen’s Passat will be available in European markets by mid-November.