Wonderful New Technology Included In Euro Version of Upcoming Volkswagen Passat

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor

AUTO CENTRAL EUROPE-THE HAGUE - November 2014: The new Volkswagen Passat is well dressed to waltz into its segment, with its new, modular platform and a good choice of all new TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines. Next year, the 8th generation will also get a 218 hp strong plug-in hybrid driveline in the Passat GTE. But there is much more under the skin of this new Passat that is about to hit international markets, starting at the end of this month. See my first drive review

The new model has practically the same length as the outgoing mode, but has a 79 mm/3.11 inches longer wheel base, which is good for 33 mm/.3 inches extra interior space. The luggage compartment has been enlarged by 21 liter to 586 liter (0.74-20.7 cu-ft), while that in the estate increase by 47 liters (1.65 cu-ft) to 650 liter, expandable to 1780 liter (22.95-62.86 cu-ft).

The more dynamic looks of the new Passat dynamic are not especially due small differences in size: the car is only 12 mm/0.5 in. wider and 14 mm/0.55 in. lower. Especially the longer bonnet, the sharp and elongated crease on the sides and the larger wheel wells add to the sportier stance.

There are three equipment lines, which I will not go into very deeply. I just mention the standard equipment, which also for the basic Trendline includes 16-inch wheels with 215 tires and LED rear lights, as well as a multifunction steering wheel, Keyless Go, Driver Alert, Automatic Post-Collision Braking, a tire pressure indicator, the Composition Color Radio system with 5-inch touch screen. multi function display ‘plus’, hill hold assist, auto hold and airco. All models have start-stop and a regenerative braking mode. The Comfortline and Highline will offer more. Right from the market launch, Also the sporty R-Line packages will be offered

The new interior offers little to criticize, except the position of the display in the center console. It sits much too low for a quick look, for instance when navigating. But it has a reason: the interior designers wanted to create a feeling of lightness and space. They came up with a lean dashboard, a horizontal structure, that runs all along to the sides into the front door panels. The central design element is the air vent that extends across the entire width. Volkswagen says that the dimensions of the air vent also have a positive effect on the functioning of the climate control functioning on ventilation acoustics.

Fortunately there is another, better way to check the navi system. Volkswagen offers head-up display for the first time, which also projects navigation pictograms. Another possibility to have a better view on the navigation pics is offered in the Active Info.Display. It is a fully digital instrument cluster, somewhat like the one that was first introduced in the Audi TT at the Consumer Electronics Show last January. In the Passat the software automatically ‘shrinks’ the odometer on the right hand side and the rev counter at the left in order to provide a broader space for the navigation in either 2D or 3D. You would think this makes the center display unnecessary. But there is a good use for the front passenger, who can use the latest generation infotainment systems, including interfacing smart phones and their apps via MirrorLink. For passengers on the rear seats, The Passat offers a new app for tablets to access functions of Discover Media and Discover Pro systems via Wi-Fi.

There is also a good choice of driver assistance and safety systems. Such as Area View, enabling 360-degree overview of the situation around the car. The system is new for the Passat and includes obstacle detection and new 3D bird’s ey view. Then, there is Park Assist 3, the evolution of the system that offers automatic steering for reverse parking, parallel parking. Generation three has the new feature of semi automatic forward parking into spaces perpendicular to the road.

Last but not least is Trailer Assist. When I looked at one of my colleagues backing up into a designates parking spot further down the road, I was impressed. Even more so when I got behind the steering wheel to exercise myself. The engineer who was involved in the development told me what to do. You will quickly learn, as it is practically nothing and it gives you one hundred per cent confidence to park your trailer fluently in the open spot.

The Germans always joke about the Dutch pulling a Wohnwagen. That is because during the summer, there are many – often too many – small Dutch cars ‘clogging’ many miles of Autobahn slowly and carefully pulling a caravan. You can almost bet on it that most of them miss the experience to control the easy maneuver the trailer in one movement on its spot. And I believe that even the experienced driver will love it!

New also is Rear Traffic Alert, that helps reversing out of parking spaces by detecting vehicles approaching from the side(s). The system is radar-based and ‘sees’ object up to 50 meters away. It puts out a visual warning, followed by an acoustic one. If there is no reaction from the driver and a collision is upcoming, the system automatically brakes to reduce the severity of the accident

Indeed, a slew of Assist systems is available, from Front to Side and Rear Assist, from Lane Assist to Traffic Jam Assist and City Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, all offering more safety on the motor way and in the city.

As you may have read here on The Auto Channel this new version of the VW Passat is not yet going to be offered in North America soon, but may be offered in the not too far future when I'm sure that it will be packed with technology that will not be offered in ‘ordinary middle class’ models.