Written by: Jan Tuček

The Volkswagen Passat is a recognized personality among mid-class cars. The new generation of this reliable sedan offers, besides its first-rate technology and high-quality production, a surprisingly dynamic design.

MORE SHARPLY cut body lines, an effective, chrome grill, and a distinctive headlight shape clearly sets this 4.76 meter-long sedan apart from its competition. The slightly enlarged interior provides a greater degree of comfort and safety, and the broad choice of options and materials are made possible by an offer of four degrees of equipment: Trendline, Comfortline, Sportline, and Highline. Standard is an excellent chassis with front-wheel drive, which in all models is supplemented by an ESP electronic stabilization program, power brakes, and ABS, EDS, and ASR systems.
The range of power plants starts with a four-cylinder, 1.6-l, 102 hp (75 kW) gasoline engine and continues with two four-cylinder, injection, 1.6-l FSI and 2.0-l FSI gasoline engines that turn out 115 and 150 hp (85 and 110 kW). The supercharged 2.0-l Turbo FSI gasoline engine – like both other FSI engines – can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission, and puts out an even 200 hp (147 kW). The 1.9 and 2.0-l TDI turbodiesels (105 and 140 hp/77 and 103 kW) offer very economical operation. The larger of them, delivered with six-speed transmissions (manual or DSG automatics), drive the sedan to a top speed of 209 km/h with a combined consumption of 6.0 l of diesel fuel per 100 km. The wide line of models is reflected in the prices: from CZK 649,900 for the Passat Trendline with a 1.6 l engine to CZK 1,039,400 for the top of the line, the Passat Highline with the supercharged, four-cylinder 2.0 l Turbo FSI and the Tiptronic automatic transmission.