MOTORING
VW PASSAT By Maarten Hoffmann, Senior Motoring Editor
PLATIN UM
As with its Audi sister, you can have fourwheel drive although you will never go hill-climbing in it, it makes it more secure and planted on wet roads and in snow, you might be one of the only cars actually moving.
The Passat has always had an identity problem. Where does it fit into the sector? To me, it’s always been a little nondescript - not quite an Audi and not quite a VW. It never quite fitted in with its contemporaries, the Skoda Superb or the Vauxhall Insignia or higher up the sector with the Audi A4, Merc C-Class or BMW 3 Series. But my, how things have changed with the new model. Better equipped, a much better interior and a good looking body. The entry-level 118BHP 1.6 is adequate and will do the job but the 148 BHP 2-litre is the one to go for, with plenty of get up and go and solid as a rock on the
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motorway. For the best ride, opt for the smaller 17” wheels as although they don’t look as good as the large ones, you will benefit from a much smoother ride. The diesel models can be a noisy and booming whereby the manual is smooth and fairly silent.
The interior is much improved with good adjustment on the seats, and the dashboard is easy to read and operate. Front and rear parking sensors are standard and required when reversing, as it is not easy to judge the rear length. Or go for auto parking whereby the car does the job whilst you just sit there. and read the paper. It comes with a standard 6.5” screen although you can
